The Best Eckhart Tolle Talk (1 hr 30 min) Power of Now, A New Earth (look up UG Krishnamurti)

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powerful welcome to so serious
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welcome back to my soul series our
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weekly half-hour to be able to delve
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into you know all things really
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spiritual to challenge the status quo
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that's what this show is all about to
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connect to higher ground and thereby
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elevate the value of our experience here
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and now the here and now you know that's
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an expression that's achieved in almost
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you know cult-like status in our lexicon
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but as in any case when phrases are used
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and over used in a culture sometimes
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they tend to lose their influence and
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their impact and people just sort of
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toss about here in the now as a
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reference in time without actually
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considering I think the magnitude of
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what those words really represent today
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right now I want to share with you
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somebody who has helped me along with
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millions of other people to really
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understand just why that phrase the here
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and particularly the now is not only
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vital but is really all that there is
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my guest today should be called I guess
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the father of the now because Eckhart
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Tolle a is widely recognized as one of
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the most original and inspiring
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spiritual teachers of our time I
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personally think that you are a prophet
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mr. Tolin and I was first introduced to
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your teachings back in - in the year
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2000 when actress meg Ryan was on my
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show and she told me about this book but
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we were in a commercial break I don't
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even know how the subject came up but
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she mentioned the power of now and how
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it was really having a big impact on her
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life and so I went right out and I got
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the book right away and I put it in my
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magazine as one of on the old list and I
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think I even listed as a favorite thing
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for Christmas for all of our viewers the
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power of now a guide to spiritual
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enlightenment would have to be one of
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the most transformative books in in my
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life it's always by my bedside no matter
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where I am I carry it with me I was just
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saying before I was introducing you at
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Clarke that I wished
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I had my original original original copy
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because I bought so many copies since
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the first copy but my original original
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copy I had so many yellow markings in it
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for highlighting every sentence I just
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thought well why don't I just finish
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reading the book instead of highlighting
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everything welcome to to our sole series
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thank you so much for joining us thank
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you well there's so much I want to talk
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to you about I know we're not going to
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get to all of it so I just want to tell
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all of our listeners now those of you
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who are big supporters seekers and fans
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of his book the power of now but this
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conversation will be continued next week
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so today's discussion is really I'm
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going to try to focus it on the now and
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the book the power of now I was so moved
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in the book when you said you very in
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the very beginning of the book you said
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29 years old having pondered suicide you
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were thinking this quote I cannot live
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with myself any longer this was the
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thought that kept repeating itself in my
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mind and then suddenly I became aware of
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what a peculiar thought that was am I
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one or two if I cannot live with myself
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there must be two of me the eye and the
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self that I cannot live with maybe I
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thought only one of them is real I love
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this because it's really one of the
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first times I thought yeah that's right
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when you say I'm going to tell myself
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something who is the I and who is the
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self that's the fundamental question is
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it not yes let's write the most people
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are not aware that they have a little
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man or woman in their head that keeps
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talking and talking so there's a voice
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in the head that the internal dialogue
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that most people are completely
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identified with and in my case and in
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many people's case the voice in the head
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is predominantly unhappy one so there's
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an enormous amount of unhappiness that
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is continuously generated by this
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unconscious
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channel dialogue and in that moment that
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night the separation a crowd inside me
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between the voice which is the incessant
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stream of thinking and the sense of self
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that had become identified with that
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voice in the head and a deeper sense of
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self that I later recognized as
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essentially consciousness itself rather
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than something that consciousness had
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become through thinking so that night
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the separation occurred and when I woke
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up the next morning I was completely at
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peace for the first time since my
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childhood without understanding why the
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understanding came much later so the
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important point here is that it's
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essential for people to become aware
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that their thought processes and the
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sense of self that is derived from their
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thinking which includes of course all
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one's memories all one's conditioning
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one sense of self is a conceptual one
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that is derived from the past so all the
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stream of thinking really is a current
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form of conditioning of the past it's
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essential for people to recognize that
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this voice is going on inside them
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incessantly and it's always a
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breakthrough when people for the first
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time realize he is my thinking here are
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all the all habitual thoughts that I've
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been adding repetitive thoughts very
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often recurring negative thoughts and
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they suddenly realize and Here I am
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knowing that these thoughts are going
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through my head so the identification is
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suddenly broken and that is for many
