This time around, Nora Young mentions Matthew Crawford's new book, The World Beyond Your Head (interesting reviews here and here). In it, he argues that our problem with digital distraction goes all the way back to the Enlightenment view of the self: highly individualistic, cerebral - stuck in one's head, in short. He argues for the kind of engaged, embodied practice that you might find by, say, working on a motorcycle. He also argues for the importance of shared or "joint" attention, such as you might find with an apprenticeship. Nora and Cathi Bond pick up on that thread for a yak about solitude vs. shared practice. 

Plus, if you want to be more mindful, is it enough to rely on your own education in mindfulness, or can technology help? Cathi Bond brings you the Wellbe, a wristband that monitors your heart rate, looking for signs of stress, and notifies you. It also offers calming and mindfulness lessons. Cathi and Nora chat about contemplative technologies, such as those discussed on Buddhist Geeks, and their own thoughts on effective strategies.