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- For most people, simply living life at a slower, more measured
pace may help. Admittedly, this involves some hard choices.
- Studying the high points of the past two centuries so that
today's events are understood within the context of the cultural,
technological and psychological trends shaping contemporary
life.
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- Studying the psychology of information technologies and
their generally unrecognized fragmenting effects. One place
to start is with the study of "Media Ecology" (read
Neil Postman). Also, minimizing exposure to "information
overload."
- Some regular form of quiet reflection alone; possibly some
meditation.
- Regular sustained walking in the woods, in the mountains
or on the beach in a manner that reconnects us to nature and
offers time for relaxed reflection.
- Understanding the 19th-20th century shift of Western culture
from a Christian-based culture, to modernism, to postmodernism,
and how this shift has been reflected in the collective Western
psyche, as well as in our values and culture.
- Reviewing the literature of the giants of earlier times
such as Melville, Goethe and Dante, as well as Greek drama,
which is a treasure trove of archetypal images.
- Reading something of the world's great spiritual literature
such as St. Paul's Epistles, Proverbs, the Pentateuch, the
Koran, Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching or the Veda.
- Exploring indigenous cultures and how they have understood
the relationship between the inner spiritual and the outer
material worlds.
- Awareness of the "shadow" side of my personality,
that part of the personality containing undesirable characteristics
which we prefer not to consciously admit to, and which we
thus tend to project onto others (we do this as individuals,
as races, and as a nation).
- Being actively involved in "building the future"
whether in efforts to preserve the environment, mentor our
youth, or other volunteer social programs.
- Finally, pursue those activities that deepen your inner
life. Contemporary life tends to be very shallow, and if we
feed off of it, we become shallow people. Seek depth in your
life in whatever way is natural for you. Maybe its reconnecting
yourself to nature by taking more time at the beach or in
the mountains. Maybe it's reading some of the world's scriptures.
Maybe it's listening to the music of the world's greatest
composers. However you do it, build depth and greatness into
your life.
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