The title of this post is taken from an indepth interview by Eckhart Tolle which I came across on DVD over the weekend and I bought. I had already read the 'Power of Now' and I had been struck forcibly when he recounted how his spiritual transformation had come about. Hearing him speak about this on the DVD had immense power. I have written before how the shift in consciousness that brings about spiritual awakening usually involves some kind of shock to the mind. I assert that spiritual awakening demands this shift of consciousness before Awakening is possible. It is not possible through the mind, it comes about through no-mind. No amount of intellectualising or reading books will make it happen. Reading and thinking is preparation so that when it happens the body and mind is strong enough to withstand the profound shift, but the reading and intellectualising of itself will produce nothing only more fodder for the mind.
Listening to Eckhart speak about the moment when he was deep in a depression and having the thought 'I can't live with myself any longer' and then being so lost in that thought 'am I one or two' and the insight of the I and myself that arose out of that was enough for him to lose consciousness and when he woke up the next time his consciousness had shifted to the degree that years later he is now a revered spiritual teacher. He speaks about the lack of balance he underwent after this experience, not able to do anything but to sit on park benches just being and absorbing for 2 years. Then gradually he returned and from speaking to small groups his first book 'The Power of Now' was born and then his second which I have just finished reading called 'A new earth'.
I consider both of these books to be transformative reading. Transformative reading is different to intellectual reading. Transformative reading is where reading something, for me, it has usually been books that have been channelled like the Conversations with God books, especially book 1 which has been transformative. Transformative writing shifts consciousness because the Soul recognises the One truth. Many paths but the ONE TRUTH. When the Soul gets access to this through the transformative writing or hearing the voice of an Awakened Soul such as Eckhart Tolle the higher energetic vibration either through the words on the page or the resonance in the voice shifts the consciousness.
On this tape Eckhart speaks about people telling him that they felt an inner calm when they read his first book 'The Power of Now'. This doesn't surprise me because the writing is coming from a state of being and not of doing. Any action arising out of being is powerful and transformative. Writing that arises out of doing is largely for the mind and has little effect in bringing about spiritual Awakening. I was encouraged to hear Eckhart speak about the inability of the mind to bring about spiritual awakening. He speaks about how the mind has got far too much control today and that there is an urgent need for the balance to be re-dressed. He speaks about the shift that is coming for humanity. I thoroughly recommend this DVD as it gives his whole background and why he is the amazing Avatar that he is today.
I am discerning of claims of spiritual awakening and enlightenment- there are a lot of claims about and I think it is so important to be able to distinguish the claims that come from the mind and doing from those that come from being. I have been lucky enough to hear Eckart speak on 2 occasions. The first time I went up to speak to him after his talk and briefly explained that I had experienced the shift of energy that he spoke about. There was no ego in his answer back to me. Looking at me intensely and earnestly he said 'don't feel the need to do, just be'. Then and as I write it now there was something so simple and powerful in those few words. Now many years later I bring being into doing and so from a state of being, I then do and then I have the rewards that acting from a state of being makes possible, a happy and vibrant life.
The tools I am learning about clear communication from the Landmark team management and education programme also come from this state of being, they come from a state of nothingness. The tools of acknowledment, dancing in a conversation with someone, not forcing an outcome, all of these come from the space of nothing and in the space of nothing, everything becomes possible.
I will leave this post by giving the ISBN for this DVD which I consider powerful transformative listening to. It is 1-894884-80-9. I recommend listening to it with the eyes closed even though it is an interview and so you can see the man. To listen with the eyes closed is to create the space in the brain that will bring about spiritual awakening when the time is right.......