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people the first real spiritual
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breakthrough spiritual as I see it is
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not believing in this on that but it's
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stepping out of identification with a
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stream of thinking so you suddenly find
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there is another dimension deeper than
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thinking inside you sometimes call that
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stillness
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it's an aware presence does that it's
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nothing to do with past or future
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and that we could call also it's it's
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like waking up that's why
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traditionally in many spiritual
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traditions they use the term awakening
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so many people will tell you well what
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do you mean awakening I'm awake already
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but what is meant by awakening is that
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you wake up out of the stream of
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thinking and when you break up you
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become present a completely different
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dimension of consciousness is suddenly
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there well I recall I in in stillness
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speaks you talked about the awareness
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stillness speaks the book still to speak
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is all about that awareness and I love
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the line where you say once you
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recognize paraphrasing of course that
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that voice and that you are the observer
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of that voice that that very awareness
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is you that's right and not not the
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voice so you recognize as essentially
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there's something inside you that has
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its place it's the stream of thinking
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right it's connected with the past it
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contains all your memories it contains
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all reactive patterns it contains old
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emotions and so on the old part of that
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but essentially it is not essentially
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who you are and that's an amazing
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realization now the mind of course may
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then ask well then tell me who I am
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that's the big question I'm talking
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there correct only author of power of
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now so what is the answer to that
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question well the answer to that
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question is that who you are cannot be
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defined through thinking or through
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mental labels or mental definitions
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because it is beyond that it is the very
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sense of beingness or presence that is
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there when you become conscious of the
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present moment it's intrinsically
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one with what we call the present moment
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you sometimes say this but something you
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might find this little strange but in
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essence you and what we call the present
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moment at the most
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phoebus level r1 because you are the
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consciousness out of which everything
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comes every sword comes out of that
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consciousness that you are every thought
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disappears back into that space of
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consciousness that you are so
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essentially you are a conscious aware
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space and all your sense perceptions or
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your thinking or your emotions happen
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they come and go in that aware space yes
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well did it feel like a card when this
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happened to you that moment of
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realization where you realize the voice
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was separate from the awareness that
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moment that you speak about in the
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beginning of the book did it literally
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blow your mind yes it did but I didn't
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understand it I just realized suddenly
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the next day I was at peace and I
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remained at peace there was a deep sense
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of inner peace although externally
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nothing had changed
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so I knew something very drastic had
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happened but it took me some years to
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actually understand what had happened I
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some years after three years after this
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transformation I was talking to a Zen
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monk and he was telling shit was then
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basically very simple it's you don't
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rely on thinking anymore it means to go
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beyond thinking and I suddenly realized
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oh this is what has happened to me that
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state that I felt was a state of inner
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peace was also a strait of far less
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thinking than I had been doing before
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all that unhappy thinking all that
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repetitive thinking wasn't happening to
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me anymore and so you have often said in
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all your books you characterized
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thinking as a terrible affliction even a
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disease and that it's the greatest
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barrier to the power of now but isn't to
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think to be human I thought that's how
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we are different from other animals
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that's right thinking can also be of
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powerful and wonderful tool it only
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becomes an affliction if we are totally
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identified with thinking and we derive
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our sense of who
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we are from the stream of thinking in
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that case you're telling yourself
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continuously what I call sometimes the
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story of me and in many people's case
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it's an unhappy story so they are
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continuously dwelling on the past and
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there's nothing wrong with the past but
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if there's complete self identification
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with memory then all your sense of who
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you are your sense of identity is then
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derived from the stream of thinking and
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that's the dysfunctional and unhappy
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state so when you step out of
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identification with that and you realize
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for the first time I'm actually the
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presence behind thinking then you are
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able to use thinking when it's helpful
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and needed and it can be a wonderful
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thing but you are no longer put it in
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extreme terms but it's true you are no
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longer then possessed by the thinking
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mind the thinking mind is then a servant
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or a helpful tool which you can use it's
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useful for many situations in this world
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but you can't find yourself in there and
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also it is if you can never be on to
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thinking mind it interferes with
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relationships they can take it creates
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continuous conflict in relationships if
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there is no sense of space in
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relationship say that again if there's
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knows no space no sense of space
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explosions aware presence that you can
