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Media and Meditation: Numbing or Healing?

When an individual has a virus they might take Nyquil to take away the
symptoms of the virus, but that does not mean the virus is no longer in their body.
Taking Nyquil just numbs the symptoms. When the Nyquil wears off the virus is still
present in the body, but the symptoms have been temporarily eliminated or
suppressed.
Just as Nyquil masks the presence of the virus, media has become an easy fix
or temporary remedy for emotional trouble or discomfort in life. On the other hand
meditation is derived from the Latin word mederi, meaning to heal, not just
alleviate the symptoms. True emotional healing can be found in practicing
meditation.
When life does not turn out the way one wants or expects, it can be difficult
to feel anything but frustration and sadness. Divorce, death, abuse, or other
circumstances can lead to depression, anxiety, stress, or even anger. Individuals
may find themselves desperately looking in the "media medicine cabinet" for a quick
fix, or temporary remedy, just like the Nyquil, to help numb painful feelings and
thoughts. For some it becomes easier to live in someone elses life through watching
excess television. Robert Kubey and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi wrote an article about
television addiction in the Scientific American. They explained that viewing
television slows down mental function and causes feelings of relaxation and
passiveness. Interestingly, this is the same result as many of the addictive
prescription drugs that are often abused. Later in the same article Kubey and
Csikszentmihalyi explain in reference to time spent watching television:
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On average, individuals in the industrialized world devote three hours
a day to the pursuit-fully half of their leisure time, and more than on
any single activity save work and sleep. At this rate, someone who
lives to 75 would spend nine years in front of the tube (Kubey 76).
Feeding on television becomes a way to push life out of the way and become
absorbed in someone elses perfect television life. Another source of temporary
relief from lifes stresses is playing video games. Once again Kubey and
Csikszentmihalyi explain, games offer escape and distraction; players quickly
learn that they feel better when playing(Kubey 80). These mediated sources of
indulgence may provide temporary relief from lifes troubles or virus, but what
happens when the T.V. is turned off? What happens when school or work call for
attention? Lifes difficulties are still real and present and many opportunities for
positive real life experience have been wasted. The difficulties in life do not simply
disappear without true healing effort.
In a world where people are constantly told they are not good looking
enough, or rich enough, or cool enough, it is easy to feel inferior and unaccepted.
This kind of pressure can weaken self-confidence. When individuals feel they
cannot measure up to those around them, it becomes easy to crave attention. Some
individuals beg for attention on social networking websites like Facebook,
Instagram or Twitter. Since the ideal life cannot be found in reality, it becomes
something that can be created online. Appearing to have the perfect body, house,
and life provides a source for temporary relief and acceptance. It becomes a sort of
game to convince people that the perfect life is in the palm of their hands. While the
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individuals cannot live the life they dream of, they can create any life they dream of
and appear to live it on a social networking site. It can take much time and effort to
keep up with this feigned lifestyle. According to Pew Research Center, 71% of adults
have Facebook accounts (Pew Research). While 63% of adults check their Facebook
account at least once a day and 40% check it various times a day (Duggan).
Oftentimes, the more time spent on Facebook, seeing the real or imagined successes
of others, the more dissatisfied they become with their own world, creating an
addicting cycle of non-reality. (High school news article?)
As not all desires can be satisfied, it can be a struggle to tame or let go of
those desires. Desires can come in all different forms, shapes, and sizes. And when
desires cannot be satisfied, feelings of frustration, ingratitude, impatience and
disappointment can drive individuals to mediated sources for relief. Material desire
and sexual desire are two examples of the many desires that people deal with. In
order to satisfy these desires, many find satisfaction and relief through mediated
sources. For those who desire clothes, houses, cars and the perfect wedding,
Pinterest becomes a source of relief. When an individual cannot have all the
material goods they desire, it can be frustrating, and feelings of dissatisfaction with
their own situations can create an empty void in their life. Turning to things like
Pinterest can help temporarily tame and counteract those frustrations. Another
desire that propels individuals into trouble and desperation is sexual desires that
cannot be met. An extreme and tragic ending of a person who had intense desire for
sexual satisfaction was Ted Bundy. At a young age he satisfied his sexual desires
through viewing pornography. Although this temporarily satisfied his cravings,
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soon it was not enough for him to only view images so he eventually began to act out
on his sexual desire. Continually numbing and satisfying yearnings, through
mediated sources, will never heal the core problem. Just because the desire is
satisfied when an individual spends good portions of time on Pinterest,
pornographic sites or any other media sources, there is still a deep core problem
that needs to be fixed for long term. Unfortunately, media is not a long-term healer.
The search for comfort from disappointment can be found in a temporary
form by becoming involved with Unlike the temporary relief that various forms of
media has to offer, meditation is not a numbing technique; it is a healing technique.
Meditation can be a tool to help individuals use media wisely let go of and painful
and confusing emotions, and eliminate what is not necessary in life. Researchers
Shapiro and Carlson define mindfulness as, The awareness that arises through
intentionally attending in an open, accepting, and discerning way to whatever is
arising in the present moment (Shapiro 566). In other words, meditation is the
