DIGITAL DETOX

DIGITAL DETOXIFICATION

For long I contemplated how much time I spent on Social media (SM) and internet doing all things that are of no concern to me. First thing at the dawn and last thing I do before I sleep is indulge in unproductive SM. Watching tons of idle chat conversations in multiple groups though I don’t participate in, watch photos of people whom I ve no idea of, read news and gossip which are in consequential. All this net addiction multiplied with introduction of Reliance Jio free data. Though not in this backdrop, but one fine day I just deleted all my SM; multiple whatsapp and multiple fb accounts on smartphone, movies and junk on laptop.

See the techno-obsessive-addicts around you. Ear plugs to ears have become extension of human body, people always walking with heads bowed looking into phones, sitting in parks/benches/McD/airports etc all time drowned into their electronic gadgets or Selfie obsessed humanity. First it’s just cell phone, later came ear plugs, soon dual sims and secondary phones , then power banks. Other day I almost crashed into IDIOT who was crossing the road with earplugs and gazing into his smartphone.

Now with phone internet data switched off I switched to basic analog Samsung guru phone. These following are my observations or self discoveries.

1)   Now all in a sudden your pockets become lighter with one basic model puny phone. And smart phone loses its smartness. Like fangless cobra, it becomes your servant, no longer your master. And what more, Phone battery lasts for full day.

2)   Before going to bed I used to tuck  phone under my pillow lest I missed something in my virtual world as I sleep. My smart phone functions now as smart alarm. So almost each and every day for last 30 days I woke up between 4am-5am.

3)   With no constant tiny beeps assaulting you dangerously all time reminding some update on SM, you find lot of time at your disposal. With continuous data streaming comes with stress of mood swings. Now my pal puts something on military-spy-foreign affair I tend to get excited, if its Modi vs Manmohan, Sanghis vs Congis, Army vs anti national politics; all ends up in anger, some lovely face generating love and passion. Looking into other people lives, wondering how many liked or disliked my upload or whom I wanna like etc etc clogging my own mind. No matter what reaction my mind generated, be it good or bad, it made me compulsively to react or respond. Either way mind went for a toss. Whatever, with no nonstop stimuli, I found so much space and serenity.

4)   I belong to probably last generation who existed before technology took over our lives. I belong to that generation who lived while planet earth was in transition from Analogue to Digital. When humans spent more in Real world than virtual. With absence of smart phone, I magically rediscovered lots of empty space around me as if I deleted tons of clutter from my mind. It gave me clutter free mind by not involving in instant news and constant drama around the world.

5)    I loved every moment though initially mind rebelled and suffered withdrawal symptoms. Compulsively I used to check my phone or switch on the data but to no avail as I already deleted (not deactivated) the entire SM connectivity. Mind came up with many excuses like what about official communication? What about important messages? What about other useful things that I derive from SM. Well, first thing I brought entire official communications into basic model phone and logged on that number from Tablet which I never carry. In my line of work, we seldom use SM for communication, hence the very rare occasional message comes through texts. And I wondered how many of my so called loved ones would notice my absence. Unfortunately none! Great realization, thinking I used to spend so much time in pampering, praising, pleasing my so called loved ones.

6)   What did I do with new found mental freedom and clutter/stress free time? Well, first clutter free mind was so peaceful that I believe I spent last 30 days very productively. I woke up almost every day at 4 -5am, was able to improve my yoga, concentration and meditation greatly (Remember now my mind is clutter free), read tons of books. Earlier for every one page I read, I would spend 10minutes on whatsapp which eventually eat away hours in a day. I bought many books, downloaded almost every week a new book on kindle. The best book I read was on Russian Propaganda techniques (I would definitely dedicate one full blog on this mind blowing book.), Biographies of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw (all valour of old soldier),Director Ramgopal varma (really interesting philosophies’),Kishanji (Naxal), Hitler body guard stories, The Seige (26/11 terror attacks), ,Buddha in brothel (only fiction book I bought) and other spiritual books..phew, some still going on.

7)   Now after 30 day period, I reactivated my whatsapp and fb. Suddenly there was flood on whatsapp and fb msgs over missed bdays and updates. I found I hardly missed anything important. But whats the first whatsapp message I find? RGV with Mia Malkova…hahaha

TIME MACHINE

Other day a weird thought hit my empty brain. It was sunny day .Bright with no heat . It reminded me my school days summer holidays when all i used to do was laze under trees .Then i wondered how would it be if i had power to go back into time . What if we can go back the time. Time is impenetrable but still a lazy fantasy to look back all the events in live back in time .