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bring to the relationship for example
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when you listen to someone you listen to
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your partner or you listen to a friend
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or just an acquaintance can you be there
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as the aware space that is listening or
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are you by the other person is speaking
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continuously thinking preparing the next
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thing you're going to say are you
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judging and evaluating what you're
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hearing are you just interested in your
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own proper aims and purposes or can you
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be there as the space for the other
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person and I would say that's the
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greatest gift you can give a person it
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is specially important for parents and
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children but also very
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intimate relationships can you be there
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as this place the aware conscious space
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for the other person
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for example while you listen to the
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other person can you listen in that
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simple state of alertness in which you
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are not judging what you are listening
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to you have been there as a presence
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rather than as a person right so there's
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a deeper level of awareness is there and
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that's what I call the space I was going
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to say you offer them that space in
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which you allow yourself to be connected
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to whatever it is they are offering
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that's right there's no judgment in that
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plane that rank you are not defining the
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other person and that's an enormous gift
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that you can give to another person
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you're not imposing mental labels
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judgments definitions on the other
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person I something as you know so many
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people love their pets and there's about
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some for many millions of people many
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people I would be one of those people
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yes me too
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okay now for many people that's the only
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area where they realize they can
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communicate and relate another being and
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that being is not judging them because
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the dog accepts you unconditionally as
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you are I don't know if you've heard the
14:52
saying please God make me into the
14:55
person my dog thinks I am so the people
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feel that sense of freedom when they
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relate to their pets because they are
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not being judged
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now that the animal of course is
15:08
registered prior to thinking so that's
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why the animal can be there as the
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simple natural presence but when a human
15:15
being is there the human being has moved
15:18
beyond thinking and that's the state of
15:21
awareness well but both these states are
15:23
free of definitions and transmen Jesus
15:27
of course also talked a lot about the
15:29
importance of not judging another person
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well you know because since the power of
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now so many people have been introduced
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to this very idea that you presented to
15:41
us and
15:42
in this book and you know are stimulated
15:47
by the idea and and even I have had
15:50
glimpses of that space oh I'm sure you
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have yeah glimpses of that space but how
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can you live in that space you seem to
15:59
live in that space yes well first of all
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it's important to acknowledge and to be
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grateful for the glimpses of it yeah
16:07
when they happen and then you can
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actually not just wait for the space to
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happen almost as a kind of grace that
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comes into your life right sometimes
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does happen right but you can also
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invite that space simply by bringing
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more presence into your life which means
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more present moment awareness for
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example I recommend that people use
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little everyday activities that they do
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every day unconsciously and bring a
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conscious presence when you wash your
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hands when you make a cup of coffee when
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you walk across the room down the stairs
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you're in the elevator waiting for the
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elevator these are all opportunities for
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instead of indulging in thinking being
16:52
there and it's still a lot present yes
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like a lot of people you know take
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showers in the morning they're taking a
16:59
shower but they might as well already be
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in the office because they're thinking
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about you know getting in the car and
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what am I going to do today and you know
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what you know what if my to-do list
17:07
you're instead of being present in the
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shower feeling the water the essence of
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the water at the moment whatever let's
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write so it's bringing little spaces
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into your everyday life as many spaces
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as possible I say for example you get
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into your car shut the door and be there
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for just half a minute seeing of your
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breathing perhaps feel the energy inside
17:30
your body look around sky the trees it
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all it takes is half a minute and the
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mind might tell you I don't have time
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yeah that's the mind talking to you but
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I would suggest that even busiest person
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has time for 30 seconds of phrase and
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when they sit in their car for example
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or many other occasions well yeah I will
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have to tell you that I think it was yes
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it was
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the year 2000 I first read this book and
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many many many times this book has saved
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me I mean the theories in the power of
18:03
now have saved me and today as a matter
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of fact I had you know one of the most
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hectic days but I remember waking up
18:11
this morning thinking oh my god I'm
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going to be so stressed and when is you
18:14
so stressed I let that go I let those
18:16
thoughts go and just thought I will just
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for every moment of the day be present
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now yes it's a continuous refocusing on
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really what really matters what matters
18:28
most in anybody's life which is always
18:32
now the present moment people don't
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realize it but that's really that's all
18:38
there ever is there is no past or future
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except as memory or anticipation in your
18:43
mind but that's what throws me though in
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the book when you say there's no past of
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course there has to be a pass because
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there are all of our memories or all
18:52
these ways we defined ourselves better
18:54
that's our path yes on one level you
18:56
could say nobody can argue with the fact
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that there is such a thing as time there
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is such a thing as future of course we
19:04
use time to meet here we agreed on this
19:06
particular time we're saying you're
19:08
going to beat on this day at that time
19:10
otherwise it would have been difficult
19:12
we might never have met financially and
19:14
you are hard to find in all the
19:16
different countries I'm talking to
19:18
Eckhart Tolle with author of power now
19:19
but we agreed on this time and we are
19:22
here because this is now that's right so
19:26
time then is something that we cannot do
19:30
without it we could even say time is
19:33
what dominates the entire entire life
19:36
that we experience here because
19:38
illusionary plane that were a Hertz
19:40
right right I call it the surface level
19:43
of reality completely dominated by time
