Sane Computing

If computers are controlling your life, here's a tip:

If a person spent most of his time away from computers during the day, then that leaves just enough time to play games, and answer email.

If you work using your computer, then apply the seventy-five minutes of work with fifteen minutes of break guideline to computer use, not three hours or more a day!

This time management guideline is useful in post-secondary education. A few instructors even allow for a five minute smoke break at the forty-five minute mark, and use the final thirty minutes of class time for reviews, tests or Q & A.

It is unhealthy to be on the computer for more than ninety minutes without any break. One might develop irrational agoraphobia and other anxieties the longer one sits in front of a computer. Additionally, there have been Emergency Ward anecdotes where children have suffered a rare seizure from playing video games for over three hours.

So, treasure your time away from your computer at home.

If you use computers at work, then your work place should have a time management plan in place. Your Human Resources department should also be asking the IT guy in your company to filter out Internet Messaging and porn sites, in an effort to reduce computer misuse at work, which are a waste of business time and productivity.

The above statements have not been written to profit any time management company, nor was it motivated with anything other than to advocate for sane computing both at home and at the workplace.

YMMV

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Original post: May 24, 2010 1357H
Update posted: March 15, 2013 2339H

The Samurai Creed Amplified

by Anonymous, 1300s CE, Japan

1. I have no parents; I make the heaven and earth my mother and father.
   
   • 'I' refers to the ego as the seat of individuality.
     
   • 'No parents' implies that the healthy ego is unborn.
     
   • 'Heaven and earth' refers to the deep spiritual meaning of man as the conduit between heaven and earth. This requires daily practice.
     
   • 'My mother and father' implies viewing heaven and earth as dear as one's parents.
2. I have no home; I make awareness my dwelling.
   
   • 'I' as the ego is not a fixed entity. It is dynamic and in constant motion.
     
   • 'No home' implies that the ego does not actually dwell in the body like a soul or an imaginary thing. Rather, the ego is a distinct characteristic of a sentient being, be it human.
     
   • Then this 'I', not being fixed in place, is free to move with the flow of the mind.
     
   • 'Awareness' refers to the sole purpose of the ego to become healthy and free.
     
   • 'My dwelling' implies that awareness is the one abode in which the ego is eager to seek shelter in.
3. I have no life and death; I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
   
   • 'I' is awareness that respects all that which is.
     
   • 'Life and death' refers to the notion that breathing meditation helps us to focus on life and death.
     
   • 'I' is the ebb and flow of breath itself.
     
   • 'The tides of breathing' refer to breathing itself, which comes and goes like the tide.
     
   • 'My life and death' also implies the ego is alive when one is awake, and appears to die when one is asleep. In a deeper sense, life refers to "awareness" and the spiritual life. In contrast, death refers to the worldly life.
4. I have no divine power; I make honesty my divine power.
   
   • 'Divine power' implies a spiritual gift.
     
   • 'Honesty' is that spiritual gift.
5. I have no means; I make understanding my means.
   
   • 'Means' refers to resources available to the mind.
     
   • 'Understanding' is the means by which the mind makes awareness its sole purpose.
6. I have no magic secrets; I make character my magic secret.
   
   • 'Magic secrets' refers not to mysticism. For no one knows their own true character until they come to accept other people's character as they become aware of their own.
7. I have no body; I make endurance my body.
   
   • 'No body' implies that material comfort is not enough.
     
   • 'Endurance' refers to the willingness accept such comfort and endure its needs mindfully.
8. I have no eyes; I make the flash of lightning my eyes.
   
   • 'Eyes' refer to spiritual insight through meditation.
     
   • 'Flash of lightning' implies sudden awareness achieved through careful meditation on a koan.
9. I have no ears; I make sensibility my ears.
   
   • 'Ears' refers to hearing with the heart.
     
   • 'Sensibility' implies that by such deep hearing, the mindful person develops common sense.
10. I have no limbs; I make promptness my limbs.
    
    • 'Limbs' implies nimbleness of mind.
      
    • 'Promptness' refers to the quick wit of which a mind is capable.
11. I have no strategy; I make “unshadowed by thought” my strategy.
    
    • 'Strategy' refers to a course of action based on a plan to achieve a specific goal.
      
    • "Unshadowed by thought" implies that whoever takes such a course avoid second-guessing the outcome, lest it spoil the plan.
12. I have no designs; I make “seizing opportunity by the forelock” my design.
    
    • 'Designs' implies seeking a specific outcome.
      
    • “Seizing opportunity by the forelock” give you the means to achieve that outcome
13. I have no miracles; I make right action my miracle.
    
    • 'Miracles' refers to a positive outcome.
      
    • 'Right action' achieves such an outcome with benefit to all who witness such a miracle.
14. I have no principles; I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.
    
    • 'Principles' implies having a strong moral code.
      
    • 'Adaptability to all circumstances' implies willingness to adapt to changing circumstances with grace and charm.
15. I have no tactics; I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
    
    • 'Tactics' is self explanatory.
      
    • 'Emptiness and fullness' suggests the tactics have to do with awareness through meditation. Emptiness implies the stillness of bliss; fullness, the insight achieved.
      
16. I have no talents; I make ready wit my talent.
    
    • This is straighforward.
17. I have no friends; I make my mind my friend.
    
    • With friends around, how can make my mind my friend? Only in taking time out to meditate can I truly know my mind.
18. I have no enemy; I make carelessness my enemy.
    
    • This too is straighforward. Careful watch your mind and see!
19. I have no armor; I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.
    
    
20. I have no castle; I make immovable mind my castle.
    
    
21. I have no sword; I make absence of self my sword.
    

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These are guidelines, and thus are metaphor for mindful living.