process by which an individual becomes aware and accepting of the present.
Researchers Singh et al. explain meditation as, the intentional self-regulation of
attention from moment to moment through which mindfulness is cultivated (Singh
110). With meditation and consistent mindfulness healthy habits can be constructed
to improve ability to avoid and let go of electronic distractions that are detrimental
to our overall well being. The practice of meditation includes a wide range of mental
and physical repetitions. Most commonly practiced are yoga positions and
movements, mantras, breathing exercises and words of affirmation. According to
NCCAM.nih.gov, Generally, a person who is meditating uses certain techniques,
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such as a specific posture, focused attention, and an open attitude toward
distractions (). The meditation process is not void of patience and practice. Just as
an individual cannot sit down at the piano for their first time, they cannot expect to
play a complex score of music. Neither can an individual run a marathon without
many hours of practice and preparation.
Meditation can help increase the overall quality of life through increasing the
ability to allow the present to flow through and heal the heart. Lessening negative
feelings long term rather than temporary numbing that stem from troubles faced in
life, can come through practicing meditation. Meditation can help counteract the
tendency to turn to media for a false sense of healing.
When life seems to turn against individuals, the desire to numb the pain and
discomfort is real. Practicing meditation can help individuals become aware and
accepting of the present. A group of researchers, Carmody et. Al tested the validity
of a theoretical model in connection to mindfulness practices. A group of
participants were involved in mindfulness-based stress reduction and applied to the
model. Shapiro summarized the results, Simply stated, the model proposes that
mindfulness training develops the ability to disidentify, or reperceive ones
experience, which indirectly mediates change. She also explains in reference to
mindfulness practices:
intentionally attending to experience in an open, discerning way, we
develop the capacity to re-perceive, shifting our relationship to
experience, becoming less identified with it, and better able to see it
with clarity and objectivity (Shapiro 557, 558).
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Accepting circumstances without allowing them to define them can help eliminate
unwanted, depressive, angry, and anxious feelings. Meditation can help individuals
understand that their external circumstances do not define who they are or
determine their happiness.
Meditation can help disintegrate feelings of rejection. Continually comparing
ourselves to others can produce feelings of inadequacy, depression, and anxiety.
Kate Pickert explains in Time magazine, Many cognitive therapists commend it to
patients as a way to help cope with anxiety and depression (42). Increased ability
to feel love for ones self as well as others is a product of practicing meditation. It
can also extent feelings of contentment with the inner self rather than constant
focus on the outward self or appearance. The drive to cover up a lack of self
confidence through social networking sites is only a temporary artificial fix. The
enhanced ability to let go of expectation and competition can help individuals live
their one real life rather than living two lives: one on Facebook and Instagram and
one real life. Without feelings of neediness, individuals loose their craving for
acceptance.
Desires can change the way one sees the world. Desires that propel
individuals forward towards positive progression and enhance contentment with
life are good desires. However, desires that create an empty void in life and extend
a focus on what life lacks can form feelings of increased dissatisfaction and
anxiousness. Practicing meditation can help increase patience and self-control. The
ability to mentally and emotionally let feelings pass through without judgment or
rejection can perpetuate healing. From a young age, children are often times told to
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stop crying or showing raw emotion. The continual suppression of feelings will
never heal emotions. Becoming aware of desires and conscious of how they feel and
how they alter living, can give individuals opportunity to let go of those desires that
destroy contentment with life and induce healing in the heart. (Pornography
statistics)
Difficult circumstances, lack of confidence, and unhealthy desires can lead
individuals to search for an escape from the feelings that come upon them. Many
individuals turn to television, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and even
pornography where they find temporary numbing from their unwanted feelings.
This is neither lasting nor truly healing. Meditation is a practice that propels deep
emotional healing that can flow through many different areas of life. Sister Dang
Nghiem says it this way:
Were not saying you have to set out 1 hour a day to sit on a cushion. Were
not saying quit your job and go live in the mountains. Were just saying if you
eat, dont eat your projects. Dont eat your sadness. Dont eat the argument
you just had. Just eat. If you walk, just walk. If you drive just drive. We have
to choose again and again to be in the present moment (OConnor).






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Works Cited

Duggan, Maeve, and Aaron Smith. Social Media Update 2013. Pew Research Center.
Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
Kubey, Robert, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Television Addiction is No Mere
Metaphor. Scientific American Feb. 2002: 75-80. Web.
Meditation: An Introduction. NCCAM.nih.gov. 3013. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
OConnor, Siobhan. The Healer. Prevention 66.1 (2014): 44-49. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
Pickert, Kate. The Art of Being Mindful. Time Magazine. Feb. 2014: 42-46. Print.
Shapiro, Shauna L. The Integration of Mindfulness and Psychology. Journal of
Clinical Psychology 65.6 (2009): 555-560. Psychology and Behavioral
Sciences Collection. Web. 12 Apr. 2014.
Singh, Deepeshwar, et. al. Measures of Mindfulness and Anxiety in OM Meditators:
A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Medicine & Public Health
4.1 (2014): 110-114. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.
Social Networking Fact Sheet. PewInternet.org. 2013. Pew Research Center. Web.
14 Apr. 2014.