19:46
which is the past and future in the
19:49
continuous stream and people look to
19:52
time very often for expecting that time
19:55
will eventually fulfill them time will
19:58
eventually give them what they need time
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will eventually give them happiness and
20:03
sometimes of course it does for a while
20:05
but essentially the true happiness you
20:09
cannot find by looking to into the
20:12
future because it is intrinsically one
20:15
with living deeply in the present moment
20:17
so it has been said that two ways of
20:21
being unhappy one is not getting what
20:25
you want and the other is getting what
20:27
you want because if you think this that
20:31
or the other is going to make me happy
20:33
even when you get it and you haven't
20:35
realized that the present moment is all
20:37
you ever have we will again be focusing
20:41
on the next moment and always expecting
20:43
it because it's a mental pattern that
20:46
has is very deep-seated always focusing
20:49
always expecting something in the next
20:51
normal never being fully in this moment
20:54
well another thing that changed me when
20:56
I read the power of now over seven years
20:58
ago was your comments about the fact
21:03
that all of our stresses every stress
21:06
that you have is based upon for the most
21:10
part thinking about what happened in the
21:12
past or what should be happening in the
21:14
future but if you're able to take a deep
21:16
breath no matter what crisis is going on
21:18
in your life and look at what is
21:21
happening now in this moment right now
21:24
I'm okay that's right another way of
21:27
putting it would be to say when many
21:30
people identify them their whole the
21:33
whole sense of self with problems
21:35
problems they're continuously involved
21:37
in problems and so for many people their
21:40
whole senses identities intimately bound
21:42
up with the problems they have or think
21:45
they have and often just as a reality
21:47
test I tell people just a moment I say
21:51
just like but what problem do you
21:53
actually have at this moment just focus
21:57
see what problem you have at this not
21:59
not in an hour's time or tomorrow
22:01
morning but what problem do you have now
22:04
and sometimes people would suddenly wake
22:07
up when they hear a question because
22:09
they have to realize at this moment I
22:11
don't actually have a problem what you
22:15
might have is a challenge if something
22:18
the danger arises a wild animal animal
22:20
jumps into this room
22:22
and that's the challenge and then of
22:24
course it's not a problem because
22:26
there's no time to make it into a
22:28
problem so - for a problem to exist you
22:32
need time and you need mind activity
22:36
repetitive mind activity in the present
22:39
moment may be a challenge that is true
22:42
there may even be pain they may be an
22:45
emotion but not what we call problem so
22:49
when people think how do I get out of my
22:52
problems
22:53
I suggest go into the present moment and
22:58
see what is the problem now and then you
23:02
will always have to admit well right now
23:05
I don't actually have a problem and
23:07
people got that even people in prison
23:09
I've had letters from people in prison
23:12
some are in for life and they've written
23:15
to me and said I understood your message
23:17
and I have become free and they meant
23:20
free inside Wow
23:23
free of problem making yes yes similar
23:27
to Viktor Frankl and his man's search
23:30
for meaning yes yes yes
23:32
free of problem making I want to ask you
23:35
you know as I completed the book and
23:37
have read and reread it many times over
23:39
the years portions of it all of it
23:41
listen to the tapes I often wonder do
23:44
you live like this all the time are you
23:46
always in the now yes I'm basically in
23:50
the now surrendered to what happens
23:53
occasionally if I see for example some
24:00
somebody inflicting pain on somebody
24:02
else or something an emotion they come
24:04
anger may arise very briefly and then
24:07
pass through it doesn't link into the
24:10
brain and it creates an enormous amount
24:13
of useless thinking so emotions can come
24:16
and go but I'm basically in that state
24:18
of surrender to what is because what is
24:22
is always already the case so you can't
24:25
really argue internally with what is
24:28
because if you do you suffer what about
24:33
having a pet as it
24:36
you passionless for life though because
24:38
whatever is is just going to be no no in
24:43
fact you're more passionately alive when
24:46
you are internally aligned with the
24:49
present moment which means you'll you
24:53
let go of this inner resistance which on
24:56
a mental level is judgment and
24:59
complaining and on an emotional level is
25:03
some kind of negativity so these two go
25:06
together many people have an enormous
25:08
amount of complaining going on
25:10
continuously in their mind some people
25:12
do it out loud all the time and usually
25:15
the complaining is about what was yeah
25:18
what they wish was or what should be but
25:21
is it happening and this shouldn't be
25:22
happening and you shouldn't do this and
25:24
I would don't want to be here and so
25:27
they always find something to complain
25:28
about and so these are ways of denying
25:32
the present moment and let's a very
25:35
dysfunctional state because you're
25:38
basically denying life itself because
25:40
outside of now there is no life all
25:43
right then how do we plan for the future
25:45
we're all told that we should plan for
25:48
the future we shouldn't just be passive
25:50
about the future no you should plan for
25:53
the future and you don't need to lose
25:56
yourself in the future if you plan for
25:59
the future you can actually enjoy saying
26:01
okay let's say I'm planning a trip I'm
26:04
planning a course of study and you write
26:07
down what you have to do various steps
26:09
and you enjoy that the question is are
26:13
you losing yourself in the future or are
26:15
you simply using time and future on a
26:18
practical level where it's fine has its
26:20
place on the practical level but if you
26:23
think it's some point that I'm going to
26:26
reach in the future now it might be the
26:29
next vacation or it might be when I find
26:32
the ideal partner or it might be when I
26:35
get a better job or better place to live
26:37
or live in a more pleasant City or
26:38
whatever it is then I will finally be
26:41
happy and so yes it continues projection
26:44
mentally away from the now that's where
26:47
you lose yourself
26:48
in the future and lets the dysfunction
26:51
using planning is actually fine there's
26:55
nothing to some cue about that so that's
26:57
the difference you can say between as I
26:59
call it clock time which has its place
27:02
in this world right and psychological
27:05
time which is the obsession of genius
27:08
obsession with past and future when you
27:10
say have its place in this world do you
27:13
feel that you know even now in the human
27:17
body which is often for a lot of people
27:21
the pain body that you call it do you
27:23
feel that you're straddling both worlds
27:27
yes you could say that baser it needs to
27:30
be a balance between dealing with things
27:33
in this world which involves time and
27:35
thinking but not being totally trapped
27:39
on this level of time and thinking not
27:41
being totally trapped in time and
27:43
totally trapped in the stream of
27:46
thinking so that there is a deeper
27:48
dimension inside you that is actually
27:51
really outside of that stream of time
27:54
and thinking and that's the inner
27:56
stillness that's the inner peace and
27:58
that is a deep vibrant sense of
28:01
aliveness so you're actually very
28:03
passionate about life in that state wow
28:06
that's what we're looking for here I
28:09
just love talking to you one of my
28:11
favorite books all-time in the world the
28:13
power of now and carto late saying thank
28:16
you so much for joining us this week and
28:17
we'll talk next week about one of my
28:19
favorite things to discuss the ego which
28:22
you speak so profoundly about in your
28:25
book a new earth awakening to your
28:26
life's purpose we'll join you again next
28:29
week
28:29
thank you so much everybody for
28:31
listening thank you
28:38
[Music]
28:39
welcome to so theory
28:43
hi welcome back to my soul series so
28:45
excited again because I get to talk to
28:49
at card totally last week we spoke of
28:53
the power of now he's a preeminent
28:55
spiritual leader I I think he's a
28:58
prophet for our time for the 21st
29:00
century who believes that we are here to
29:02
enable the divine purpose of the
29:04
universe to unfold in us that in the
29:07
beginning of his book the power of now
29:08
and he's the author of that breakout
29:11
bestseller if you don't have it it's one
29:13
of the books that should be a part of
29:15
your you know personal library forever I
29:19
can't even tell you how many copies I've
29:21
bought for everybody and if you were to
29:22
come to my house right now and you were
29:24
going to spend the night in either
29:26
bedroom at my house it doesn't matter
29:28
which bedroom you would go to you find a
29:31
copy of the powernow sometimes two or
29:32
three because when people leave they
29:34
like to take it with them the power of
29:36
now a guide to spiritual enlightenment
29:38
and he's back to discuss his latest
29:39
release a new earth awakening your
29:42
life's purpose the inspiration for that
29:45
title came from the Bible a prophecy in
29:47
both the Old and New Testament where it
29:49
speaks of the collapse of the existing
29:50
World Order and the rising of a new
29:52
heaven and a new earth for those of you
29:54
who are Bible readers well the power of
29:57
now is one of the most comprehensive and
29:58
enlightening books as you heard me say
30:00
at heart I've ever had the privilege to
30:02
read why did you feel the need to write
30:04
a follow-up you really didn't have to
30:06
write another word after after the
30:08
powernow well let's do the teaching
30:13
evolved in the years after the power of
30:16
now came out I would travel around the
30:18
world giving talks and what happened
30:21
then is this some new approaches came
30:24
new perspectives on the same basic truth
30:27
it's not different truth it's focusing
30:32
on the same basic truth but new
30:34
perspectives towards it and also I felt
30:37
the there was still something to be said
30:40
about that which blocks the arising new
30:45
consciousness in most human beings so
30:48
there's quite a bit in the in the book a
30:51
new earth about that in us which tends
30:54
to block the
30:56
awakened consciousness the consciousness
30:59
that wants to arise now and one way of
31:04
putting what that is is to describe it
31:07
as I do in the book it's the human ego I
31:11
just this is my favorite thing to talk
31:14
about the ego you say the ego is
31:18
destined to dissolve how so well first
31:21
we need to see clearly what the ego is
31:25
because sometimes people use that word
31:27
and they mean different things being
31:30
arrogant or less right yes it goes it's
31:33
a much wider thing it's not just being
31:35
selfish or being arrogant or thinking
31:38
yourself superior that's a small aspect
31:40
of ego ego is basically a self
31:45
identification with the stream of
31:48
thinking so that collectively I would
31:53
say the beginning of ego is actually
31:56
described at the beginning of the old
31:58
testament where there is the famous
32:01
story of the Apple which everybody knows
32:04
even non Bible readers so it is said
32:08
there that they ate of the fruit of the
32:12
tree of the knowledge and good and evil
32:15
and that was when they lost that state
32:17
that is externalized in the Bible and
32:20
called Paradise what does that mean to
32:23
me that means it is the arising of the
32:26
ability to think and to differentiate
32:29
between things this is good this is bad
32:33
to make statements like that to make
32:35
judgments like that which is to be able
32:38
to tell good is basically the ability to
32:43
think which is admitted so this is a
32:45
mythological a description of what
32:48
happened to humanity and at first the
32:52
ability to think was not entirely bad
32:55
