The 10th and last class in the New Earth series was, i think, the best.
‘You are the universe experiencing itself in this form.’
‘You are the universe, not separate.’
Everything is in cycles of growth and contraction, the return movement. Old age is often a time of spiritual growth, or in any contraction.
Spoke of meaningless retirement. Some seniors become luminescent. Some become resistant and become bitter, complain about everything. [some get mellow, some grumpy]
In old age, shift from doing to being, find Being has more value than doing.
Grandmother, elder represented wisdom, opening to spirit. Now we have the ‘grannie’.
Because of lack of depth, people become unhappy.
Intelligent stupidity, like the A bomb.
If we see a challenge as an obstacle, the ego is there.
What you do is secondary. What you are (within) is primary. = consciousness
Its not what you do but how you do it, the consciousness you bring to it.
Is it presence or means to an end?
Presence, we can sense the energy.
Compared communication as a mental abstraction (messaging, email) vs being present.
What of a heavy overlay of ego? This too shall pass.
Reminder – “Am I able to accept this moment as it is?” (this person, etc.)
If you can take your ego out of it, it becomes another situation. Its not personal.
Build your ‘spiritual muscle’. “Can you look through the heavy pain body in others?” You know they are obnoxious, know they are controlled by ego, but also know they are close to God.
The vision or goal is not in the future. Its is a reality within. The future is not present. From an internal reality, you externalize what is already there.
Jesus said believe you already have received it and you will. You are already coming from fullness. Bring something out thats already inside you. It will manifest in the future, but see it now. What does it feel like? Then it comes from fullness not neediness. Its not something around you that will bring it. It comes through you rather than from reaching out to get it. The place of power is in the present moment. You need to honor what you are doing in the present moment, whatever it is.
The transformation of consciousness does not depend on your belief system. But the belief system can be an obstacle if it is rigid.
Acceptance is to see what is, right now. It is not to accept the behavior, its to accept that it is.
Compassion for those acting unconsciously from ego.
Whatever energy you put out contributes to the collective. Anger contributes to the collective anger. [are you angry about the war? War is anger and feeds on that anger]
When you recognize that you are thinking, see that these are thoughts. Being aware its just another thought takes away its power. Choose to be present or get caught in the mind, draw in your attention. Mind is like a restless puppy. Don’t mind it. *I’ll think about it later.
Alignment of inner purpose and outer purpose = awakened doing.
This is the next stage of evolution on our planet.
3 modalities:
1) Acceptance
2) Enjoyment
3) Enthusiasm
Each is a step up. [deeper values of allowing, bliss, and passion too]
Ensure one is active when doing anything. If not, you are creating suffering. many are in a constant state of disharmony.
What state are you in? What are you bringing to the situation?
Success depends on the energy you bring to whatever you do. Know that this is your choice, whether you create unhappiness for yourself and others.
Enjoyment will replace wanting as the motivating factor in people. Enjoyment brings enormous empowerment. Joy does not come from what you do, it flows INTO what you do from within. There is only joy, our collective joy. You express joy, others feel joy in themselves.
Pleasure comes from something outside of you. Pleasing me = ego.
You have to be there for life to work for you. When you no longer deny the present moment, you see things lining up but also more things line up.
If you don’t accumulate a lot of past inside, then you don’t age anywhere near as fast.
Enthusiasm is powerful, born of source, not excitement, not passive acceptance. No need to change challenges into problems. Worry is problem making.
The world is not here to make you happy. Its to make you conscious. [which will make you much happier]
<———->
Oprah announced a continuing Monday ‘Soul’ series. Sounds like the video feed of her XM radio show which would be her talking to people remotely. Then she said “We’ll be back in the fall. There’s no telling what we’ll do.” That implies back with Eckhart. We’ll see.
You can download any of the 10 shows as video or audio. Or you can get better notes by downloading the transcripts. All here.
For tips on downloading the videos, see my original post on the series.
David
Last Updated on December 11, 2013 by Davidya
I will be returning, again and again, to these downloaded Eckhart Tolle teachings. His website does not list any current or future events, so they are so valuable. I am on the second readings of The Power of Now and intend to re-read all three of his books that I possess and I think these audios will help me a lot. I must be hard-headed for I need to return, return, return and, always, each time I do I get something new I hadn’t absorbed previously. I so enjoy your blog as a means of connecting to another on the same path! 🙂
“Old age is often a time of spiritual growth, or in any contraction …” This had resonated with me! I am dealing with my father, 86, who is suffering and struggling with the process and, thus, so am I; trying hard to care for him and also keep space around his anger, resentment, and complaining so as not to take it personally and it doesn’t suck the life out of me. It is proving most difficult, however, I am blessing to also be a part of this awakening path and am learning needed lessons in the process.
As some have observed, our culture has lost roles for the elderly. Rather than a time of wisdom and spiritual focus, its seen as a “holiday” and being put out to pasture. Many die soon into retirement or soon after their spouse.
Such anger often arises out of loss of purpose and declining health. Seeing your dreams pass unfulfilled.
Its unfortunate as there is such richness possible in that time of life. My step-dad went through a similar period. He had a great deal of difficultly letting go. Even though he had gone to church most of his life, he saw death as the end, a void. My mother is doing better, taking the alternative path of mellowing.
Good luck with your father. Its never easy taking care of someone who doesn’t want to be taken care of. But it can be a valuable lesson for both of you. Being able to remember who you are in stress is a powerful experience of integration.
Thank you for the feedback. Remember to return again and again, not to Eckhart’s voice or the words on the page but to that which drives the voice and words, the space you mention. The one who observes the words is much more important than any idea. Ideas can bring us closer but in the end, they can keep us from who we are. Words and ideas are of the mind, not of who you are in essence.
I read “My Stroke of Insight” in one sitting – I couldn’t put it down. I laughed. I cried. It was a fantastic book (I heard it’s a NYTimes Bestseller and I can see why!), but I also think it will be the start of a new, transformative Movement! No one wants to have a stroke as Jill Bolte Taylor did, but her experience can teach us all how to live better lives. Her TED.com speech was one of the most incredibly moving, stimulating, wonderful videos I’ve ever seen. Her Oprah Soul Series interviews were fascinating. They should make a movie of her life so everyone sees it. This is the Real Deal and gives me hope for humanity.
Thanks for the comment, Sharon. Its a great story, indeed. I mention her in 3 other posts here. However, keep in mind she had her opening by crisis and comes to it with a brain scientist’s viewpoint. A brain scientist may not make the best guide of consciousness, however inspiring her story. Hope is good. A way there without a stroke even better 😉
hmmm – seems “Sharon” may be a spammer. Got the exact same comment under another name and IP on another not quite relevant post. Someone trying to start a movement??