Computer Time Non-Spiritual?

Q: Is spending a lot of time on the computer non-spiritual?

MM: When it comes to leisure computer time, it depends on who your are talking to and on what you are writing or reading - just like life itself. What makes something spiritual or non-spiritual is whether it lifts yours or other's thoughts beyond the material to things like beauty, aesthetics, justice, harmony, love, peace, compassion, etc, etc ... infinity...eternity - and in the end - even silence. If you are doing "your work", other considerations also come into play. Work maybe very mundane and concerning non-spiritual things, but to do the work properly, on time and well is "kind and honest" to your co-workers, customers or employer.

In general, when it comes to computer time, ask yourself whether what you are doing is creative or consumptive? Observant or judgmental? Are you serious/obsessed or playful? Innocent or manipulative? Responsible or irresponsible? Run by fear and greed, or compassion and generosity. All these reflections will tell you whether anything you are doing, or not doing, in life, is spiritual (of your spirit) - or material. Not that all material considerations are "bad" and all spiritual considerations "good". Remember Buddha's Golden Middle Path is between the two. We live a material existence and need to tend to it.

Q: But even when I feel like being on the computer is "good", spiritually speaking, my wife makes me feel guilty that I am on it at all.

MM: Explain to her how it feeds your soul (if it does) to be on the computer, or how you need to be on it in order to not let people down at work in order to put a roof over her head if that is your situation, and see what she says.

The fear of the wife or husband can be close to the fear of death :-).

But - when death is understood - or when the wife or husband is understood - all will be well. The spouse wants attention, and so does death. If we don't pay attention to the wife, or the husband, or the children, or the friends - or the fact that life is precious and can be over at any moment for any of us - we will miss life, and we will miss growing in love.

Either you are spending too much time on the computer or you have a nagging wife. Most likely a little bit of both.