they lost something they lost a deeper
32:58
state of connectedness but I don't think
33:00
that deeper state of connectedness with
33:02
being was lost immediately as it's
33:05
described in the Bible I believe it took
33:07
a long long time
33:09
of increased thinking until people
33:13
reached a point where they derived the
33:15
entire sense of who they are from the
33:18
stream of thinking so what that looks
33:21
like in the person's life is there is a
33:27
there is a almost could say a mind made
33:31
entity which is made up entirely of
33:34
memories and past conditioning and
33:38
mental concepts and this entity which
33:42
really is all made out of thinking
33:44
people derive their sense of who they
33:47
are from this mind made entity so it's a
33:51
it's a mind image of Who I am
33:55
people have split themselves into they
33:58
think there's me and there's myself me
34:02
and my story the ego is the story of me
34:05
that people identify with you say in the
34:08
in the new earth it's no ego is no more
34:12
than this identification with form which
34:15
primarily means thought forms yes that's
34:18
right that's what the ego is and you say
34:21
if evil has any reality and it has a
34:24
relative not an absolute reality this is
34:27
also its definition of evil complete
34:30
identification with form physical forms
34:32
thought forms emotional forms that's
34:35
right and that this result in the total
34:37
unawareness of my connectedness with the
34:40
whole my intrinsic oneness with every
34:42
other as well as with the source and
34:44
this forgetfulness is original sin
34:46
suffering or delusion and that's you
34:49
know when I heard that I thought yes
34:51
you're right for every evil act we've
34:53
ever heard described or when we think of
34:56
people as you know doing sinful things
34:58
it is because of a complete and utter
35:01
disconnection a lack of understanding
35:03
that I am that person that I am
35:07
attempting to violate I I am that which
35:11
I am jealous of I am that yes yes it
35:15
means you cannot sense the aliveness
35:17
anymore that is in the other person so
35:21
you have descends it
35:23
ask yourself to the aliveness now you
35:26
can only do that if you've already done
35:28
this to yourself because by living
35:32
through mental definitions of who you
35:34
are you desensitize yourself to the
35:37
deeper aliveness of who you truly are
35:39
beyond thinking okay so you become you
35:43
what arises then is a conceptual
35:46
identity I'm this that or the other and
35:49
then once you are trapped in your own
35:52
conceptual identity which is based on
35:55
thinking and image making by the mind
35:57
right on your past then you do the same
36:01
to others you this is the beginning of
36:04
that is always when you pronounce
36:06
judgment on another person and then you
36:09
believe that judgment will be the truth
36:13
following people attaching labels to
36:16
people that's the beginning of
36:18
desensitizing yourself to who that human
36:21
being truly is I'm having a conversation
36:24
here with Eckhart Tolle who is author of
36:27
the power of now of course and a new
36:29
earth awakening to your life's purpose
36:31
so if you are not your story and most
36:34
people I do believe think that they are
36:37
we live in a world where people believe
36:39
I am my story I you know was born in
36:42
this family and this is where I was
36:43
raised and these are the things that
36:45
happened to me and this is what I did if
36:47
you are not your story then who are you
36:50
that's a very good question because you
36:52
cannot deny of course that these things
36:54
exist right your memories of the past
36:57
things that you suffered perhaps even
37:00
things suffering that you might have
37:02
inflicted on others and even not all
37:04
suffering my family connections the
37:06
people I love yes you have a so-called
37:09
past you have relationships all that is
37:12
fine it is not problematic unless you
37:17
become totally lost in that I mentioned
37:20
alone so this if you have no access to a
37:24
deeper sense of aliveness or beingness
37:27
beyond the stream of thinking because
37:29
really all that is based on memory all
37:33
your past what how do you explain
37:37
your past you experience your past as
37:40
memories and what are memories memories
37:44
are thoughts in your head and there's
37:47
nothing wrong with that but if you are
37:50
totally identified with all these
37:52
thoughts in your head then you're you
37:57
are completely trapped in your past
37:59
history there's no sense of anything
38:02
beyond that in your life right so the
38:05
important thing is is am I'm more than
38:09
my personal history well you speak in
38:12
any earth you speak about how
38:15
advertisers accounting on us to believe
38:19
in the labels and that we identify with
38:24
particularly in our society exclusive
38:27
labels and the more exclusive the label
38:29
the more we identify with it
38:32
yes that's right because the ego wants
38:35
to be special one way or another every
38:38
ego wants to be special and if the ego
38:41
cannot be special by being superior to
38:43
others the ego would also be quite happy
38:46
with being specially miserable so you
38:49
may have we may have seen business
38:51
people are saying one person says to the
38:54
other
38:54
I have a headache the other person says
38:57
you have a headache
38:59
I'd rather hang out for weeks so people
39:03
actually compete who is more miserable
39:05
you or me
39:06
it's another it's just the ego it does
39:09
that if just as big as the ego that says
39:12
I'm superior to you
39:13
because the ego always wants to be
39:15
special so if you recognize in yourself
39:19
that unconscious need to be special then
39:23
you already have free because when you
39:26
recognize the all the patterns of the
39:28
ego and specialness is one pattern of
39:30
the ego another pattern of the egos
39:33
wants to be right all the time another
39:36
pattern the ego is it actually needs it
39:42
loves conflict with others and that's an
39:46
amazing thing of course it's unconscious
39:48
because the ego defines
39:51
it defines itself through a boundary
39:55
that it draws room this is me and that
39:57
is the other and that's an important
40:00
word because you need the ego needs to
40:03
put up a emphasize the other nurse of
40:08
the other person and that happens on a
40:11
personal level when people are
40:14
suspicious of other people's motives and
40:17
so on and there's a need for enemies
40:19
which is deeply built into the ego the
40:23
ego needs enemies because it is finds
40:25
itself through emphasizing the other
40:28
nests of others in nations too it
40:30
religions to it the believer if you
40:34
identify with one particular region and
40:36
for many people religion is only a mind
40:38
structure not in its deepest sense but
40:41
for many people a religion is an
40:44
ideology that they identify with and
40:46
then they need the non-believer the
40:49
other because by having the other they
40:53
feel their own sense of identity more
40:55
strongly right and they need the other
40:57
in order to feel their own sense of
40:59
identity yes more strong yes indeed I
41:02
agree
41:03
you said did such a great great job of
41:06
explaining this because you say it first
41:09
starts with a baby when the baby first
41:10
reaches for the toy and realizes and the
41:14
toy is taken away or not given to them
41:17
and they say no that's mine
41:19
that's right that is mine that's the
41:22
beginning of identification with things
41:24
identification with things and that what
41:26
happens is is that we all just grow up
41:29
and we just get bigger toys different
41:32
toys that's right yes so it's always ego
41:36
is always identified with one form or
41:38
another which could be a physical form
41:40
unless the possession my house my car
41:43
and so on so when you when you
41:45
identified your sense of who you are is
41:48
in that thing so and if that thing then
41:51
is criticized for example by somebody
41:53
else you will come we will become
41:55
extremely defensive or aggressive
41:57
because your feeling your very sense of
42:00
self is being threatened and then there
42:03
are other forms of identification for
42:05
example my opinions mind forms right we
42:09
had a very strong identification with
42:10
their mental position and I am right I
42:13
am right and that implies of course that
42:16
somebody else has to be wrong right so
42:18
that I can continue to be right but tell
42:20
me this then I'm thinking this that you
42:23
know as long as we are in this dense
42:26
human form for how we we must need the
42:29
ego otherwise why would we we have it
42:33
otherwise we would have evolved out of
42:35
it we are now evolving out of it the ego
42:38
has been there for thousands of years
42:40
and as you say the fact that it was
42:42
there but has been there for thousands
42:44
of years means it has its place very
42:47
evolution of humanity so I'm not saying
42:50
it should never have happened
42:52
the ego had its place it was the ability
42:55
to think develop more and more so that
42:58
gradually we became so identified with
43:00
thinking that we lost a deeper
43:03
connectedness with life which is
43:05
described as the paradise in the old in
43:08
the beginning of the Old Testament that
43:10
deeper connectedness with life we are
43:12
now I believe at an evolutionary
43:16
transition where many human beings far
43:20
more human beings and ever before are
43:22
able to grow out of go beyond ego into a
43:27
new state of consciousness yes you say
43:29
that we face a very stark and daunting
43:32
choice and that is to either evolve or
43:35
die yes this is the point where the
43:38
evolution of consciousness the awakening
43:41
of humanity is no longer a luxury
43:44
because now we've reached the point if
43:47
we don't grow out of the dysfunction of
43:50
the ego because the egoistic is now
43:52
being amplified the effects of this
43:56
dysfunction are being amplified by
43:58
technology right so with what we are
44:02
doing to our selves to other fellow
44:06
human beings into the planet is becoming
44:09
more and more destructive and
44:10
devastating yes I had a conversation
44:12
actually with Elie Wiesel yesterday he
44:16
was saying that this was this will be
44:18
known
44:18
as the the sixth century sick century
44:23
yes yes yes in our ability just to do
44:26
the most evil and thickest of things to
44:30
get another yes I mean look at the 20th
44:32
century it was dreadful to put the worst
44:35
ever in terms of you and suffering
44:37
inflicted on humans humans on other
44:40
humans yes but we were saying that it
44:41
doesn't seem that we learned we didn't
44:43
learn we didn't learn it seems to have
44:46
gotten even worse and you were right
44:48
because of technology because there are
44:50
even greater bombs guns that men and and
44:53
an ammunition that can kill from further
44:57
distances yes now the question is
44:59
sometimes people ask me are things
45:02
actually getting better or worse and my
45:05
answer is at the moment things are both
45:08
getting better and worse which means
45:11
there are two streams in existence now
45:14
one is the old stream the old
45:16
consciousness the unenlightened the
45:18
unawakened egoic consciousness which is
45:21
actually still continuing you can see it
45:24
a lot of the time when you watch the
45:26
news in the evening that is that that is
45:30
the consciousness that's the old
45:31
Colonels nurse which is still just as
45:34
mad as before if not more mad well the
45:36
fact that we just repeat all the bad
45:39
things that are happening in the world
45:40
that's right that's one stream the other
45:43
stream is us sitting here now in talking
45:46
because that represents we are part of
45:49
I'm not saying we are special but the
45:52
fact that we are addressing this and the
45:54
fact that many many people are listening
45:57
to this and it is meaningful to them
46:00
means that there is another stream here
46:03
which is the stream of humanity
46:05
awakening and both are present at this
46:08
time on the planet and as we choose to
46:11
evolve you and I sitting here and
46:13
everyone else who's listening to us and
46:15
this conversation hits a nerve or has a
46:18
