Embodied Computing

UMass CFM Blogs
#1

Recently, I’ve been spending a lot of time at the computer, working on projects that depend on the many amazing powers of modern technology.

keyboarding

A week or so ago, after many hours of peering at words and images on the screen, I noticed my heart feeling hard and stiff, my body feeling tight and sore. As I felt into these experiences I realized I had been disconnected from the bodily aspects of experience, forgetful of my intention to inhabit my body in a caring way.

In response to that noticing, I made a commitment to myself. I decided to reconnect with an informal practice I’ve done from time to time over the years: approaching computer work from fully embodied awareness. To make this very real, I resolved to step away from the computer whenever I begin noticing that body awareness has disappeared.

(Now that I mentioned it, actually, I’m going to get up right now and reconnect with the body for a few minutes… back in a few…

Okay, I’m back, and feeling my breath, together with the keys under my fingers as I type!)

One thing I’ve noticed with this practice is that sustained awareness of the body while working on a project like this one causes me to work more slowly, with less forward pitch toward the outcome. It brings a softer, more reflective quality into play. I just have to remember, same as when sitting on the cushion, that there isn’t really any other place to be anyway.

Another noticing is that it takes a wide, soft, relaxed kind of attention to stay awake to the life of my body when I am deep in working on a writing or other computer-based project.

One lovely surprise is that getting up frequently and moving and stretching the body really helps prevent, or at least counter, the tendency toward what I would call over-focus. And, I find that a lot of the time the work actually gets done more effectively when I can stay soft and embodied.

Here is what I know so far: embodied computing practice is rich, and, like the rest of our practice, it requires the willingness to begin again and again.

Have you tried practicing mindfulness while on the computer? Or with your cell phone? Would love to hear what you notice…

7 Likes
#2

Hi Eowyn,

I, too, have been spending a lot of time at the computer. Your post reminded of something I wrote last week. I started to notice that, “several minutes into working, I perceived tension. My shoulders rose, my back hunched. My body, in a state of tension, fueled a feeling of needing to rush and that promoted an aggressive stance with the work I engaged.” As I brought attention to what was happening, I became aware of my body and my posture began to shift, to soften. And, then, I knew that “It is hard to become attached and cling in a softened body.”

So, I too am taking moments to remain mindful during times I am working on the computer as a way of promoting a softened presence with my work.

Thank you for your post,
Janet

#3

Hi Janet, I think we are probably in good company with this one! I
appreciated reading your experiences with this. Eowyn

1 Like
#4

This is really helpful–thanks for your post. I tend to focus on the moment of decision to engage with computer or phone, but have not given nearly so much attention to bringing mindfulness to the actual experience of doing the work. I can feel the shift as I write that, and feel my fingers on the keys and my feet on the floor. It’s easy to say “Be mindful in all postures and activities,” but not so easy to know how to do it, so I love reading the description of your process, and commitment to interrupt yourself if need be. Thanks so much!

1 Like
#5

Good to hear from you, Jeanne. Your approach of noticing the moment of decision to engage with the technology is also a helpful one. Amazing, isn’t it, how deeply embedded in our lives technology has become?

#6

Eowyn,
I thank you for this reminder wholeheartedly. I notice that technology is something that can tend to be disembodying to myself. Taking time to care for your body, even during moments of elongated technology use can make the experience, from many angles, much more sustainable and enjoyable. Thank you for your thoughts!

1 Like
#7

Eowyn,
The title of your post made it irresistible to me, as I am pretty well bonded to computers. And it reminded me of Steve Jobs and the idea that the computer is a “bicycle for the mind”. I would add, “nothing more, nothing less”. Then I looked up the quotation and found, through the magic of technology, a video from 1980 where Jobs speaks about where the idea came from. The video has Jobs together with Stewart Brand, at the Library of Congress, talking about the importance and evolution of libraries.

Here’s the full quote:
"I think one of the things that really separates us from the high primates is that we’re tool builders. I read a study that measured the efficiency of locomotion for various species on the planet. The condor used the least energy to move a kilometer. And, humans came in with a rather unimpressive showing, about a third of the way down the list. It was not too proud a showing for the crown of creation. So, that didn’t look so good. But, then somebody at Scientific American had the insight to test the efficiency of locomotion for a man on a bicycle. And, a man on a bicycle, a human on a bicycle, blew the condor away, completely off the top of the charts.

And that’s what a computer is to me. What a computer is to me is it’s the most remarkable tool that we’ve ever come up with, and it’s the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.” ~ Steve Jobs

And here’s a link to the short film:
http://www.mlfilms.com/productions/m_and_i
(m_and_i at the end stands for “memory and imagination” - a link with mindfulness for me!)

Thank you for your post, which has helped me adjust my attitude before sitting down facing the computer to work on a project I’ve been resisting!

#8

Sharon, thanks, the element of humans as tool builders is so interesting. (Plus, I love riding bicycles!) It seems to me we have often, as a species, found ourselves challenged with balancing the pros and cons of our latest tools, and often introducing still new tools to help us with that, like the bicycle helmet, for example. :-)

#9

Sharon,
Thank you for sharing this. It was meaningful to me.
With Gratitude,
Janet