Sunday has entered the month of Ramadan. Where Muslims around the world fast for a whole month. During fasting, Muslims are not allowed to eat, drink, smoke, have sex, gossip, etc. This is done so that the people who practice it are free from the passions that continue to encourage the inner being within themselves. In addition, fasting will get better body health.
Sorry, I forgot to say happy fasting for the Muslims here. Talking about fasting, yesterday I talked about digital fasting in a discussion forum where I usually hang out and enjoy coffee. At first, they were surprised to hear the discussion I proposed about this digital fasting. However, after we discussed it more deeply about this discussion, a bright spot emerged. So, it is not only traditional fasting that is carried out in this month of Ramadan, but digital fasting must also be done.
Digital fasting is when we are free from the digital world. People who do digital fasting will leave smartphones, laptops, computers, or anything related to the digital world for a while. No browsing on google, no Facebook, Twitter, etc. This is done for the sake of mental balance and physical health without the digital world. After being able to get out of the digital world, our world as humans awaits us. We have family and friends to greet or socialize with other residents. And there is also a wide world for us to explore further, from the beauty of the sea, trees, mountains, to cities. They are waiting for us to be touched.
You may ask, why is digital fasting important? Several things must be considered to answer this question. First, the digital world makes people addicted. The meaning of addiction is, that people cannot be separated from the digital world so people are constantly looking at their smartphones or laptop screen.
Second, the digital world will make people depressed and stressed. A lot of fake news has sprung up in the digital world, many people have been deceived and have lost a lot of money in the digital world, many people bullied someone through the digital world until finally the victim of bullying feels depressed and commits suicide. This is terrible.
Third, digital fasting creates serenity and peace. Our eyes and brain will rest if this is done, the body will be more relaxed without looking at the smartphone screen all day long. Our life becomes more quality because we can gather with family and friends. That way our hearts will be happier. Regret becomes less when death comes because life becomes quality.
Then, another question arose. How to do digital fasting? Many of us do activities in the digital world, and many of us work and earn money in the digital world. You can fast digitally one day a week. Saturday or Sunday is a great choice to get out of the digital world. In some spiritual traditions that I run there is also a day to be used as a quiet day to find silence within myself.
Or, you can take a specific time of day to do a digital fast. For example, from 7 pm to 6 am, you can get out of the digital world completely. No need to reply to messages or emails, all messages and emails must wait for a reply tomorrow. The world we live in is so fast and uncertain, now digital fasting is everyone's need. It's not just ascetics who only have a quiet space, but we can also have a quiet space for ourselves. Come to think of it, we live in this world only for a short time. Do you want to spend the rest of your life staring at a smartphone or laptop screen all day? Make the best use of your time.