moment and I call them aha moment or
46:21
they just find the conversation
46:23
interesting and will cause them to look
46:26
at life differently today as we do that
46:30
are we actually Cree
46:32
gaining a new earth we are part of all
46:35
what happens is a new state of
46:37
consciousness arises it's not so much
46:40
that we now need to get busy and create
46:42
a new earth because that would be
46:44
premature many times humans have tried
46:48
to create a new society or utopia and
46:52
they all failed miserably so look at
46:57
communism it was it started with a good
47:00
idea everybody is equal and seeing what
47:02
it what it did create millions of people
47:06
are killed in the name of communism so
47:09
first of all the important thing is that
47:11
we are open to the transformation of
47:15
consciousness that is happening now out
47:18
of that transformed consciousness which
47:20
in essence simply means we are no longer
47:23
completely identified with thinking we
47:27
realize that inside ourselves there is a
47:31
dimension in which I am conscious I am
47:35
present I'm awake I'm alert but I'm
47:38
simply unaware space lets presence
47:42
I call it presence you can have other
47:44
words right awareness unconditioned
47:47
consciousness illness stillness that
47:50
arises now in many human beings and so
47:54
as that arises and gradually replaces
48:00
identification with thinking and
48:02
replaces relying on thinking exclusively
48:06
to run your life there's actually in
48:09
that stillness in that awareness there
48:11
is a higher power greater intelligence
48:14
at work I know you say I love how you
48:17
say let us allow nature to teach us
48:21
stillness if you want to understand
48:22
stillness you know stand beside a tree
48:25
or watch a tree yes that's a great help
48:27
just watching a tree a plant and be
48:30
there just watch it be there as the as
48:33
the aware presence that perceives the
48:37
flower the trees appliance the animal
48:39
nature or is always very helpful for
48:42
people who want to connect with the
48:44
stillness man-made things
48:46
very often generate more thinking
48:49
because they are made through thinking
48:50
so go to nature and then eventually it's
48:55
important of course that you're also
48:57
able to sustain the state of stillness
49:00
even in the midst of a city I actually
49:03
enjoy I'm in New York at the moment I
49:06
enjoy walking along the busy busy
49:10
streets with infernal noise and people
49:13
rushing about and feeling actually in
49:16
the background a deep sense of stillness
49:19
airy and actually I can even enjoy all
49:23
that movement and it's wonderful to be
49:27
able to be there as the stillness and
49:30
not completely get drawn to into some
49:34
reaction it's like being in the world
49:36
but not of it that's exactly what it is
49:39
being in the world but not obvious so
49:41
tell us how we can get to be more like
49:44
you how can we not allow ourselves to be
49:49
dominated by the ego I know it's a it's
49:52
a lifelong process but just for those
49:54
who are listening now who are going to
49:57
read a new earth and read the power of
49:59
now and come away thinking okay I'm
50:02
inspired by that stimulated by what can
50:04
I begin to do today to not to have my
50:07
self dominated by my ego yes no the ego
50:11
cannot survive in the stillness that's
50:14
important to realize
50:16
so that means invite stillness into your
50:20
life now that does not mean that
50:23
stillness is something that you need to
50:24
get from the outside or somehow create
50:28
for yourself it's realizing that
50:31
everybody underneath the stream of
50:34
thinking already has the stillness right
50:37
you don't have to go to Hawaii on a
50:39
mountaintop no and you don't have to do
50:41
anything to create it because
50:43
essentially it's already there and if
50:46
you look very deeply into yourself and
50:49
see where just my sense of eyeness when
50:52
people say either have the sense of I am
50:56
essentially my
50:58
the deeper I where does that sense of
51:01
Ines come from and then if you look very
51:04
closely you'll find actually
51:07
intrinsically bound up with this the
51:09
dimension of stillness so that's why I
51:11
say in my book of stillness speaks you
51:13
are never more essentially yourself than
51:17
when you are still so you invite
51:20
stillness into your life you can do it
51:23
by taking a few conscious breaths so
51:26
many times during the journey just
51:28
observe your breath flowing in and out
51:31
another way of bringing stillness or
51:34
finding the stillness that's already
51:36
there is feeling the aliveness of your
51:39
body from within I call it the inner
51:42
body and that immediately takes your
51:44
attention away from the stream of
51:46
thinking a lot of which is repetitive
51:48
and useless and bring it into the body
51:51
and feel is there life in my hands and
51:55
then you feel it oh yes very subtle but
51:57
it's there is there life in my feet my
51:59
legs my arms and then you feel that your
52:02
our entire inner body is pervaded by a
52:05
sense of aliveness and then that can
52:08
serve as an anchor for remaining present
52:12
when your attention source part of your
52:15
attention remains in the inner body even
52:18
at this very moment four people are
52:19
listening to us they can practice it and
52:22
they can see that even while they're
52:24
conscious of the words that they hear
52:26
they're completely following what we are
52:28
saying but it does not need to take up a
52:31
hundred percent of their attention they
52:33
can have some of their attention even as
52:35
they sit there or stand and listen in
52:38
the inner energy field of the body and
52:40
feel there is an aliveness in every cell
52:43
of the body and that's a wonderful
52:45
anchor for stillness and for presence it
52:48
doesn't mean you can you journey Oh
52:50
sternum completely away from the
52:51
external world it actually brings
52:54
balance into your life between being
52:56
still and being still being able to deal
53:00
with things out here it's finding the
53:02
space in between the threads it's
53:04
finding to say it's like when you're
53:06
reading the book I remember reading the
53:07
book power of now for the first time and
53:09
you were saying it is the space in
53:11
between
53:12
the awareness of what's on the page and
53:14
the space in between that awareness yes
53:17
and you may also find talking about this
53:20
place in between them you may sometimes
53:23
become aware when assault has come to an
53:26
end in your head that between two
53:28
thoughts there is a short silence space
53:31
and when you acknowledge that in which
53:34
means you suddenly become conscious that
53:36
thought a moment there is no thinking
53:38
then it becomes a little longer it
53:41
excretes and so we have a longer gap of
53:44
stillness yeah and then but if you
53:47
become aware for so long you start
53:49
thinking about and then you lose it then
53:51
you lose at the moment you say oh look
53:52
I'm not thinking and you're thinking
53:54
again is right right right
53:57
is there anyone on earth at this time
53:59
you think is free of the domination of
54:01
the ego first of all are you free of the
54:03
domination of ego I'm not identified
54:06
with my thinking which means I'm free of
54:08
domination of the ego and there are many
54:11
many people right now who are going
54:14
through this process they may not yet be
54:16
a hundred percent free but they are
54:19
going through the process in which they
54:21
become gradually this identified from
54:24
the stream of compulsive thinking I'm
54:28
getting letters emails every day from
54:31
all over the world of people who are
54:32
telling me how their lives have changed
54:34
sometimes just reading the book and how
54:38
they become free of identification with
54:40
their mind they are not yet totally free
54:42
which means sometimes they fall back
54:44
into ego sometimes they fall back into
54:47
obsessive thinking compulsive thinking
54:50
addictive thinking because so many
54:52
people thinking is basically an
54:53
addiction and then suddenly they wake up
54:57
again so it's a process that many many
55:00
people are now undergoing I cannot tell
55:03
you exactly how many but my intuition is
55:05
that in the Western world about ten
55:09
percent of the adult population and go
55:13
at the beginning stages or a bit further
55:16
some further advance of this process
55:18
well I love also how you say in the book
55:21
we're talking about you know the whole
55:24
tone of the book is about awakening your
55:28
life's purpose a new earth is awakening
55:30
your life's purpose and you say that
55:32
there are a lot of people who realize
55:33
that how spiritual you are has nothing
55:36
to do with what you believe but
55:38
everything to do with your state of
55:40
consciousness yes and that's again it's
55:42
a stillness that's the spiritual
55:44
dimension it's not any sort thought in
55:48
itself is not spiritual so it can be
55:50
sometimes helpful because it can be a
55:52
pointer for example when in case you're
55:54
not spiritual that's what led me know
55:56
because Alina Thoris know they some
55:59
beliefs can be helpful but only as
56:01
pointers I mean even if we say fine to
56:05
stillness that's already inside you that
56:07
still is thought but the thought is
56:09
pointing beyond itself well I love what
56:11
you say that at the end of the book that
56:13
the foundation for a new earth is a new
56:15
heaven the awakened consciousness
56:17
because what did Jesus tell his
56:18
disciples that heaven is right here in
56:20
the midst of you yes that's a wonderful
56:23
thing jesus said heaven does not come
56:26
with signs to be observed you can't say
56:29
ah there it is or look here it is
56:31
because it is essentially already within
56:34
you in the midst of you the stillness
56:37
the stillness all right can you believe
56:41
another we were out of time again next
56:44
those of you who have been so intrigued
56:47
so empowered by words that you've heard
56:50
and read over the years and not just
56:53
from listening to us will have an
56:55
opportunity to ask questions of Eckhart
56:57
Tolle here on our soul series thank you
57:00
again our listeners get to talk to you
57:02
that's going to be great thank you thank
57:04
you
57:06
[Music]
57:09
welcome to so serious glad you can join
57:13
me again on my soul series this week
57:15
I've been hogging Eckhart Tolle author
57:18
of the power of now to myself and he's
57:20
kindly been indulging my many questions
57:23
I could really spend a day and a night
57:27
and a weekend boy would you be great for
57:28
a slumber party but since this is talk
57:31
radio and you're listening to me on open
57:33
friends XM 156 I thought it would be
57:36
really great to open up the lines and
57:38
have him share his wisdom and indulge in
57:41
your questions I placed a brief
57:44
paragraph on my website oprah.com
57:45
soliciting people who dread the power of
57:48
now and who had questions of their own
57:49
for Eckhart and I knew we'd get a great
57:52
response but I was blown away by the
57:54
volume and the intensity of those
57:56
responses that so many of you sent in
58:01
you know Eckhart I well you do know this
58:03
I that you literally transform the lives
58:06
of so many people what does that feel
58:09
like to you
58:10
well I I don't feel it I did it if
58:14
something happened through me and that's
58:18
how the book got written and that's when
58:20
I give talks or answer questions I also
58:23
feel not so much that I am doing edge
58:26
but it's a process that happens when you
58:29
become still I always begin the answer
58:32
to every question or the beginning of
58:34
every talk I give is entering the
58:37
stillness and becoming comfortable with
58:38
not knowing and out of that being
58:41
comfortable but not knowing comes from
58:44
knowing and I don't feel I don't
58:46
identify with that which comes I just
58:49
allow that to come Wow
58:53
well that's call well yep you said to us
58:56
last week you weren't dominated by the
58:58
ego so you don't feel either it was
59:00
great or not great or isn't it's a great
59:02
thing and it is wonderful so many people
59:05
reading my book you don't know my I
59:06
remember my old ego of course would have
