January 12th, 2023
What comes to mind when you hear or see the word “connection”? For me, it is the relationship between two people or a pet, or any piece of technology. Nowadays I, as well as roughly 60% of the world, depend on technology in our daily lives, whether it is for work, hobby, or way of life. We have all become dependent on something with a screen, like the one you are reading this on. Most of us do not realize that until we do not have access to it for a minute or an hour. Everywhere I go I see people reach for their phones just to check them and not even use them, they will check them at such a frequent pace that it is almost concerning. I am also one of those people and my life is infused with technology. I depend on it to do anything I need or want to do but when the town lost power for an hour on New Year’s eve, it showed me how much we as humans rely on technology and I think it is time to pay attention to that.
As a Norse Animist, I have learned how people from thousands and thousands of years ago lived in a world that is drastically different than the one we live in now. Being an Animist is the belief that the earth, the landscapes, and everything natural in the world are living beings. That is something that our ancestors had a complete understanding of because they were fully connected to the world around them and had no distractions from a screen. The current way of the world and the events that are taking place, prove to me that we have lost that sacred connection. Regardless of the numerous religions that we as humans have, I think this is a lesson that we can all benefit from. The connection that we have with our surroundings is more important than people think. From what I see, people have become blind to the connection that actually counts. The likes, the views, and the mind-destroying things that people pay attention to on their devices are not essential. Sure, it is nice to receive feedback for what you put out into the world, and believe me, I still pay attention to all that now. However, It does not put a burden on my life as I know it does on others. Life is so much more than all that and at the end of it, we can not take it with us, so let it go.
“The elders were wise. They know that man’s heart, away from nature, becomes hard; they knew that lack of respect for growing, living things soon led to a lack of respect for humans too.”
― Chief Luther Standing Bear from the Lakota Sioux
To wrap this up I want to emphasize that I do not think that the technology around us is a bad thing. I love it and I love the things that it allows me to do, hell I’m using it right now to write and publish this and I have a good understanding of how technology works. As a result of that and my spiritual beliefs, I am aware of my connection to it and I know that there is more to this journey than screens. As you go through life be mindful of all the connections you have, (human and non-human), and remember, the whole world is waiting if you just look up.
Peyton.
