This week, I am back to the Shimmer discussing our untrained minds and attentional systems. Untrained minds are one of our most significant sources of suffering. Understanding that and how our attentional systems work is critical to living and thriving in the digital age.

I am taking a break from the deep dive into the internet, the Shimmer, and deep work to briefly talk about an idea from a book I am reading - for the second time in the last couple of months.

Ahimsa, or nonviolence, has within its precepts the idea of feeling powerless in our lives. Often, this feeling of powerlessness translates to violence against oneself and violence against others. Listen to this week's podcast to find out more.

The Yamas and Niyamas: Exploring Yogas Ethical Practice

This week is another episode about Erick Godsey's The Shimmer. It's a review of his ideas to build a foundation for exploring different concepts from his Shimmer metaphor.

Erick Godsey uses the term "The Shimmer" as a metaphor to describe the modern internet and its effects on our minds. In this podcast, I'll talk about where this reference comes from and how Godsey relates it to the internet and our digital lives. There are four key qualities of The Shimmer, which are present in both the movie "Annihilation" and in the internet world. Using Erick Godsey's framework, I'll explain what these qualities mean for us and what we can do to navigate the internet landscape.

To listen to the series, start here.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/21UXKoHLhOSx3w3iZMYyPp?si=f70020a2b7df4f58

This week's episode continues a discussion about Cal Newport's book about deep work. The purpose of these podcasts is to bring understanding to the necessity of deep work in a world that values the shallow. Stick with me and share your thoughts about this idea.

Cal Newport wrote the book titled "Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World." I have been talking about this idea of shallow thinking and how damaging it is to humanity. In 2016, Cal Newport discussed the idea of shallow work. The concepts go hand-in-hand. Join me this week for a deeper dive into what deep work is and why it is more important than ever.

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

As a continuation of the discussion about the internet and its effects on all of us, this podcast addresses the issues related to our kids and their mental health. Jonathan Haidt, in his book "The Anxious Generation," provides us with information critical to confront the stark realities of how technology and social media are shaping the minds of our children.

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

Join me this week for another episode on the importance of mindfulness. Because of the way most of us use the internet, digital devices, social media, and artificial intelligence, we are experiencing severe attention deficits. Mindfulness is a way to heal those deficits.

Full Catastrophe Living How to Cope with Stress, Pain and Illness Using Mindfulness Meditation

The effect of mindfulness-based interventions on reducing stress in future health professionals: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

This is the third episode in a series of several. This week I talk about some basic comparisons between the digital world and the analog world. Is comprehension better when you read vs. listen? What is "cognitive mapping?" Do I still think I can multitask? Join me this week for the answers to these questions and more. Also, I give more ways to be intentional with your digital use to support change - of that's what you are looking for.

In the last episode, we discussed Nicholas Carr's 2010 book, "The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains." Carr argued compellingly that the internet's very structure – its hyperlinks, its constant stream of notifications, its demand for quick, shallow engagement – was fundamentally rewiring our brains, diminishing our capacity for deep thought, sustained attention, and contemplative reflection. He painted a picture of us becoming "jet-ski minds," skimming the surface rather than diving into the depths of knowledge.

Today, in Part 2 of the series, let's pick up where Carr left off, but with a crucial update. It's 2025, and the digital landscape has not only evolved, it's been fundamentally reshaped by the rise of Artificial Intelligence. So, how do Carr's prescient warnings hold up in this new era? Are the "shallows" getting even shallower, or have we found new ways to navigate the digital ocean? Let's dive in.