DIGITAL ASANA

I somehow missed this in the firehose of info and interviews that came out of “Internet Week” in NYC.  Here is Deepak Chopra (@DeepakChopra) briefly discussing technology as a catalyst for change. I say briefly because it veers away from technology pretty quickly and then goes into his books, thoughts about consciousness, strategies for shifting, etc.  All good stuff, but considering the context he sets in the first few sentences of the interview, it seems like a big missed opportunity.  The 10 min interview here:

Right away he comes out of the gate with,

I think technology is the extension of the human mind… It’s going to change our identity… we are all going to acquire a global identity, ultimately a cosmic identity through technology.

Wow.  OK.  I assume she’ll come back to that, right?  But instead we get a softball followup that seems meant to please the audience of Internet Week (who aren’t on their iPhone) by feigning surprise, “ZOMG so you are saying technology might be a GOOD THING!?” (I may be paraphrasing there).   Deepak’s response

Technology is neutral, what we do with it is up to us.

Thank you!  I was honestly glad to hear him say this; it’s so true.  But OK, please extend the thinking here - I mean a car is also neutral.  So please tell me more about what you envision we do with this neutral technology, how it is up to us - where are those precious moments where we can make those choices that empower, engage, and renew a world that is somehow more disconnected with every device that boasts its ability to connect?

<crickets>

Sigh. 

So we move onto discussion about the new YouTube channel, “The Chopra Well” which really is elegantly done, has a nice design, and clearly ready for prime time in terms of production quality and Deepak’s participation.  It’s a great place to store his thoughts on several topics and people can see and hear it come from him directly.  I really dig this and am glad to see him willing to do it in a way that is iteratable (not irritable).  The shots are him in his office, and it’s not pretty, but over time my sense is we’ll see the quality of the responses to the questions get better too.   Normally I’d say the biggest issue is a content one, but considering he’s written SIXTY-FIVE BOOKS, I’d say he’s going to be fine in this respect. 

Speaking of the books, I must admit I cringe at his admission that he writes them on his Blackberry and then emails them to his office.  “It’s hard to type on an iPhone” is one of those myths that just doesn’t cut it with me.  Same with, “I’m not good at yoga” or “I’m bad with computers.” or “I can’t meditate.” These are just lovely and convenient myths designed to perpetuate your status quo of not learning or being new (some say being “bad”) at something.  Somewhere a RIM executive got his wings.

Two other sidenotes:

• I like that he involves his daughter’s social site, “intent.com” in his work, which is a lovely gesture of a parent learning and involving his children, and in some way it humanizes him more for me.  Most young adults have had to show their parents how to use facebook or twitter (or texts) - same idea, bigger stage.

• His quick response to his long term plans, “My long term plan is to die.“  was so refreshing to hear.  As Baron Baptiste often says, “Death is coming to a body near you.” We can be wired, connected, social, and integrated as much as we want, but so much of it serves as a distraction from the inevitable conclusion of life.  I wish the interview had started on this thought.  I would love to have heard about how he sees technology as a partner in creating/documenting/experiencing a richer version of life so that instead of leaving breadcrumbs to show others the way, we leave seeds that grow and mature over time. 

It’s an old post from Seth Godin, but one I keep coming back to for writing, for teaching, for editing, and for life in general.  Especially #5.  

Writing naked (nakeder than Orwell)

Here are Orwell’s rules, edited:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print. You don’t need cliches.

2. Never use a long word where a short one will do. Avoid long words.

3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

4. Never use the passive where you can use the active. Write in the now.

5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. When in doubt, say it clearly.

6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous. Better to be interesting than to follow these rules.

The reason business writing is horrible is that people are afraid.

Afraid to say what they mean, because they might be criticized for it.

Afraid to be misunderstood, to be accused of saying what they didn’t mean, because they might be criticized for it.

Orwell was on the right track. Just say it. Say it clearly. Say it now. Say it without fear of being criticized and say it without being boring.

If the goal is no feedback, then say nothing. Don’t write the memo.

If the goal is to communicate, then say what you mean.

My best tip is this: buy a cheap digital recorder. Say what you want to say, as if the person you seek to persuade is standing there, listening. Then type that up. Simplify. Send.

We live in a time where saying it clearly and saying it now is easier than ever.  But fear of being criticized is so engrained in our psychology it keeps us so small in our expression.  This goes for business writing and certainly ‘yoga writing.’  My personal experience with the vast majority of yoga writing is that it is designed not to illuminate anything for me as a reader, but rather for the author to be seen in a certain way (spiritual, funny, gossipy, rejectionist, authority, peacemaker, etc).

When we put our energies into trying to affect how others experience us both online and in person, rather than on the quality of our expression, the content of the communication is compromised.  Most of all, it’s exhausting and ineffective.  It just doesn’t work.

Just say what you have to say.  Say it clearly.  Say it now.  The funny thing is that’s what people have wanted from you the entire time.  

This story registers with me quite a bit.  Click the link for the whole story (it’s short), and give it a read.  That last line is particularly humbling for me, as I can picture myself with my nose in my iPhone instead of keeping my eyes and ears awake to what is actually happening around me.  

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Here’s the video: 

Oof. How many yoga classes have I been to without knowing I am in the presence of an amazing teacher because I’m so focused on what I’m doing/feeling/getting?   How many times have I taught classes and failed to introduce myself, my teachers, and establish credibility?  

I could take this as an easy opportunity to go into how people aren’t present, etc.  But what I’m more interested in is you asking yourself, “Where am I playing the part of Joshua Bell in a subway station?”  By that I mean, how do you share with people who you are and what you have to offer as a teacher and a person?  Without any context provided, people are free to make up their own minds - which is fine, but often that leads to an easy distraction and/or LOL cat videos.

This was a stunt to see what people would do, but as a yoga teacher the price of humble anonymity is much higher.  How are you sharing who you are?  If you’re not sharing at all - no facebook page/website/linkedin/twitter/instagram/whatever - in a way people expect to find you, you are teaching yoga in a subway station.   

And everyone misses out as a result.

Today I signed up for an online course that will teach me to build a search engine in seven short weeks.   I’m excited about all that I have to learn, and how I’ll be able to apply it in my job and elsewhere.  I admit that what piqued my interest most was the appearance of a very tired Google Go-Founder Sergey Brin (must be all that yoga on campus), rocking a lululemon shirt.  I am not exactly sure how building a search engine  will impact the work I do, but took this as a sign that I’m headed in the right direction.

Full video here.  The intention of the course is to take a beginner with no experience to a level of some sophistication with focus on paying attention to how you get there.

Not unlike my yoga class this morning.