Worthy Five: Recommendations by Menka Sanghvi

Below are five recommendations from me that were published in the Dense Discovery. Issue 173, 31 Jan 2022.

A question worth asking:

‘What does this narrative do to my being?’ Every story moves us to think, feel and act differently in the world, so why not be more discerning about which ones we immerse in. Especially online, where algorithms are constantly making automated narrative decisions for us.

A video worth watching:

OVERVIEW is a short documentary about the profound experience many astronauts have on seeing the Earth from the ‘outside’ for the first time, as an interconnected, living system. It had me revisit the clichéd Blue Marble photo with fresh eyes and new wonder.

A newsletter worth subscribing to:

The Convivial Society offers clarity and insights into ‘digital wellbeing’ (although, perhaps wisely, writer L.M. Sacasas never uses that phrase). He brings a historical, moral, and philosophical lens to bear on the technologies we use today, raising questions about what we really value. Here’s a good example about meaningful silences on social media.

A piece of advice worth passing on:

My meditation teacher, in the Jain wisdom tradition, often recommends learning to forgive quickly. Holding onto anger, he says, is like holding onto a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone, but of course burning ourselves all the while. Forgiveness is letting go.

A Twitter account worth following:

Try Miranda Keeling for Haiku-like descriptions of everyday mundane moments. Her posts remind me how easily the humble act of noticing connects us more deeply to life. She lives in London, with a toddler, just like me, so I find her observations endearingly familiar, but the gestures are universal.