by Tracey Rich

I refuse to live life by algorithm.  I don't actually know if it is possible to successfully resist this anomaly and still remain part of the human race these days without becoming an outcast---or at least a virtual outcast.  If you resist, it could mean you no longer exist in the seemingly only available community--the cybersphere community--where most people seem to live.  Still, I implore you to resist!

If we are being chopped up into tiny pieces of data only valuable enough to be seen and experienced by our friends and by those seeking our services then how do we make ourselves whole, present, and accounted for?  Are we chasing the next bit of ourselves that will spur the likes to make us visible and thus viable?  C-RAZY!  This is not healthy, sustainable behavior.  It is cortisol driven, dopamine spiking, monkey-mind, mental gyrations that do not bring true love, joy, empathy, or compassion.  I again, implore you to resist.

I suppose the antidote from death by algorithm is life by Yoga.   Please be our guest and take the following break to indulge in the real and celebrate life by Yoga.

Here are some suggestions: 

• Back off your twitter trigger finger and take five complete ujjayi breaths before your twitchy finger hits a key.
• Take photos just for the love of your own joy and inspiration, not as shareware. Or perhaps better still, see, and don't take a photo at all.
• Go faceless for a few days--even a few weeks, and place your attention on the space between breaths any time you want to check in and get a true reflection.
• Retreat without devices, whether simply for a lunch break surrounded by some slip of nature or for an entire camping weekend.  This is true liberation.
• Let go of insta-gratifcation and instead read a piece poetry, or an inspirational biography, or go to a museum. 
• Take a walk.  No, not with your phone.
• Go text-less.  Turn off the chime connected to your texts and get on your yoga mat the next time you want to respond to something. That message coming in is your inner-self pinging you to spend some quality time.
• Break your tech-neck habit now while you still can.  Keep a level head.  Look up, look out, look around, regularly.  Look people in the eyes.  Sit up straight.  Step away from the device.  Lay over a  blanket roll daily to keep the muscles along your spine lengthened, and your upper back, neck and shoulder muscles, as well as your mind, more relaxed.
• Cultivate a sitting practice. Sit by a fire, or with a single candle flame, or with the observation of your breath, flow of  thoughts, or sensations.
• And last, but so far from least, breathe!  Your pranayama practice begins with a single breath and the awareness that accompanies it.