A Spiritual Plan
For a couple of months I have been slowly reading Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth. This book has been featured on Oprah, and, although I haven't followed it, there was an online forum that I am sure was an interesting exploration of Tolle's ideas. Tolle's website has information on the author and information on this and other of his books.
My overall assessment of the book: this is a wise, wise book, a plan for living serenely, quietly and spiritually. In a way, Tolle doesn't say anything new (he relies on the great spiritual teachers - Jesus, the Buddha), but he does come at things in a new way. He especially calls for human beings to live an awakened, conscious life and to discard egotistic behaviour and attitudes. Truly, if the book's ideas were taken to heart and applied to life by many, many peple we would have a new earth! However, one can only begin with oneself: these are the ideas from the book that I am personally trying to remember and practice.
1. Make the present moment your friend, not your enemy (the power of "now")
2. "I don't care what happens" (J. Krishnamurti) (or as my friend Ann says, "better to travel hopefully, than to arrive")
3. Whatever you think others are withholding from you - give (for example, give praise, you will be praised; give forgiveness, you will be forgiven)
4. Do nothing if you are criticized; don't re-act, get defensive
5. You don't have to try to be the mountain - be the "valley" of the universe
6. On difficult days, remember, "This, too, will pass."
7. Be alive to the little simple moments - that is where happiness is found
8. Be aware of your breathing; practice deep breathing several times each day
9. Align yourself often with Presence/the All/the Eternal/God; (choose a contemplative practice - meditation, centering prayer) - "Be still and know that I am God"
10. Put quality into everything you do: your primary purpose is to allow consciousness to flow into everything you do, even, and especially, into the little everyday activities
11. Value old age as having greater consciousness, greater spirituality (potentially)
12. It's not what you do, but how you do what you do that matters: for awakened doing bring one of the following attitudes to the activity - acceptance (for those grudge tasks, routines); enjoyment (discard those optional activities that you do not enjoy); enthusiasm (put your energy into those activities that you love or are passionate about)
My overall assessment of the book: this is a wise, wise book, a plan for living serenely, quietly and spiritually. In a way, Tolle doesn't say anything new (he relies on the great spiritual teachers - Jesus, the Buddha), but he does come at things in a new way. He especially calls for human beings to live an awakened, conscious life and to discard egotistic behaviour and attitudes. Truly, if the book's ideas were taken to heart and applied to life by many, many peple we would have a new earth! However, one can only begin with oneself: these are the ideas from the book that I am personally trying to remember and practice.
1. Make the present moment your friend, not your enemy (the power of "now")
2. "I don't care what happens" (J. Krishnamurti) (or as my friend Ann says, "better to travel hopefully, than to arrive")
3. Whatever you think others are withholding from you - give (for example, give praise, you will be praised; give forgiveness, you will be forgiven)
4. Do nothing if you are criticized; don't re-act, get defensive
5. You don't have to try to be the mountain - be the "valley" of the universe
6. On difficult days, remember, "This, too, will pass."
7. Be alive to the little simple moments - that is where happiness is found
8. Be aware of your breathing; practice deep breathing several times each day
9. Align yourself often with Presence/the All/the Eternal/God; (choose a contemplative practice - meditation, centering prayer) - "Be still and know that I am God"
10. Put quality into everything you do: your primary purpose is to allow consciousness to flow into everything you do, even, and especially, into the little everyday activities
11. Value old age as having greater consciousness, greater spirituality (potentially)
12. It's not what you do, but how you do what you do that matters: for awakened doing bring one of the following attitudes to the activity - acceptance (for those grudge tasks, routines); enjoyment (discard those optional activities that you do not enjoy); enthusiasm (put your energy into those activities that you love or are passionate about)
posted by mamie @ 3:01 PM
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