Recently a friend of mine introduced me to an amazing text entitled A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. Little did I know when I began reading this text that my life and the world in which I live in would be flipped upside down and completely changed forever. The perspective that has been gained from reading this text as well as The Power of Now has been remarkable. I have always believed that as a Christian it is so vital that we seek out God's presence in our lives on a daily basis. For the Lord manifests himself to us in so many ways, yet we often are "too busy" or distracted by our own minds and thoughts to recognize God.
Eckhart Tolle's purpose in writing these texts was to help awaken and enlighten people to become fully aware and conscious. In doing so we uncover the BEING we were created as and experience life in a beautifully new way. Over the past two months I can say that my life has been changed. Whether I am washing my hands, cooking a meal, working out, teaching in the classroom, or simply watching sports, there is a new freshness and experience by being fully present to the NOW and moment at hand. For years I had thought and dwelt on things from the past, especially the negative and "bad" (as we label things) stuff in life. In doing so I had created my own mental problems...Later we learn from Eckart that problems are mentally constructed things that don't actually exist because in the NOW there are no problems. One must simply accept what comes his or her way and be at one with it. When I was not dwelling on things that happened or what did not go my way, namely what I was expecting, I was projecting into the future. Now, it must be said that having goals is a good thing, however looking into the future and concentrating on what one will do is dangerous and often creates great fear or more "problems" in the mind. Let alone, this distracted myself from being fully present in the moment.
Now that I have read A New Earth and realize the value of being fully conscious, of observing my thoughts and not allowing a mental dialogue or mind control to take place over me, I am free and liberated in a way that has been life changing. No longer do I think of things as good or bad, but they are and life is...After all, we cannot control almost everything that happens, we can only accept them and be one with what occurs. In doing so Eckhart suggests we do not lose out on the present moment, but arrive at fully consciousness and then can act according to the situation in a most responsible manner. Life and the daily activities I partake in from brushing my teeth to go to work to eating dinner with my wife and family all have changed. The tasks and things are not changing, but my BEING fully in the moment not thinking about the past or future, but simply living in the NOW as a conscious being has revealed a new freshness and beauty that I had been too distracted to see and appreciate before.
Therefore, I encourage you to read Tolle and be transformed through the renewing of your mind. It is amazing to think that St. Paul had encouraged Christians from the beginning days as he so emphatically wrote in his letter to the Romans, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing, and perfect will." (Romans 12:2) For centuries human beings has missed the fact that we are to be fully present in the NOW, awakened to the light of our true selves by being fully conscious. Through this enlightenment as Tolle says, we are able to "BE." After all as Genesis 1:27 so beautifully professes were are, "made in the image and likeness of God." Let us not forget that when Moses saw God in the burning bush and experienced God face to face he then asked the Lord his name. God replied, "I am." The beauty of life is that we are and by fully awakening our spirit becomes alive simply because "we are." A great inner peace will come to you and your life will be filled with joy through living in the NOW. As Eckhart Tolle mentions in his works time and time again, the only guarantee and moment that matters is NOW, for this is all we have and that ever will be. The NOW is what makes up today and by living in the present moment and being fully there in body, mind, and soul we become fully alive and fulfill our purpose of BEING!
To learn how to access your copy of A New Earth or The Power of Now, as well as to read reflections by Eckhart Tolle please visit this amazing resource at: eckharttolle.com
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