The Free Mind: Finding Clarity in a Digitally Distracted World

by Dza Kilung Rinpoche

Reduce the distractions, clutter, and anxiety of your digital lifestyle and achieve inner and outer harmony with mind training practices, meditations, and advice from a Tibetan Buddhist master.

This book offers a refreshing approach to understanding the role of digital technology in our world and how we can better manage our relationship to it. Our engagement with digital devices connects us to people and ideas, but it also causes anxiety, distraction, imbalance, and suffering. Rather than a digital detox, we can train our minds to leverage our negative habits and digital temptations to deal with life more effectively, improve our attention span, reduce mental fatigue, and deepen our happiness.

Dza Kilung Rinpoche, a respected contemporary Tibetan Buddhist teacher and author of The Relaxed Mind, skillfully addresses these widespread issues in modern life geared toward a wide audience. In twelve short chapters, he offers straightforward strategies and tools to clear away the distractive clutter that prevents us from living fully and with clarity. The book also explores deeper issues like the nature of wisdom, question of karma, and importance of lovingkindness and compassion.

The practices and meditations in this book will appeal to anyone who suffers from a distracted “monkey mind.” By calming our minds, we can clearly see the sources of our inner and outer problems and begin to work on them for the benefit of ourselves, others, and the earth.

Genres: Self Help, Buddhism, Nonfiction, Spirituality

208 pages, Paperback

Published August 20, 2024

About the author

H.E. Dza Kilung Rinpoche, Jigme Tandzin Chödrak, also known as Tulku Tsultrim, is held to be the fifth reincarnation of Getse Lama Jigme Ngotsar Gyatso, the 18th-century founder of the Kilung Monastery in the Dzachuka District of Kham, eastern Tibet, who was in turn one of the “Four Jigmes” who were the principal disciples and “Heart Sons” of Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa.

Reviews

[Jeff Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short read applying the fundamental concepts of Tibetan Buddhism to our face-paced digital lives.

[Joe Larabell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good general introduction to Buddhist essentials and meditation techniques. Kinda sparse on how to manage digital distractions.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited to find this book as I've been working on spending less of my life attached to a screen. I'm glad to find a thoughtful discussion, which connects with my own process.

The first part - Under the Spell of Distraction has changed my view of screen time and given me a deeper reason to disconnect, to give less of my finite time, energy, and strength to the urgency drawing me in. It reminded me that I need to mindfully spend those resources in ways that are truly nourishing and that step outside the panic created by electronic content and devices. I'm glad that I bought the book because I intend to reread part one as a regular reminder. This section is a definite 5.

The problem, if you want to call it that, is that the rest of the book leaves discussion of digital devices behind. It progresses into Tibetan Buddhist practice. An amazing and thoughtful discussion, but not why I bought the book. I will read and use this section of the book, especially since the author is such a great teacher, but I'm very disappointed that the teaching I was looking for was limited to the first 41 pages. The rest of the book is a 5 in content.

The rating of 3 is solely based on what is a disappointing lack of content related to the topic it appears to be sold for. It does address the topic of the subtitle, "Finding Clarity in a Digitally Distracted World", but it only addresses the digital issue in a relatively small portion of the book.

Would I buy the book again? Without a doubt! That said, I deeply wish I could have purchased just part one, which is what I was looking for.

I've chosen to not finish the book now, but I hope to return to it for dharma.

[Gabrielle Jarrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it quite interesting that as I began reading The Free Mind, I had to keep stopping to check something online! The very thing Kilung is discussing. The addiction to distraction. Our conscious and unconscious saturation into the digital world. He makes an acute comparison between current "panic attacks" being similar to "nervous breakdowns" of the past. Our only strength is our mind which makes the choices of what comes into our minds, and how we use our biggest commodity - time.
Kilung shares several modalities of meditating to help get re-acquainted with our minds and their power. Also, how susceptible our minds are to the dopamine supply from our screens. Moderation - always the key. Compassion for our selves and others - another key for a free mind.

[Luíza Braga · Rating 2 out of 5]

É um livro sobre o budismo e práticas budistas. Ele começa com uma narrativa sobre as distrações do mundo digital, mas rapidamente deixa o tema de lado e foca apenas em princípios e práticas budistas. As vezes o autor se lembra que o tema era outro e volta no assunto, mas fica bem jogado e sem sentido no contexto.

[Smitha Murthy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A well-meaning book that falls short. The actual book sets out to tell us how to overcome our digital addictions but meanders a bit. I am not sure if I should offer loving-kindness to my phone. The Rinpoche means well but it didn't quite come off.