Revisiting “A New Earth”
Learning to be a better person is a life long journey.
Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth” is my favorite book. It’s my go to when I feel like life is disconnected and confusing, which is quite often the case with us humans. You see, we are just that — human. We all have flaws, we all fall down, we all make mistakes. We find ourselves being judgmental, angry, hurt, jealous; and the list goes on.
How we deal with those emotions is another story. I am 52 years young this year ( I refuse to grow old in my head). It has taken me years to come by the knowledge I have on life. Mostly by totally screwing up and making my own many, many mistakes. I have yet to stop learning, and I think we never do. I feel as though that is what defines us in the end as humans. What have we learned on our life journey? What are we choosing to put our energy into? Who are we, and what makes us who we are?
Shortly after reading this chapter a few years back, I decided to conduct an experiment on myself the next time I had a confrontation. Now mind you, you may think this is easy to remember, but it’s quite the contrary. I really had to keep my mouth shut, which does not come easy to me. Secondly, I had to meditate on this every day and try to remember the words from this chapter.
It didn’t take long for someone to come at me in anger. And let me explain- I live a very peaceful life, without conflict with my husband or son, or anyone else, if I can avoid it. So this isn’t the usual. I think it was just time for the lesson.
This person doesn’t usually get mad at me, but that day he did. It was over something I had decided I did not want to be a part of any longer. I told him my reasons for removing myself from what I knew to be a toxic relationship for me. He did not agree and began raising his voice. I knew it was time to put this teaching into practice. I chose to not react. Not at all. I sat there calmly and looked at him. I did not smirk, or smile. I did not cry or say anything. I simply did not react.
The next thing that happened was the slamming of my front door. He left in anger. But then a few minutes later, the phone rang. I answered and he immediately apologized for his behavior. I calmly told him it was alright. We were good. It was over, as simple as that.
Since that time, I have really screwed up, quite a few times. I let my temper get the best of me, and the old me comes out roaring. I feel really bad every time it happens. Being born with human emotions and trying to change years of learned behavior isn’t easy. It’s bound to take over in times of stress, but I still wish to master this. It works every time I remember to practice it. It brings peace to the situation, and teaches me how to discipline myself, and who I could be, if I choose to make this my practice.
I love this book, and it has so many great teachings for us all. It has helped me to become a better person, and I am by no means even close to where I wish to be. If only…
If you have never read it, I highly recommend you pick up a copy at the library. You will probably be tempted to buy it once you do.
Happy reading!
Finding Who You Truly Are
Know Thyself————Gnothi Seauton.
These are the words at the entrance to the temple of Apollo at Delphi, site of the sacred Oracle. This also means “Who am I?” Unconscious people ( some throughout their entire lives) will quickly reply : their name, their occupation, their personal history, the shape or state of their body. Others will say that they are immortal souls or divine spirits. But knowing yourself is to be rooted in Being, instead of lost in your mind. If small things upset you, then you are exactly that: small. Ultimately all things are small because all things are transient. And you say “I am tired of this mad world, and peace is all I want.” If peace is all you want, you would remain non-reactive and absolutely alert when confronted with challenging people or situations. You would immediately accept the situation and thus become one with it rather than separate yourself from it. Who you are (consciousness), not who you think you are (a small me), would be responding. It would be powerful and effective and would make no person or situation into an enemy. What is my relationship with the Now or Life? How do you go beyond a dysfunctional relationship with the present moment? See it in your thoughts and actions. The moment you see that the relationship with the Now is dysfunctional, you are present. The seeing is the arising Presence. The dysfunction begins to dissolve. With the seeing comes the power of choice—— the choice of saying yes to Now, of making it into your friend. — Eckhart Tolle “A NEW EARTH”