59:08
loved it but it really doesn't I don't
59:13
have that sense now of even having
59:15
achieved anything as such it's just
59:18
being open for it to happen
59:20
being an open channel for the
59:23
consciousness to evolve gee I love that
59:26
you know I can't say that I am not
59:29
dominated by my ego but I do feel that
59:31
sometimes when people will say to me
59:34
I've watched your show your show I just
59:37
was coming across the street he was
59:38
radio and there were three women
59:39
standing on the corner who said you
59:41
shall change my life and you know I was
59:43
wanting to feel something about it but I
59:45
just sort of thought well okay yes
59:48
because I have a feeling with you also
59:50
that is happening that many things that
59:53
you do and say I actually come from
59:56
deeper place than the ego that's right
59:58
I'm just that's what I'm supposed to do
60:00
yes that's how I feel of yours
60:02
well this is exciting Wendy Gramm is on
60:05
the phone hello
60:06
hello how are you Oprah hi Wendy Iook
60:10
art how are you fine thank you
60:11
thank you thank you so much for your
60:14
work and sharing your life with the
60:17
world I am so grateful and the question
60:21
I have for you this evening is how do
60:23
you embody what you talked about you
60:26
being free of the domination of ego can
60:29
you please share your experience of
60:31
living in the here now well thank you
60:34
Wendy thank you
60:35
the basically life becomes very very
60:39
simple so I don't inhabit a world of
60:44
problems because my primary interest and
60:47
the primary focus of my conscious
60:49
attention is always in the present
60:52
moment it doesn't mean that I'm not
60:54
aware that there is a so-called future
60:57
and it I may be aware I have to go to
60:59
this or that place I have to be there in
61:01
an hour or two hours or tomorrow I'm
61:03
going there on the periphery of
61:05
consciousness there's always the
61:07
knowledge of what needs to be done on
61:09
that level but that the primary focus is
61:13
always on the present moment and so life
61:16
becomes basically very simple and it
61:20
could also be described as a state of
61:23
surrender to life which is always the
61:28
null so my relationship with the now is
61:31
a very friendly one
61:35
and I sometimes actually suggest to
61:38
people that they can also if they if
61:42
they inhabit a lot a life full of
61:45
problems they can actually also change
61:48
their relationship to the present moment
61:50
so that's a very important question to
61:52
ask yourself at any time what is my
61:56
relationship with this moment and then
61:59
you need to be alert and see am I making
62:03
this moment into an enemy am i treating
62:06
it as if it were an enemy or am i
62:10
treating this moment like as if it were
62:12
an obstacle that I need to overcome hmm
62:15
for many people the present moment is
62:17
always some kind of obstacle because
62:19
they think they always need to get to
62:21
some other moment desperately but it's
62:23
always this moment or am i reducing this
62:26
moment or means to an end just a
62:28
stepping stone to get to the next moment
62:30
these are all ways of denying the
62:33
present moment a means to an end an
62:35
obstacle or even an enemy so bring
62:40
become aware and any many times during
62:44
the day and see how am i relating to the
62:47
present moment but when you do that what
62:49
you're really asking is what is my
62:52
relationship with life because the
62:54
present moment is essentially your life
62:57
these nowhere else
62:58
never-ever your life you can only
63:01
encounter your life in the present
63:04
moment
63:05
nowhere else so it's a vital question to
63:08
ask yourself what your relationship is
63:10
with life because if your relationship
63:13
with life is one of hostility which is
63:16
when you make the present moment into an
63:18
obstacle or enemy then life always
63:22
reflects back to you your predominant
63:24
state of consciousness so when you are
63:28
treating the present moment as if it
63:31
were something undesirable your life
63:35
experience will then reflect back to you
63:38
that state of consciousness which means
63:40
you experience life as hostile one bad
63:48
thing after another one problem after
63:51
another so what do you really do have
63:53
problems you have to always start enter
63:56
the present moment with your attention
63:58
so that you find that space of now in
64:01
which actually problems cannot survive
64:04
in the now in the now and out of that
64:08
because then that moment you contact a
64:11
deep intelligence then the conditioned
64:13
thinking mind that is the place out of
64:16
which intuition comes out of which
64:19
creative action comes
64:20
it's the place out of which knowing
64:23
comes wisdom comes right action comes
64:28
so you find first of all go deeper into
64:31
now so that make sure that you are one
64:36
internally with the present moment so
64:38
that you're not in a state of negativity
64:40
to do with the present moment because
64:43
that is the dysfunctional state now you
64:46
could of course take action on the basis
64:49
of negativity for example you might feel
64:52
very unhappy with being having little
64:55
money and then you big you become angry
64:58
even and then you work extremely hard
65:01
and finally after five or ten years you
65:04
become wealthy but that all that action
65:08
is contaminated by the negativity if it
65:12
comes out of anger and it will create
65:15
further suffering for yourself and
65:17
others so the important thing is am I
65:19
aligned internally with the present
65:22
moment no matter what it is you excite
65:25
this is what is and you open yourself to
65:28
that and no matter what the situation is
65:31
you can always find something to be
65:34
grateful for because great gratitude is
65:37
an essential part of being present
65:40
because when you go deeply into the
65:42
present the gratitude arises
65:45
spontaneously
65:46
even if it's just gratitude from
65:48
breathing its gratitude for drinking a
65:50
glass of water its gratitude for that
65:53
tree that you see there gratitude for
65:56
perhaps new life
65:57
tecna's that you feel in your body you
65:59
can gratitude is there when you
66:01
acknowledge the aliveness of the present
66:04
moment the power of life wants to come
66:07
through you but it can't only a little
66:09
trickle perhaps if you're lucky comes
66:11
through so the most vital thing for
66:15
anybody wants to even change their lives
66:18
it's first of all come to a relationship
66:23
with the present moment that is one of
66:28
openness friendliness acceptance even if
66:33
something is going on in that moment you
66:35
are making you uncomfortable yes even if
66:37
it's looking externally it looks if the
66:40
mind would usually judge it as negative
66:42
you are very highly enlightened because
66:45
that's hard to do when you're in the
66:46
middle of a crisis I gotta tell you it's
66:48
hard to do but it's something for people
66:51
to find out whether they can do it okay
66:53
sometimes the mind will tell you all
66:56
there's no point in even trying all
66:58
right
67:08
welcome to so serious so very often the
67:13
thought that says you can't do it all
67:15
the services you can't be present now
67:17
because you've got too much on your mind
67:19
says the mind so you don't necessarily
67:24
have to believe every thought that comes
67:26
into your head and you see oh there's
67:28
another thought that says I can't be
67:30
present yes and then your present is
67:31
going back to what we were saying on a
67:33
previous show in this moment right now
67:36
I'm all right yes so the question was
67:39
how do I live and that's how I live but
67:42
I'm saying the important thing is not so
67:44
much how I live the important thing is
67:46
how you live and the the essence of this
67:51
transformation of this way of empowered
67:54
living is to make the present moment
67:57
your friend that's the foundation okay
68:01
when the empowerment Thank You Wendy
68:03
Thank You Oprah Thank You aircar thank
68:05
you so much all right
68:06
that's Wendy I know Wendy Wendy's my
68:09
daughter so that's how about a first
68:11
phone call which is like she's my life
68:12
partner's daughter so I wanting or grow
68:14
up since she was a child and we talk
68:16
about these all the time this is the
68:18
subject all the time and when she heard
68:19
that you were going to be on just like
68:21
oh please I I called her and I said I
68:23
would send the tape and then I said you
68:25
know what
68:25
do you have a question and so she's been
68:28
planning her question probably now for
68:30
six days oh great alright thanks Wendy
68:33
I'm getting onto Anthony Anthony hello I
68:35
Oprah how are you I'm good hi Eckhart
68:39
neurons me my question has to do with
68:43
human relationships as evolving
68:48
spiritual beings how do we stay in touch
68:51
and connected with other people
68:54
particularly family members and close
68:56
friends that are highly unconscious all
69:00
right yes thank you good question that
69:03
many people will be able to relate to
69:06
that question when you feel that you are
69:10
becoming more conscious you're waking up
69:12
out of identification of the minds then
69:15
in some cases you find family members
69:19
close friends right
69:20
that is they are still totally immersed
69:23
in identification with Eagle and with
69:26
thinking your primary thing of course
69:29
primary purpose is not to expect others
69:35
to be conscious so first of all you need
69:38
to drop your expectation that others
69:41
should be conscious or should behave
69:43
consciously and also there's a little
69:45
bit of I remember when I first started
69:47
many years ago becoming more aware
69:50
there's a little cockiness that comes
69:53
which is obviously your ego I know that
69:55
now but you're kind of like I know this
69:57
and you don't so you have to put that in
70:00
its place also that's wrong yes because
70:03
at many stages of one's awakening the
70:07
ego can come back in right and say in
70:10
claim some kind of specialness yes
70:12
because I know when you don't yes yes
70:14
because the moment you say I know and
70:17
you don't but you have identified
70:18
yourself with a mental position which I
70:21
know and that's the ego yeah so first of
70:25
all is you accept other people you
70:29
accept where they are at in the
70:31
evolutionary development so first comes
70:35
the acceptance of others and then you
70:38
may find as you continue to practice
70:42
presence as you continue to grow in
70:46
awareness you may find that certain
70:48
people around you are also beginning to
70:51
change some will some won't if there's
70:56
the slightest readiness in a person
70:58
close to you then something that happens
71:01
happening inside you will transmit
71:04
itself so to speak and also trigger
71:06
another person some wakening if there is
71:10
an opening in the other person for that
71:13
so what people usually find as they
71:17
awaken spiritually is that some people
71:20
around them awaken with them and then
71:24
you on that journey together and they
71:27
also find that other people friends
71:30
drift out of their lives
71:33
gradually those who are not ready to
71:36
awaken because don't you attract like
71:38
frequency that's right so and you also
71:41
you attract or very often as you say new
71:44
people into your life that correspond to
71:46
this new frequency that's arising within
71:49
you now one other point here is that
71:53
there may be certain family members
71:55
people who will remain in your life and
71:58
it's quite possible that they may not
72:01
awaken and your spiritual practice is to
72:04
surrender to the fact that they are who
72:07
they are at this moment well this is not
72:11
expect them to be different the moment
72:15
you drop your expectation of let's say
72:18
your parents they should be more
72:20
conscious or but other kinds of
72:22
expectations that people have is my
72:24
parents should understand me but they
72:28
don't why should they so you drop the
72:31
should which is a thought and you accept
72:34
your parents the way they are and the
72:37
next time you visit them maybe your
72:39
father says the same thing to you it
72:40
says you should have listened to me 20
