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"You can never get enough of what you don't truly need."
What is it that we truly need? And will we find it in endless streams of perfectly curated content penetrating our eyes, on a screen that’s way too bright, for way too long?
When did the social media landscape transFORM FROM A space that - at least in some areas - USED TO offer genuine possibilities for connection, expression, inspiration and activism, into a non-consensual, highly functional marketPlace that's extracting our attention, our time and other important resources?
What powers are at play HERE? WE know THAT our current relationship with social media CANNOT meeT our true needs. Nevertheless, we seem to losE OURSELVES in this dizzying quest, dedicating shocking amounts of our lifetime to it. IMAGINE ALL THE THINGS WE COULD DO INSTEAD...
...I probably would have found these questions worth RESEARCHING and tendING to – If I wouldn't have been so numb as a result of my own social media addiction.
then I discovered a statistic that took my breath away: If we don’t change our relationship to social media, the average person will have spent 3 FULL years of their life on instagram, facebook, tiktok or their favorite dating app.
This fact pierced through my numbness.
In an attempt AT SELF-preservATION and a burst of love for my time and energy, I deleted all of my social media accounts – AND haven't returned since. THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO.
Within days and weeks of HAVING "unhookED" in this way, I experienced a noticable impact on my life: better sleep quality, a returning interest in and capacity for human interactions, a massive rewiring of my brain regarding thought structures, desires and use of language. and, of course, being back in touch with a ton of sensations and feelings.
Two years later, Daniel and me decided to collaborate on this topic, following an ongoing thread of exchange about the impact we both witnessed in OURSELVES AND EACH other during periods of social media ABSTINENCE.
for us, this topic is a question of personal mental health as much as A PHENOMENON WITH social and political DIMENSIONS.
The statistics have changed in those 2 years. The average TIME SPENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA has EXPANDED: NOW THE AVERAGE USER WILL HAVE SPENT 5 years OF THEIR LIFE ON THESE APPS. THAT'S ONE FULL MONTH, EACH YEAR.
"UNHOOKED" is not about shaming ourselves or about denying the benefits of digital technology.
INSTEAD, THIS 6 WEEK PROGRAM IS about acknowledgING our personal “hooks” and MEETING THEM WITH CURIOSITY AND DETERMINATION. WE WANT TO ASK OURSELVES: WHAT ARE THE UNMET NEEDS THAT I TRY TO SATISFY WITH MY SOCIAL MEDIA USE? AND: IS THERE A MORE EFFECTIVE AND CREATIVE WAY TO MEET THEM?
MAYBE FOR YOU, "TO UNHOOK" may MEAN gentlY reducING YOUR AVERAGE screen time, step by step – OR SIMPLY GIVING YOUR stressed eyes SOME REST.
some may WANT TO LEARN HOW to stay connected to their body while CONSUMING stuff on their phone.
For OTHERS, it MIGHT BE about getting rid of social media apps (or EVEN their phone) altogether.
NO MATTER what kind of result you are looking to achieve; the foundation is to RECLAim YOUR authority and to decIde what kind of ONLINE CONTENT you want to engage with, and how.
REGAINING THE CAPACITY TO CONNECT TO THE SENSUAL and natural WORLD AROUND US IS SOMETHING THAT TAKES PRACTICE, PATIENCE AND GENTLENESS.
THE RESSOURCES WE ARE GATHERING IN "UNHOOKED" ARE also designed to support you through the WAVES OF withdrawal symptoms that are likely to show up once you "log out" for a certain amount of time. ONE OF THESE RESSOURCES DEFINITELY IS THE GROUP ITSELF. IT CAN BE of HUGE SUPPORT TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS.
Attention is the most valuable resource of our time. Redefining the ways in which we apply it, can radically change the way we engage with this world.
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We, Anna and Daniel, are both somatic coaches and certified Practitioners of the Pantarei approach. Anna loves working 1:1 with individuals AND HAS MIDWIVED MANY SUstainable, PURPOSE-DRIVEN BUSINESSES, while Daniel enjoys himself moving groups of people in workshops, immersive performances and theatre spectacles.
ANNA deleted HER Instagram and Facebook accounts and is “out of it” for 2 years now, while DANIEL IS EXPLORING LONGER AND SHORTER PERIODS OF ABSTINENCE. HE RECENTLY spent 2 months without it.
With this somatic online laboratory, we want to share what we found out so far.
ABOUT YOUR HOSTS:
"UNHOOKED" consists of:
A 6 week plan TO HELP YOU BECOME INTIMATE WITH THE ADDICTIVE PATTERNS IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND TO REDEFINE THIS RELATIONSHIP IN A meaningful WAY
6 ONLINE group sessions, HELD at 1 PM EACH Sunday
2 short somatic morning sessionS each week to REPLACE "MORNING SCOLLS" AND TO START THE DAY IN A MORE EMBODIED WAY
A moderated group on Telegram to exchange experiences and support each other
A somatic toolbox WITH GUIDED AUDIO FILES to support you in moments of intensity, to down-regulate and to re-sensitize gently
PDF FILES WITH PROMPTS FOR SELF-REFLECTION, PROPOSALS FOR REAL-LIFE EXPERIMENTS AND PHYSICAL ADVENTURES
All of these are designed to offer the least possible digital stimulation. Many Zoom meetings will be held with cameras off and the screen dimmed.
Of course, none of these offers are mandatory. We trust that you will make use of these offers in a way that is supportive for your process.
YOUR CONTRIBUTION: 290 € / 335 $
10% OF THE REVENUE FROM THIS OFFER WILL BE DONATED TO a SOCIAL WORK PROJECT for the benefit of children whose parents are dealing with Addiction in THE SOUth of germany.
Please feel free to Reach out if you have questions about the program. We ARE LOOKING FORWARD to sharING this space with a diverse group of people devoted to change, ROOTED IN SOMATICS.
If you feel a very clear call BUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION IS DIFFICULT, reach out as well. we have a limited amount of scholarship options, created for those who really need them.
THAT SAID, if you are affluent and wish to support others, consider paying 390€ / 450$, so that others can pay less. in that case, FOLLOW the SPECIAL SUPPORTER LINK right below. THANK YOU!
The shared exploration in a group of fellow researchers may lead to a more sovereign use of Your time and attention. It may even lead to a deeper transformation of your approach to digital technology.
Yet, we do not promise that you will be miraculously cured of your "phone addiction". We don’t even argue that one has to abandon Social Media altogether.
The intention is to claim back authority OVER THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF images, messages and impressionS you consume. YOU WILL inquire how you can make good use of Social Media and LEARN TO NOTICE MORE QUICKLY wheN you ARE slidING into a vortex of scrolling and mental constipation.
The RESULTS OF THIS RESEARCH WILL BE different for each of us.
So, while we are not offering therapeutic work here, we know about the transformational power of CURIOSITY and SOMATIC WORK, alongside others who are also willing to meet themselves.
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Impressum:
Daniel Bernhard Cremer
Hardenbergstr. 25
41236 Mönchengladbach
02166/6385001