Good morning everyone, this is today’s Dharma Espresso with the topic Breaking Free from Distraction.
Last time, we talked about three things we should do and three things we should avoid in the year of the snake.
Three Things to Do:
Be alert and mindful – We should maintain a gentle heart and a cautious mind and discern what is appropriate and inappropriate. For example, we should refrain from
Create a new you – Just as snakes shed their skin, we too should strive for self-improvement and transformation. Even though we may not have a clear plan yet, we should know the general direction—toward betterment.
Cultivate virtuous actions – Virtuous actions come from a good heart. We should cultivate positive thoughts and practice humility, remaining grounded rather than seeking to elevate ourselves.
Three Things to Avoid:
Avoid causing misunderstandings – If we inadvertently create misunderstandings, we should take the time to clarify them. Before speaking, we should think carefully, but we must also be willing to explain ourselves to prevent others from misinterpreting us. Those born in a Year of the Snake should especially practice this, not just this year but as a lifelong habit. If we are afraid of being misunderstood or hear something vague, we should be patient and take the time to clarify and foster mutual understanding.
Avoid forming prejudices based on gossip or hearsay – For instance, when reading an article in the newspaper, we shouldn’t immediately take sides. There was once a person who sent a text angrily criticizing me, but after reading it, I did not react immediately. Instead, I reflected, discussed it with the group, and realized: "Oh, this person must be in deep suffering to have written such harsh words as a way to release their inner frustration."
Avoid reacting childishly—use wisdom instead – Sometimes, we may be falsely accused or insulted, but this is part of life. Instead of reacting impulsively, we should pause and consider that perhaps something unfortunate has happened to the other person, causing their reaction. People do not lash out for no reason—they may misunderstand us or be suffering deeply. So, even when we hear or witness something unpleasant, we should refrain from reacting immaturely.
Avoid revenge or retaliation – We must recognize that every person harbors the three poisons: greed, anger, and ignorance. We should be mindful not to let these emotions lead us to attack or seek revenge, as this only fosters negativity and resentment within our hearts.
By practicing the above, we can be more mindful and have a compassionate way of living.
Reflecting Deeply on Distractions and Focus
Upon deeper reflection, I realize that the three things to avoid in the Year of the Snake are very important. However, there is another crucial issue:
In this modern age, it seems we have lost our ability to pay attention. And this is just the first step—before we even talk about deep focus. Paying attention leads to concentration, and only with concentration can we enter into meditation and ultimately attain samadhi (a deep meditative state).
Why Do We Struggle to Focus?
The inability to focus stems from a lack of attention. To develop true concentration, we must follow a step-by-step process:
Pay Attention
Focus
Deep Concentration
Meditation
The Challenges of Modern Distraction
Because of our lack of focus, we often go through life superficially—doing many things but only skimming the surface. Why does this happen?
A Culture of Superficiality – Modern society encourages us to focus on external appearances. Everything is fast-paced, and we rarely have time to pause, reflect, or truly absorb things deeply. Without depth, we cannot sustain attention for long.
External Distractions – Our minds are constantly scattered by external distractions such as political news, endless social media updates, and the urge to stay informed.
Physical Issues – Our physical condition affects our ability to concentrate. Pain, discomfort, hunger, or overeating can disrupt our focus.
The Digital Self – In this digital era, we often fall into the trap of Digital Self, where we spend excessive time online, engaging with screens instead of real-life experiences. This habit not only wastes time but also fragments our attention span, making deep focus nearly impossible.
The Digital and Physical Self in the Modern Era
In today's world, we have two versions of the self:
The Digital Self – The version of us that exists in the digital world, constantly scrolling, clicking, and consuming content.
The Physical Self – The real, present self in the tangible world.
The Digital Self is best described by our modern habits—reading a few sentences of an article before switching to TikTok, watching a short clip before moving to something else, and so on. This continuous cycle fragments our attention, making it nearly impossible to focus on longer pieces, whether it's a news article or a book. Over time, this leads to a general decline in attention span, making deep focus and concentration increasingly rare.
Distraction: The Growing Syndrome of Our Time
Distraction has now become a common syndrome affecting millions of people. In the past, we were unaware of this, but now, with smartphones constantly by our side, our ability to sustain attention and meditate has been severely disrupted.
For instance, many people try to meditate, only to be pulled away by a single notification sound from their phone. Even I have experienced this firsthand—while teaching Dharma, my Apple Watch suddenly vibrates, reminding me that my lecture time is up. Oh, dear! Little by little, we are increasingly controlled by technology, and as a result, our time is being wasted without us realizing it.