Time machine is ultimate dream come true for all those scinetists and writers and day dreamers like me .The earliest memory of Time machine was reading HG Wells classsical book "Time machine" and and now a days many movies must have come based on the concept...easrliest movie i remeber was "Blast from the Past"

where science ends , spirituality begins.If anyone of you read any of the works of Tibetian Lama Lobsang Rampa (arun, iam half way up ), He speaks of Akakshic Records where everything about past and present and future are/were/will be stored up and one can tune into it ..Iam not talented as Lobsang Rampa nor iam equiped with HG Wells imagination . iam just a mere dreamer ..Day dreamer. one who dream,s with his eyes wide open (n who lives life with his eyes closed especially at work)

i wondered what if i get a chance or in far distant future we invent such machines what would i see...Iam always frightened of functioning of my brain.It comes with awesome diablocial ideas . iam afraid when ., unknowignly i might listen to it and implement its dangerous senseless ideas(Didnt someone say..Be Master of Will but slave of Consceince"). But for entertainment and slapstick humour , i can totally rely on it..So i wonererd if i would go back to Past or peek into Future

I guess i would turn my focus into Past..zap back beyond centuries of Time and Space and watch the grand evolution of Earth.,watch the historical freedom struggle of our country. I still cannot imagine the force of Gandhjis words on advocacy of Non violence..At his call., not a single satyagrahi lifted his hands in self defence when bashed up by british soldiers with metal lathis.Rows and rows , obediently stood to get beaten.the fallen ones are taken away for treatment and new rows of freedom fighters took the place.Just imagine, i , at slight even perceived sense of danger would go into defensive stance.My training in karate with my teacher was drilled into bone and blood such that even in dead sleep., my hands go into defensive formation. and here pre 1947., people volunetarily give themselves to blows. Unimaginable

Probably next time station would be 1945-1960-1980: Wolrd war between Germany ad Western nations and Intense Cold war between USSR and USA. Even before i could read Indian History ., i was well versed in World war history .thanks to tons of comics i used ot read.some how i regale old european history and aura that period holds.The spy war after WW-2 was one topic i dreamed endlessly.the technology., heated rivalry and almost nuclear war bnetween USSR and USA was mind spinning.Not forgetting technological race and espionage .Damn thrilling.




My entire childhood and to this age aaswell., it spent most of time reading comics esp Amar chitra kathas.I always wondered if Mahabaratha war really took place or not.The missiles they use were too awesome to be imaginative..Can Arjunas Brahmastras be a nuclear weapon invoked by Mantras power??Did Aliens acutally used to visit Earth.Otherwise how can we explain those big Pyramid and weird sculptures of green wich. Are puspaka Vimanas(Flying Vehicles) of past are in reality space ship (atharvanaveda speaks of vimankiasastra dealing with flying vehicles of most modern weapons imginabe 3000 ears ago)

As a kid i was regaled everynight with stories from fables n valour of kings by my mom., and Asoka was always my favourite.Ashoka was one King in Ancient India who deseves nobel prize .Just imagine a King with iron will and never give up spirit and extreme love for power ad war giving up his power after kalinga war after seeing sea of blood shed. We cannot give up our little power on our friends and all poloiticans in wolrd cling to power till death do them a part . And heres the hero who gave up at prime of his power and that too voluntarily

One should watch earth when dinosaurs walked the earth (i never sw movie jurassic park..alas) but iam too scared of any animal. But more importantly, last but not the least., i would enjoy to peak watching my friend grow up. A stupid friend who got mike inplace of throat and shreiks at hyper decibel level that kills eardrums.Watch the person grow from infancy to adulthood till we met.Watch when the person almost died by electrick shock when live wire came in contact in garden. watch the naughty thngs and studiousness as one topped exams in school n college . silently witnessing



if i keep goin on i guess there wont be any commercial break to my sense of umagination and my brain never gets tired at all.well buddies before i get struck up in some unknown historical era ., i would come back to present . Who knows many of my current day friends could have been Napoleon or Ceaser or Hitler or Ashoka or Samudra gupta or cholas or chimpanzees in their past lives....

Enjoy your present ..thats why its called Present