DrewNows

Read your blog critique on Eckhart Tolle's Power of Now book/teachings. You definitely made some very good points! Id like to express my thoughts on it, being a dude who probably would have never even discovered spirituality/nonduality (or how it related to my on life) for a much longer time without reading his book (on accident). Some of your examples seem to pull his words out of context a bit. Tolle dumbs down much of the teachings in attempt at catering to his audience (as you know). People reading his book for the first time who are not seekers (like me) are really able to connect and understand the points he makes and directly relate it to our own life. I agree on most of your criticism about negative emotions, however, again, some quotes simply taken out of context. Obviously surrender does not function the same for everybody. "through examination and articulation of your negative emotions -- so that they can both be accommodated in a new, higher solution" - these are your words, and often with a deeper understanding of our situation, the answer is there quite clearly without any negative emotions present. The triggered negative emotions disrupts clear understanding of our desired path in a given situation. But i agree to a degree, suppression of negative emotions is simply not a solution (learned this the hard way). Does the nondual awareness/consciousness not give the mind a deeper appreciation for everything we perceive? As a westerner i would vouch for most to see this world in a logical, compassionate materialistic sense where most of our beliefs/world views cannot be just thrown out the window. Much enjoyed your critique! I struggled to understand myself for over a year obsessed with Tolle's teachings and it only got me so far. I have your book and i will write a review once i get a chance to finish it

@AakashGood awareness here my friend! What a great idea that is to observe how well you are able to let go into sleep. Your doing the discipline needed! You cannot force the surrendering. NO EFFORT is how it’s possible somehow I’m able to just forget everything (including myself). This used to be a big challenge in the past I would also toss and turn a good portion of the night. Perhaps look into what you identify with...what puts the itches in the peace

“What would you like to do if money were no object?” - Alan Watts I would continue to do what I enjoy. Growing, learning, creating/expressing, loving and working I do not need power, control or certainty life being opportunity, relationship and understanding "let it happen"

This is a very common phase. I believe it’s easy to fall into and do but once you realize, as you have, it is no longer benefiting your life, start your active (awareness) meditation. Test your presence in even the simplest of activities. Can you turn brushing your teeth or cleaning your room into something as beautiful as sitting or laying meditation? What are your thoughts saying about the activities you are avoiding?

@okuleleyou are not there yet my friend. The good news is, “you” will never get there. It’s useless to keep resisting yourself. ‘No self’ will come with the ending of time, which is something you can play no part in Seems counterintuitive to get back into your ego right? Well that’s exactly how you will transcend it. Knowingly live your ego until control is surrendered dont forget to be your best self mate! Cheers

@Serotoninluvjust reread what you had written and it makes sense now. Appreciate the info ?

So you’re saying animals have the same sort of fears as we do but they aren’t divided or perpetuated?

As jack says I understand this there may not be a me who writes the thoughts but the me which thinks it does is one in the same mechanical process What about fears we believe to be instinctual. Take the example of someone who’s afraid of heights or someone who faints when they see blood. Unconcsious beleifs which create a reaction out of fear

@mandyjwyou are no where near crazy. I think you are becoming more aware

Underlying driver of what exactly? Our decisions??? Not sure what you’re getting at with authoring of our thoughts ?

@Joseph Maynor? appreciate the article. Good points on our ego-mind as well! It’s so natural to reject something in which we finally understand and reflexively judge to be that of ego. I see it as all being a part of the same mechanism. Soon I’ll make a thread explaining “true change” as I like to call it when you transdend undesirable egoic patterns

Interesting bit of knowledge. I suppose it comes down to how we’d like to define fear in this case. I like to use the term psychological to explain the fear created by thought. Instinctual/primitive fear could be something entirely different i find it interesting to observe how people communicate and project human emotions onto other animals or their pets

Hmm ? go right ahead. Let me know how it works out for ya

Yeah it’s no lie. I’ve worked with dogs the past few years and the coolest thing I noticed initially was the different personalities and learned behaviors dogs are awesome!

??? lost your sense of time and had to explain yourself to someone afterwards???

Flow state without a quiet mind? Is an artist painting a portrait continuously analyzing their work? I agree nature brings us closer to our connection with everything

@Serotoninluvwe could call that fear but is it really (psychological)? Does Instinctual reaction require a fear based response? often we can observe fear which comes after the fact

We can question what it means to “be free” of ego What was the point Jesus was trying to make By not allowing fear to guide his actions?

@mandyjwYES. The runners high im sure yall are familiar with but more importantly, “flow state” to be related/ equated with the creative, no-self and intuition. I’ve also done this playing soccer and weigh lifting It often takes many years to gain a wisdom to move without a psychological purpose/motive @Serotoninluv@Nahm

What I'm getting at is what if all your thoughts / emotions - fear, anger, sadness, anxiety etc are all part of the same mechanism - self perpetuating itself simply because of the division within

@mandyjwOn the contrary, fear is a great tool to use to understand ego. To see that fear is not something separate from self (ego). Go ahead! observe all "your" fears throughout the day and explore them, sit with them. True change comes when we have the insight into "what is" simply illusion

“If reality is “perfect” then what are its metrics values and visions? Whatever you want them to be whether you’re conscious of this or not it’s anything everything and nothing

Interesting opinion. Im curious but I doubt you have experience with psychedelics. Sometimes we get so conditioned into fooling ourselves, psychedelics can be of use in overcoming deep mental barriers you’d usually use running or meditation to bypass

@hundreth@WhateverEnlightenment or liberation may be known by someone but it goes deeper than the human condition. This is where one’s idea of enlightenment can start to become a detriment to their personal journey and realization EVERYONE is liberated/enlightened but not everyone is conscious of it

And maybe the enlightened don't require sleep I think it would have to depend on your definition of enlightenment