The more time we waste on distractions, the weaker our ability to concentrate becomes. Worse yet, big tech companies like Google, Facebook, TikTok are fully aware of this and are actively competing for one thing: our attention.
One prime example is RedNote (Tiểu Hồng Thư/Xiaohongshu)—a popular Chinese app designed to cultivate massive influence over its users by keeping them engaged for as long as possible.
The alarming part? We allow ourselves to be distracted to the point where resisting or breaking free seems impossible. This is why, day by day, our ability to focus is diminishing, and we struggle to reclaim control over our own time and mind.
In a world where technology is designed to capture our attention, the greatest challenge is learning how to take it back.
Take the action film Highlander, for example—an exciting movie that action fans wouldn’t want to miss. Or consider Messi—whenever he plays in a match, especially in the World Cup, I find myself completely drawn in. Thankfully, the World Cup only happens every four years, so at least that’s not a frequent distraction!
But let’s reflect on this: all these companies and technologies are competing for our attention—which, in a way, means they are competing for our very lives.
Where Is Our Life Energy Going?
Our life energy is wherever our attention is focused. But the truth is, much of what we devote our attention to has no real meaning or value in the long run.
Think about news programs and entertainment shows—no matter how interesting they seem, they always insert advertisements or attention-grabbing elements that keep us hooked. Whether it’s a TV series, a YouTube video, or a social media app, there is always something designed to keep us watching.
Psychologists say that if we repeat an activity six times, we start developing an addiction.
For example, if we binge-watch a drama series for six straight days, we’ll likely get hooked and feel the urge to keep watching. This is exactly how entertainment and digital content companies trap us in a cycle of distraction—by making sure we keep coming back for more.
The Year of the Snake – Time to “Shed Old Skin”
Daily Habits for Overcoming Distraction
I’m not sure how each of you personally experiences distraction, but for me, I’ve made the decision to establish daily routines to regain focus and balance in life. These include:
1. Meditation Habit. Every morning, I dedicate time for meditation—no exceptions.
2. Spiritual Practice Habit every day.
3. Reading Habit
This is very important in life—reading scriptures, reading books, especially useful books. Keep reading to develop a habit so that you can move away from screens like iPads or iPhones.
4. Exercise Habit
Every day, you need to exercise and stay active, do something to move your body, like going outside to soak up the sun and moving your arms and legs.
When you develop the habits mentioned above, it’s called a "transformation"—gradually, you will change. It's also important to recognize that technology is increasingly invading our daily lives. People seem to be becoming more "technologized"—wherever we go, we have to bring our phones; whatever we do, we rely on Google. It’s as if we are becoming deeply attached to their technology. Sometimes, we even realize that we are having conversations, but in reality, we are talking to a machine!
That’s why we need to develop a few new habits.
Transforming Through New Habits
When eating or spending time with others, put your phone away or set it aside. This is a great habit—doing so helps you break free and transform yourself.
Instead of communicating through the phone; you should also make an effort to visit and have real conversations. Everyone should do this. If you don’t have close friends or family nearby, you can build relationship with neighbors.
By developing new habits, we become a new version of ourselves. Otherwise, we remain the same as before. Naturally, our past karma will continue to take its toll and cause us suffering.
Just like a snake shedding its skin, we must undergo a transformation—that is, adopt new habits. In today’s teaching, the habits I suggest include:
The habit of closing your eyes for meditation
The habit of daily spiritual practice
The habit of reading books
The habit of exercising and staying active
These habits are very practical. Without them, we remain unchanged and have yet to truly become a new person in the new year.
All the habits mentioned above must lead to a new perspective—that is the most important thing. A fresh outlook will truly make us a person of the new year.
If we call it a "new year" but have nothing to show for our personal growth and transformation, then that would be unfortunate, wouldn’t it? That’s why each of us must embrace change.
As for how to change, I have already explained the method.
n summary, we must change our daily habits, breaking free from our addictions so that we are no longer controlled, distracted, or surrounded by technology that consumes our attention and time. Otherwise, we allow our lives to be pulled into iPads, iPhones, and all kinds of artificial things, gradually losing our own vitality and becoming overly dependent on these technological products.
Let’s start making changes from within—that is the true meaning of this Year of the Snake.
I would like to remind you once again and hope that these four habits in the new year will help you take the first steps toward transformation: The habit of closing our eyes for meditation, the habit of daily spiritual practice, the habit of reading books, the habit of exercising.
Thank you all for listening. Wishing you a peaceful day!
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