Contents
Is it possible to get rid of fears, uncertainty and suffering on your own? You can, I’m sure the «prophet of our time», the German writer and philosopher Eckhart Tolle. At a seminar in Moscow, he talked about what prevents us from changing our lives and how to feel the power of the present moment. We publish the most inspiring ideas.
«Wherever you go you will find yourself»
Do you want to get rid of problems once and for all? Well, you can pack your suitcase, buy a ticket for the first available plane and fly to another country. Perhaps this will fill you with a sense of happiness for a while, but sooner or later you will return to the previous state. It will seem to you that the environment is too hot or noisy. The thing is that the state of discontent is inevitable if our consciousness is asleep.
The bad news is that unhappiness has become the norm for many. The good news is that it can be changed. The next time you’re stressed out, ask yourself, «Am I dissatisfied with the situation I’m in, or with how I feel about it?» After realizing that the internal tension is mainly due to your reaction, ask yourself another question: “How can I survive this situation if I accept it as it is?”
The results of this experiment will surprise you. Do not dispute what is, but simply experience the reality of the moment. You will understand that in most cases it is our choice to feel unhappy or not.
«My life is what my mind projects»
Most of us identify with the inner voice that creates a false, fictional self and are unaware of its influence. This voice is amplified when we are dissatisfied with something. To get rid of it, you need to separate yourself from thoughts, draw a line between consciousness and mind. This is how awakening begins.
The sensations, feelings, emotions that you experience are obsessive thought forms that make up your personality. It’s like you’re in a prison cell without even realizing it. And, perhaps, you don’t want to leave this cell at all — it becomes a comfort zone. But at the same time, in each of us, the desire to free ourselves from restrictions and shackles is dormant.
To get rid of obsessive thoughts, many use alcohol or drugs. This helps to temporarily stop the daily «torture of the mind» and forget about the problems, but only moves us away from happiness. Another way to drown out dissatisfaction with yourself and feel happy is to fill your life with material objects and entertainment. Therefore, many of us constantly buy something, care about status and popularity. But does it help you get what you want? Hardly.
Self-pity strengthens the ego, and this gives a certain sense of superiority.
There is really only one way to get rid of limitations — to rise above thoughts. How to do it? When you focus on the present moment, for that brief moment, for two or three seconds, you rise above thoughts and they stop.
Thoughts completely absorb the consciousness of modern man and break the deep connection with true nature. This relationship has been preserved, for example, in dogs. Therefore, they do not have problems with self-esteem, they do not complex because of their appearance. Many dog owners say, «She’s happier than me.» The truth is, animals just live in the moment.
People, on the contrary, constantly think, theorize, make assumptions: “If only I had other parents, if life gave me a chance, if there weren’t so many obstacles in my way, I would be happy.” Many of us constantly complain about friends, places, jobs. They may be completely unhappy, but their ego adores the image of the «victim». Self-pity strengthens it, and this gives a certain feeling of superiority.
“Two dimensions – form and essence…”
The most important question to ask yourself is «Who am I?»
The first thing we think about when answering it is our physical form. People are either proud of their bodies or ashamed of them. If you have a beautiful, strong body, there is a desire to show it off, and in a favorable light, because the ego loves superiority. But as we get older, unable to break the connection between the ego and the body, many of us become unhappy. What we really need is to appreciate our body, take care of it, be grateful to it. The body is what we have for a very short time.
As soon as you learn to stop thoughts, awakening will begin.
Try not to think about the past and the future for at least a minute. At the moment you have no problem. Letting go of unnecessary thoughts for a moment, you become aware of what you see and hear right now. This is the surface reality of the moment, but there is another — deep.
What makes our feelings real? Consciousness. Without awareness, we could not perceive, think, feel. To achieve the state of presence, one must stop the flow of thoughts and become aware of the space of peace within oneself. This is the basis of your sensory perception — pure consciousness. As soon as you learn to stop thoughts and feel the presence, awakening will begin.
«Awakening is the beginning of an interesting journey»
The answers to the most serious and interesting questions about the universe can be found by looking into yourself. The peace that you can feel within is the divine light.
To know oneself as a ray of God in this world means to be freed from the prison cell of personality. And once you realize this, your thoughts will become more creative. Because something much greater than man himself finds a way through us and is realized outside. And we become an expression of consciousness in the world.
Yes, your actions matter. But much more important is the awareness behind these actions. Your consciousness can influence and be projected onto all the people around you. And, being in a state of presence, you are able to change the world.