Respiro

by Paul Doru Mugur

In musical terms “respiro” signifies pause, the pause of a breath. Respiro e-zine is intended to be a zone for spiritual breathing & epiphanies of the soul, a virtual space for inner growth & intimate reflection.

Humans shape the tools that shape them. The history of technology is also the history of the evolution of the human brain. We have become what the tools we invented have helped us become.

The visual culture of the Hollywood blockbusters and MTV commercials is partially responsible for our shortened attention spans. The real problem is not only that more and more people watch TV instead of reading but also, since TV narrows people`s attention spans, they gradually lose their ability to concentrate and to think long thoughts.

Is it us who think things or other people`s minds who think us while we are watching a movie or playing a video game?

Can we slow down a bit? Can we just take the time-or to put it, better, the leisure- to see, to understand, to dream?

Respiro. In the heart of the information twister- a sudden island of grace.

The internet with its billions of hyperlinks is a mirror of our hyper-connected brain.

In the search for better food and shelters, our ancestors would change geographies, and migrate. Today, we surf the internet. Scanning a metaphorical space, we e-migrate.

It was autumn and the wind was blowing. Pointing towards a tree, a Zen master asked his three disciples: “What is moving?” The first one answered: “The leaves.”

The second one: “The tree.” The third one: “The wind.” The master told them:

“No. The only thing that is moving is your mind.”

Respiro. Slow food for thought. Bon apetit!