72:43
years ago you will be better off now or
72:45
whatever the old story is that you've
72:47
heard so many times and instead of
72:49
reacting in the same old way you can
72:52
simply allow him to say that and just be
72:55
there as an open presence for watch for
72:58
those words from what he's saying I got
73:00
it I just had an epiphany you surrender
73:02
your attachment to this your expectation
73:06
of what any outcome should be exactly
73:09
yes I got that did you get it Anthony
73:11
I did I very much said thank you wow
73:14
that's great you just you know and you
73:16
said this
73:17
Eckhart about how you move through life
73:20
surrendering to the now yes a render to
73:24
what is yes and and then that's what you
73:26
were trying to explain to him you do the
73:28
same thing with all other situations and
73:30
obstacles with people or whatever your
73:33
expectation of them should be you
73:35
surrender to that that's right so
73:36
because very often when you talk about
73:38
surrendering to the not accepting the
73:40
dollars it is very often it means the
73:43
person that is there in front of you in
73:45
right
73:46
right so you accept whatever this person
73:49
says or does it will be a reflection of
73:53
their evolutionary stage and it's your
73:56
accepted and I it is the amazing thing
73:59
is when you completely accept a human
74:01
being as they are right now without
74:03
demanding that they should be different
74:06
or they should be more conscious to
74:08
completely accept then very often change
74:10
happens which otherwise would never have
74:12
happened if you had resisted or if you
74:15
had demanded or expected they saw that
74:18
there's an enormous power behind that
74:21
acceptance because the moment you accept
74:24
another human being completely a deeper
74:28
consciousness comes into play because
74:30
that's another way of contacting the
74:32
space or the stillness inside you I got
74:35
it I had another epiphany because I was
74:36
just going to say when you accept them
74:38
it changes the frequency it changes the
74:41
energy
74:41
it changes the space exactly the whole
74:45
thing that's right I got it
74:47
okay Lisa how are you hi I'm good how
74:50
are you good your question for Eckhart
74:52
Tolle yes hi Eckhart hello Lisa I seem
74:57
to be a little bit backwards in terms of
75:00
really understanding the power of now I
75:04
am an artist so I am very familiar with
75:08
being in the moment and I'm I feel like
75:11
I embrace that and live it fully as my
75:15
calling and and as you two mentioned
75:18
earlier I have a sense of being in this
75:24
world but not of this world so when I
75:25
get a compliment on the painting it
75:27
doesn't actually feel like I've done the
75:31
painting it's a compliment for the big
75:36
picture whoever the powers would be and
75:40
what I aspire to is having more of that
75:44
kind of experience in my daily life in
75:48
the mundane tasks which seems to pick up
75:51
a lot of time yes and so I'm wondering
75:54
what does life look like when you're not
75:58
when you
75:59
fully engaged and you're cleaning the
76:01
cat box that you're doing the bill over
76:02
here yes
76:04
grocery shopping okay yeah so you are
76:09
able to be present when you do your
76:11
artwork yeah I'm also when I'm driving
76:14
oddly enough yes
76:16
and now what happens when you do go
76:19
shopping or two other tasks at home you
76:23
lose the presence frustrated and bored
76:26
oh yeah bored yet yes yes okay okay good
76:31
let's see you have to become very alert
76:34
to see to look at you're in a state at
76:38
that time so and when you say I become
76:40
frustrated or bored you have to become
76:43
alert and see what that actually means
76:45
what happens inside you when you become
76:48
frustrated or bored and you may find
76:50
that a whole train of thinking arises
76:54
that is either negative about what you
76:58
are doing
76:58
or about some problem that you may have
77:05
welcome to cell theory
77:08
what is boredom boredom is the thinking
77:12
mind is looking for some kind of
77:14
stimulus and it's not finding enough
77:16
because the cleaning job like the
77:18
cleaning that you're doing is not enough
77:21
for the thinking mind so it gets very
77:23
bored and restless it says I want
77:25
something more interesting to feed on so
77:29
basically it's the mind begins to be
77:34
active inside you and then the
77:37
opportunity arises of being the
77:41
awareness that observes what your mind
77:44
is doing at this moment so your mind is
77:47
complaining perhaps about what you are
77:49
doing or doesn't like it and has certain
77:52
judgments about it and then you may also
77:55
observe the emotions that you have had
77:58
come with those judgments when the mind
78:00
says I don't want to be doing this I
78:02
would rather be doing something else
78:04
what emotion do you have when the mind
78:07
says that because to a large extent the
78:09
emotions you experience are reflection
78:12
of your thought processes so you observe
78:15
the two levels thinking and the emotions
78:19
as a reflection of thinking in the body
78:21
and then you ask yourself okay Leslie
78:24
you become aware of the thoughts and you
78:27
become aware of the emotions the
78:29
restlessness the anxiety and then you
78:33
ask yourself Who am I at this moment and
78:36
you will realize you are not the
78:39
thinking you are not the emotions you
78:43
are the awareness behind them from where
78:45
you can see observe the thinking and the
78:47
emotions and the moment you realize that
78:49
you are the awareness you're actually in
78:52
a different state of consciousness and
78:54
you're not worried anymore I are not
78:55
bored you're probably present again so
78:58
you are present as the witness of the
79:01
observer of your mind and of your
79:04
emotions so the important question is at
79:07
this moment Who am I is thoughts the
79:11
emotions or the knower the awareness
79:15
behind even though we're the observer
79:17
and you realize you are the awareness
79:20
you
79:20
the presents and then that's your
79:23
present we get we get bored because
79:25
we're looking for more stimulation for
79:27
the ego yes right that's right the the
79:30
mind looks for more food for thought
79:33
he's not finding enough food for thought
79:35
so it's a body very important point here
79:38
is you do not need to get rid of certain
79:42
thoughts it's enough to be of what to be
79:46
the awareness is the thoughts then the
79:48
thoughts all the dysfunctional thoughts
79:50
lose their power and the thoughts that
79:53
remain when you are aware actually come
79:56
out of awareness and they tend to be
79:58
more creative and empowered thoughts
80:01
that are not negative all right all
80:03
right I hope that helped Lisa it did
80:06
thank you so much all right I'm going to
80:08
go to Connie now is Connie there let's
80:10
go to Connie Connie how are you thank
80:13
you so very much you couldn't be got
80:15
many perspectives today I'm 40 million
80:19
years old and recently divorced after a
80:22
twenty-one year marriage and for the
80:24
first time both of my sons are in
80:27
college and before I was a computer
80:31
programmer and now I have an opportunity
80:33
that I love teaching senior citizens how
80:37
to communicate using computers but I'm
80:41
under tremendous pressure to make more
80:44
money and to go back to corporate
80:46
America because my alimony is on a
80:49
declining doctor so my question is well
80:54
I always I can get into the now and I
80:57
have been practicing this for over five
81:00
years with yoga and what-have-you but
81:02
will I always or does one always go into
81:06
a pain body or a fear body or mind
81:09
awareness and then come back out do you
81:13
think it is ever possible to live
81:16
peacefully and then now where is that
81:18
too much of a lofty goal for sure
81:22
that I love that question can you
81:24
explain pain body to as you as you enter
81:26
that question Eckhart yes the plain body
81:29
as I call it is an accumulation of past
81:32
emotion
81:34
that still lives inside you a lot of it
81:36
comes from childhood many painful
81:38
childhood experiences and children often
81:41
need to cut yourself cut themselves off
81:44
from emotional pain because they they
81:47
cannot in do it and it's normal for a
81:49
child who suffers emotional pain and
81:51
most children these days suffer pain
81:55
what one form of another so pain during
81:59
leads remnants in the body and those
82:03
remnants of emotional pain I call the
82:07
pain body they are an energy form
82:09
consisting of old emotion and one way of
82:12
looking at it is to look at it as almost
82:15
an entity that lives inside you an
82:19
emotional entity it has two stages one
82:22
is dormant and one is active so for
82:25
certain periods of time you don't even
82:27
know that you have a pain body and then
82:30
regularly at regular intervals something
82:33
happens and your plain body will get
82:36
triggered it will come out of its
82:38
dormant stage and it will move into your
82:41
thinking mind and start to control your
82:43
thinking so a very powerful negative
82:47
emotion suddenly invades your thinking
82:49
mind and then controls the internal
82:52
dialogue all your thinking the brain
82:55
body has then woken up so to speak and
82:58
it does that periodically because it
83:00
needs to feed on negative energy which
83:05
can be in the form of your thoughts or
83:07
it can be in the form of other people's
83:09
reactions so the pain body will often
83:11
try to provoke a negative reaction in
83:13
your partner so that it can feed on the
83:16
negative reaction from your partner so
83:20
many people in relationships can
83:22
recognize that in the periodic need for
83:26
drama in relationships so if you are
83:29
able to observe that in yourself then
83:32
you don't get completely drawn into the
83:35
plain body and then the plain body
83:36
cannot renew itself through you so it's
83:39
vital to be there as the awareness when
83:43
it happens and realize oh there's my
83:46
pain body or there's my part
83:47
that's main body so that you don't
83:49
confuse it with who you are so you
83:52
remain there as the awareness now the
83:54
question is can we ever be free of off
83:58
the plain body can we ever be free of
84:00
negative reactions falling back into all
84:03
that this question I would recommend
84:08
that we simplify the question and rather
84:10
than asking can we ever be free which is
84:13
a huge amount of future time can can I
84:18
be free at this moment it's really the
84:21
only question that you truly need to ask
84:23
yourself because the only place where
84:26
you can ever be free
84:27
I'll need ever be free is this moment
84:30
not the rest of your life just this
84:32
moment because when you look more
84:34
closely you'll see that this moment is
84:37
all there ever is so I would recommend
84:39
that you rephrase your question don't
84:43
ask about ever or for the rest of your
84:46
life but be content with simply
84:49
addressing this moment at any given time
84:53
and what's the answer can you be free
84:55
right now Connie um I'm closer to it
84:59
than I have ever been before
85:01
yes yes thank you thank you
85:05
Eckhart this has just been one of the
85:08
great joys of my career to be able to
85:12
sit down and talk to you I mean I've
85:13
thought about this this time that we've
85:16
shared together on this radio show I
85:18
thought about this verse so many years
85:21
like what would it be like what would it
85:23
be like and it has been more than I
85:25
could ever imagine
85:26
and so I was wasting my time I should
85:28
have just waited for them now thinking
85:31
about what it could be like thank you
85:33
for all of your encouraging inspiration
85:36
that has allowed myself and so many
85:39
other people who read your works the
85:41
power of now stillness speaks new earth
85:44
have allowed us all to see our own lives
85:47
differently and to see the possibility
85:49
of an awakened consciousness thank you
85:52
so much Thank You Oprah thank you so
85:54
much thanks for joining us on XM 156
85:57
[Music]
86:02
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86:06
soul series these are some of my
86:08
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