with Chris Lee Nguyen and Max McHarris
According to the Pew Research center, 31% of adults in the U.S. report being online "almost constantly." Research shows that spending too much time on our devices can have negative effects on our social and emotional well-being, as well as our productivity and focus. Taking a "Digital Detox" to set down electronic devices or certain media for a period of time has been proposed by many as a way to restore balance to our busy lives and overstimulated minds.
"Finding Balance in a Digital World" is a five-hour workshop where participants will explore their relationship with technology and learn ways to transform this relationship into one that supports mental and emotional well-being. It is intended for people with all levels of mindfulness practice who are interested in learning the benefits of setting down their devices and changing their relationship with technology. This workshop will include basic instructions for mindfulness meditation, guided reflections, and discussion and exploration of ways to use technology in our daily lives in a more balanced way
Learning Objectives:
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Learn about the benefits of digital detox
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Learn how to consciously reflect on the effects of digital stimulation on our lives
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Identify common motivations for over reliance on electronic devices
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Practice disconnecting and returning to the present moment to touch the nourishing and healing elements in us and around us
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Have a plan of action for utilizing electronic devices intentionally to support well-being in our daily lives
The workshop leaders will use their training in Buddhism, mindfulness, meditation, counseling, plus their own personal journeys with relationships to create an environment for workshop participants to learn practical and easily applicable means to facilitate the workshop’s goals. Presentations, mindfulness practice, and guided experiential meditations will all be utilized during the workshop.
This workshop will be offered both in-person and on Zoom (In-person participation is encouraged where possible). Registration will close September 28.
The suggested fee for this workshop is $50.
Workshop Leaders
Christopher Lee-Nguyen has been practicing with the Florida Community of Mindfulness since 2014. In 2015, he helped start and facilitate Wake Up Southwest Florida, which is part of an active global community of young mindfulness practitioners, inspired by the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. He is a member of the Order of Interbeing and completed FCM’s three year Dharma Transmission Program. Chris lives in Fort Myers, where he helps with the Naples sangha and was previously a board member of Hearts' Path to Mindful Living. He received his BA in communication from Florida Gulf Coast University, holds the rank of Sho-dan in the Shito-Ryu Karate-Do, and currently works as a software quality assurance engineer, loving husband, and father of his children, Bodhi & Kita.
Max McHarris began his mindfulness practice while attending college at New York University in 2017. In 2019 he became a formal student of Dharma Teacher Fred Eppsteiner after realizing he needed to deepen his practice if he really wanted to transform his suffering and be of benefit to others. In 2022 he completed a nine month residency program at the Florida Community of Mindfulness and now works as a teacher for Hillsborough County Public Schools. He has assisted in facilitating mindfulness programs for teens and unhomed youth and currently helps to facilitate FCM's family program as well as WakeUp Tampa Bay, a mindfulness and meditation group for those in their 20's and 30's. Max has grown up with technology as an integral part of his life and hopes to share practices that have helped him heal and transform his relationship with digital devices.
