Inattention

Inattention is rampant not only on the Internet but in almost every area of our lives. Many of us move through our lives so quickly (which is often reflected in our fast upper chest breathing) and unconsciously, that any real connection with ourselves, our friends, our families, and our environments is next to impossible.

We may believe that our inattention is strictly our own business, but our inattention, the fact that we are so easily distracted, has ramifications that spread well beyond ourselves. Inattention often causes problems, wasted time, and even injury and death not only for the inattentive person but also for numerous others, sometimes not only those close to us but also those we don’t know. Chronic inattention (and the concomitant lack of concern for others that it often demonstrates) is fast becoming one of the chief features of modern life.

For anyone who wishes to live a more human, intelligent, conscious, or spiritual life, the study of attention is crucial. Our attention is what connects us with the world in and around us. Without it, we are simply sleep walkers, experiencing little more than tiny fragments of ourselves, and out of touch with the energies and rhythms of wholeness and relationship.

To go further into this important subject and learn how to begin to study your attention in the midst of action, read my essay on this blog entitled The Alchemy of Consciousness.