Member-only story
Using our unconsciousness habits to become conscious
Social Media Gatha
There is a Buddhist practice called Gatha Practice that has inspired me to walk the dharma like it was my own. Gatha Practice takes the mundane activities we engage in every day, and turns them into gentle nudges awakening us to our true nature. This article in Lion’s Roar by Zachiah Murray does a wonderful job of unpacking the practice.
When I decided to try this in my own life, it was incredibly illuminating. I had to begin by asking myself what my particular gathas would be? What do I do automatically, without thinking about it? This act alone, this decision to notice my mindless activities, automatically made me more present to my life. The act of then creating a deeper relationship with those activities became fulfilling in an unexpected way.
Here are some of the things I’ve started using as gathas every day.
Checking the weather.
Early in the morning, one of the things I do unconsciously is tap the little weather icon on my phone. I do this before getting dressed. Fleece jacket or tank top? This unconscious tap is a habit I can turn into a gatha:
