Like some of you, I was resistant to embracing technology. As a teacher of adolescents, I would judge my students for tuning in to their electronic devices more than to their teachers, parents, and even peers. Their constant state of being plugged in to their headphones grated on my nerves, and made me feel as though an entire generation of young people was lost in mindless music, content to tune out the rest of the world. What a sorrowful state, indeed.
Those were my thoughts until I purchased my very own iPod recently. I’d like to say it was more out of necessity than desire. A dear soul shared with me some profound spiritual teachings* and the only way I could access these teachings was through mp3 format, as burning the audio on CDs would be too cumbersome due to length.
Besides, I wanted the freedom to be able to listen to these teachings not just while in front of my computer. I wanted to go for walks and even take these teachings with me on vacation, including while on an airplane. So I took the plunge and purchased my first mp3 device, which happened to be an iPod that contained excellent audio and voice recording features.
The compact nature of the device was a real bonus as I started to take it everywhere, including to bed. But I wasn’t listening to rock & roll, country & western, or hip hop. Instead, I discovered vast spiritual audio on the internet such as the soothing sounds of singing bowls, relaxation music, guided meditations and so much more. I downloaded only audio and songs that felt uplifting to me, which served to raised my vibrations, and nourish my soul. It felt as though a new and miraculous world had awakened.
What’s more, I started to have little moments of inspiration when it came to my new device. How could I utilize it even further as a tool for transformation? I had a copy of Louise Hay’s, You Can Heal Your Life for many years. Towards the back of the book, she lists beautiful affirmations to help transform the mind, body, and soul. So one quiet evening, I typed out all the affirmations I felt particularly drawn to and recorded them with my voice on my iPod. I stated each affirmation three times, as it takes at least three times to truly believe and feel in the soul what is being stated.
As I listened to these affirmations before going to bed and upon awakening, I started to become aware of how these positive, life-affirming words were replacing previous negative thoughts and criticism of myself and others. What a powerful and freeing gift to be able to give myself!
These days when I see people with headphones in their ears, I no longer assume they are listening to mind-numbing noise. My little audio device has changed my entire perception on their use and function. In fact, as the school year is about to start, I cannot wait to share with my students the power of their little audio devices in beautifying their thoughts, quieting their minds, and helping them to relax. What a profound lesson from such an unlikely source.
*The spiritual teachings being referred to come from:
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