Lessons from Eckhart Tolle’s ‘The power of Now’ – part 2 of 3 (summary review by Gil Dekel, PhD.)

by Gil Dekel.

page 97

Listen with your whole body. If you read a book, then read it with your whole body. Always be connected to your inner body, no matter what shape you see in the outer world. Experience the outer world with your inner world. Keep your attention on the outer world, but combine it with the inside world.

98

When you are stuck in traffic light, or when waiting in a long queue, use that time to go to your inner body. Thus you will enjoy the moment, and not ‘suffer’ the waiting.

100

The mind cannot forgive. The mind survives on non-forgiveness. But you can forgive.

101

Feelings are closer to our truth than thoughts.

102

We accumulate time in our psyche and in our body’s cells, when we live a life based on past and future. Thus, our body ages.

105-106

When you need a creative solution or a new idea, stop thinking and become aware. Then resume your thinking and it will come up with creative ideas. Go between thinking and inner-stillness-listening. Don’t just think with your head, but also with your whole essence.

When listening to another person, we can move our attention away from thinking, and create a space of stillness that gives the other person a space to be. This is a true listening, which is without the mind. It is a gift we can give others. Most of us do not listen, rather focused on their thoughts than on what the other person is saying. Most human relationships are mainly mind interactions, with no communication; not being in communion.

109

Pay attention to the ‘within-world’, not just to the external-world. Feel the inner source, especially in relationships or when relating to nature. Be conscious of the inner source in your life, and your outer life. Be open to the deep sense of peace that is inside, no matter what is going outside. Become a bridge between the out-world and the inner-world. Use your body as a portal to the inner-body of truth.

112

Silence is the source of the sounds. Every sound is born out of silence, and dies back into silence. And during their life span all sounds are surrounded by silence.

113

All objects come from nothing, are surrounded by nothing, and will return to nothing. Inside each body there is more of the ‘nothing’ than the ‘something’. Even our bodies are made of more empty space than physical materials. The body is nearly 100% empty space… The distance between the atoms is huge compared to the atoms size. The essence of all things is emptiness…

115

Most people live the external form. External forms are not stable, so people live in fear.

116

If there was nothing but silence, it would not exist for us, as we would not know it. Only when sound appears, does silence come into being.

If there were only space with no objects in space, it would not exist to us. If we were a point of consciousness floating in the vastness of space with no stars, no galaxies, just emptiness, then space would not be vast anymore. It would not be recognisable at all to us.

117

We would not know space if there were no objects in space, and in the same way the outer-world requires the inner-essence to exist. We need the outer world of space-time, the illusion, so to know the inner-world, the enlightenment. The purpose of the external world is to enable the inner-world. We are here to enable the universe to unfold – the universe essence within us, which can unfold through the outer-world, the illusion. And this is done trough us.

119

Our psychological time-made form is illusion. So is death.

122

God is our inner most essence presence; not something outside us. You find God the moment you realize that you do not need to seek God… Salvation is Now, not ‘there’, and not ‘in the future’.

123

Our minds think that anything worthy is in the future, yet the worthy world lives in the Now.

130

True communication is communion, oness, love – and not a mind run by old patterns. When we identify with our minds, we are not who we are, but a mental image of ego and a role game. We become ‘human-minds’, pretending to be ‘human-beings’. We interact with another mind and play drama games. True love flourishes when we free ourselves from a mind identity, and instead we move into the Now. This also dissolves the pain-body at the same time.

132

Most relationships are not based on Being, but on social roles, political and economic structures. Thus pain, problems and conflicts dominate such relationships.

131

Crisis is an opportunity to change things. You need not ignore or escape a problem, but accept it. With acceptance comes freedom. When you know there is a disharmony, and you hold this knowing, then through your knowing a new healing factor will enter.

When you know you are not in peace, your mere knowing creates a still-space of love and tender around your non-peace. Thus, non-peace is transmutes to peace. We do not transform ourselves, or our partners. We simply create a space of stillness for transformation to happen, and for grace and love to enter and Be. So when relationships are in crisis, be aware it is the unconscious being brought up to you as an opportunity for recovery. Hold the knowing of the moment.

132

If you are angry, know it. If there is jealousy, defensiveness, urge to argue, urge to be right – know the reality of these moments and hold the knowing. Your knowing will stop you from reacting. Your knowing will set energy that will dissolve the situation.

133

Happiness will come through you, not through other people. Do not wait for others, as you may wait forever. Do not accuse other people. When you judge, argue and accuse, you identify with a mental-position of unconscious ego. We may point out negative behaviours, but we do not need to blame or accuse people.

Judgement others is an act of confusing their unconscious behaviour with who they truly are. If we do not judge, we do not fight the darkness, rather we bring the light. We do not react to delusion; rather we see it and look through it.

Being the person of ‘knowing’ brings love of presence, which helps all people be and act as they truly are. When you practice this, people around you become conscious themselves. Do not judge, simply allow others to be. Be present by allowing others explain and express their emotions.

134

When we do not identify with the mind-body illusion, we do not judge anymore; rather we start giving space to reflect our true inner love of Oness. This love has no opposite of fear.

The ego requires problems, conflicts and enemies in order to live in separation. Some ego-minded people will find it hard to live with an enlightenment partner, who stops resisting or conflicting them. With acceptance, there is a loss of this ego. The pain-body wants a feedback, but is not getting it from the enlightenment partner, as arguments, dramas and conflicts are not being met.

136

Be an open-door for your partner to enter through. If they are ready they will join your inner stillness. If they are not ready, you will separate. Light is too painful for someone who wants to remain in darkness.

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© Gil Dekel, PhD. 30 March 2011. Photos update 5 April 2016.
‘The power of Now’ published by Hodder & Stoughton, London, UK, 2001.