In a series of six posts, I explain how teachings from early Buddhist scriptures can help us break the addiction to social media. These teachings come from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which outlines five strategies for dealing with compelling thoughts and urges.
One key point is to work through these tools in order. If redirecting the mind to positive thoughts doesn’t work, try seeing the drawbacks of addiction. If that also fails, use the next tool: “ignore and forget” what you’re obsessed with, which we’ll explore today.
The discourse briefly advises that if negative thoughts linked to desire, hate, and delusion arise, you should ignore and forget them. Though this may seem easier said than done, it’s actually practical advice focused on reducing temptation.
First, let’s look at external activity. You can literally ignore and look away from social media by changing your habits. If you want to lose weight but are tempted by potato chips, it helps to keep them out of sight. Similarly, avoiding social media starts by changing how you interact with your devices. Move social media apps off your main phone screen so accessing them takes more effort. Turn off notification badges and sounds to reduce interruptions.
Keep your phone out of sight when possible, especially at night. Charging your phone away from your bedside can help you start the day without immediately diving into the digital world. Use an alarm clock instead of your phone to wake up. Turning off your phone while charging it overnight also creates a barrier that makes it less likely you’ll go online first thing in the morning.
Reading a book, especially in the morning, can be a healthier alternative to going online. It trains your mind to focus and develops concentration. Paper books, unlike digital content, don’t have hyperlinks that distract you.
Create phone-free times, like during meals with family or friends. Some people put their phones in a pile during meals, and the first person to touch their phone pays for everyone’s food. Meditation retreats can also help you realize that you can be happier when offline and present in your experiences.
Internally, there’s a deeper level of practice to avoid getting lost in thoughts about our addictions. There are two ways to pay attention with our eyes. The first focuses on a single point, much like a flashlight, which can be limiting and leads to missing other aspects. The second, a softer gaze, is like a lamp, illuminating the whole visual field, and can relax the body and calm the mind.
In meditation, a soft gaze allows awareness of many sensations in the body, making the mind more nourished. Thoughts that arise become just one part of a larger field of attention, making it easier to let them pass without getting drawn in.
This method helps ignore and forget compelling thoughts, much like “urge surfing,” where you observe the urge building and then let it peak and pass away. By adopting an open gaze, you can maintain more mental space, making it easier to resist urges like checking social media.
In summary, we can reduce social media distractions by:
– Changing our physical interactions with devices,
– Creating times without our phones,
– Adopting a soft gaze to allow thoughts to pass without engaging with them.
These strategies help us break free from addiction patterns, enabling a more focused and fulfilling life.