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“If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time. It’s very important to be aware of them every time they come up.”

~~~ Deepak Chopra

The video I showed you in last week’s posting is a profound example of what it might be like in the present — or what it’s like to be Awakened or Enlightened. However, for most of us it doesn’t happen like that. For most of us, being in the present is much more subtle. The egoic part of us would like us to believe that something similar to what happened with Dr. Taylor is what a spiritual awakening should be. As I pointed out last week, when that doesn’t happen, our ego says, “Oh darn! I’ve failed! This thing called an awakening has to be better than what I’m feeling now. This can’t be ‘The Present’!”

And folks, let me say this again, if there’s one thing our egos don’t like, it’s to fail at something.

So what does our ego do about this seeming failure, which really isn’t a failure at all, but rather a diminishing of its own power? It tries to convince us that the lack of some huge dramatic event is proof that there is nothing worthwhile to be found in meditation. As always, the egoic part of us wants more. And, when we meditate, we’re causing the ego to weaken somewhat — and if it’s a successful meditation — where we’re well-focused in the Present — it leaves the ego in us with nothing to do since it can only live in the past and the future.

Since we’re all creatures of our egos, we have a tendency to want to be special in some way. One of the ways that many of us will use is to embark on a spiritual journey. We think that if we can “become more spiritual”, that we will then be thought of as special. That’s how our ego works. The primary goal of the ego is to become more and more powerful. If we (it) can become special — even spiritually special — we’ll have greater power — or so the ego wants us to think!

What the ego doesn’t get is that once we become more involved with our spiritual practice, the ego is engineering its own demise. Our practice of meditation is designed to diminish the power that the ego has over us. So what does it do once it realizes what’s happening? It finds ways to make us dissatisfied with our practice.

“The foundation of the Buddha’s teachings lies in compassion, and the reason for practicing the teachings is to wipe out the persistence of ego, the number-one enemy of compassion.”

Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama

As we learn more about quieting our mind-chatter — about being in the Present, even for short periods of time, we begin to realize that this is how to become more awakened. But, here’s where we need to be careful. You see, once the ego catches on that this spiritual stuff, including meditation, is causing it to lose some of its power, it becomes very cunning. It will begin to give us thoughts about how we can still be on a spiritual path but we really don’t need to be taking the time to meditate every day. It will send us thoughts like, “Oh, all those studies you’re doing? Nah, don’t bother. They won’t do you any good and they’re just taking up a lot of time you don’t have.”

One of the places where you can see this happening is with the Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle online course that is studying the Tolle book, “The New Earth — Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose”. If you read through some of the on-line discussions on the web site associated with the course, you’ll see people finding fault with Oprah, with Tolle, with the methods being used, the techniques of the webcast, etc. They presume there is nothing there for them, and so, sure enough, there isn’t.

Some “spiritual seekers” will go from teacher to teacher for decades, proclaiming their sincerity one moment, and expressing their frustrations with whatever is offered the next. They aren’t seeing that perhaps it is their own cunning ego that’s the saboteur of their progress and not the teachings, the teacher, or the methods used.

As a final word today, if you aren’t taking the “New Earth” course, I can highly recommend it. It’s completely free. All you really have to do is get the book, “A New Earth — Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose” by Eckhart Tolle. You can access the course online at: http://www.oprah.com/obc_classic/webcast/ane_marketing.html. You’ll find everything you need there to get started — and to get caught up. If you happen to have iTunes on your computer, you can also access the course through the podcast link in iTunes. I am taking the course, and I’m on my second reading of the book. For me, this has been life-changing. Check it out. There are now several million people around the world who are taking part in this earthshaking event.
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Here’s another meditation clip for you to use in your daily meditations. This is a 9 minute video and meditation by Anita Pathik Law that reminds us we are the breath of ONE, the voice and hands of the Universe. I hope you enjoy it. Don’t forget to turn on your speakers. Just click the “Play” button. Put your focus on the voice — let yourself go into the pictures if you wish — or just close your eyes and live in the moment. Be in the Peaceful Present.

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If you’re new to us here, be sure read the other articles about meditation. If you look on the upper left of the sidebar, you’ll see a list of the categories. Click the one called “Meditation” and you’ll be able to read the articles you missed. They start with the January 24, 2008 post.

Do include meditation in your daily life. If you’re just starting out, make it a 10 minute meditation. If you’ve been doing this for a while, try to do a minimum of 20 minutes. The longer you can maintain your focus on just your breath, the better.

“Those who really seek the path to Enlightenment dictate terms to their mind. Then they proceed with strong determination.”

~~~ Buddha

Namaste!

And, as I always say in closing — remember these words …

You are the most precious gift you can give yourself. Every day look in the mirror and say, “I’m available to more good than I have experienced, realized or imagined ever before in my life!” Do this every day while you look into your own eyes.

You are special — and you are loved. You are the greatest gift you can be.

Shanti … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

~~~ Buddha

~~~ DBL-R

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