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Question 2:
What did I walk away with?
- An inner peace that grows every day and a deeper understanding of myself and humanity.
How did I get caught up in this approach to spirituality?
Experiencing the depth and joy life that is happening now instead of endlessly reviewing yesterday’s conflicts or tomorrows problems is my preference.
Why did I take the time to write this?
For years I have read negative online posts about the books and noticed that for the most part the claims being made had nothing to do with the books. Your request for (name removed by moderator)ut from someone who was familiar with the content of the books motivated me to clear up some of the confusion. Of course this is just my perspective and may not ring true to everyone.
Have a great day, Mike
Welcome to the fora, Mike!
Thanks for your contribution. Tolle has been the subject of several threads on here, one of them concurreent, I believe, with this one. That is where the Bible-based-Tolle-unread tract following yours comes from.
Hi
Mijoy2 If you were to read the other threads mentioned above, you would encounter much reactivity from Catholics. The vast majority of those have neither read the book, nor thought critically on any basis but the need to agreed with someone not perceived as a threat to their beliefs whiile supporting their lack of initiative in engaging in some actual critical thinking. I say this from the standpoint of having read both books twice.
My observation is that Tolle is taken as a stand-alone phenomena, though perhaps linked with Deepak Chopra. And certainly Tolle is labeled as a “new age” proponent, whatever the heck conjecture that referes to in the minds of many diverse labelers. I was there in the 60,s and I remember them. And yes, there was a lot of bunkum around, that was as useful as the denunciations of those on here who don’t have a clue to where those unfortunate deteriorations of actual philosophies came from. In other words, none of the decrieres investigated origiins, and neither did the hippies who touted their misunderstandings, save for a few. And even many of those got it wrong or looked for the worng reasons. So, as the critics of
that “new agism” rightfully claim about those errors, why bother?
But neither are the reactions of the vast majority on here based on any actual understanding other than definding themselves with misappied dogma from something that is what they always already are anyway. “Curiouser and curiouser,” said Alice.
Tolle, as many others did, had an experience that has come ether through arduous work or by grace, in ours and many other traditions. The expereince, in Catholic terms, is identical in substance due to the fact, if you will, that we are all made in the image and likeness of God. That means believer and atheist alike, and Saint and sinner. All. that cannot be underemphasised.
So while the objections to Tolle and the thousands who say the same thing come from the contents and dynamics of the ordinary rational mind and the state it is commonly in for most humans by far, there is yet another and experiencible dimension to human awarenss. It is the dimension that the Carmalites, for instance, systematically delve into as the pracitce of contemplating Silence. It can be arrived at in some other ways, and that accounts for many non-religious or such having the same experience.
And that is an experience of what the mind is–in a condition of wakeful alertnes, but with no contents whatsoever. In other words, the human awareness is capable of entering and experinceing a state of wakeful Silence. I capitalize that as it is disitinguished from the absence of sound. And that state is the object, intended consciusly or not, of any successful deep meditation or prayer, Catholic or not.
Now to someone who hasn’t experienced this (I have) it seems like a fiction or a fantasy. It was to me before it happened. I could have been anyone else on here saying negatives about what I hadn’'t expereinced. I assure you, emphatically, that it is not a fantasy, illusion, or conjecture. But when someone experiences that state, they have a piece and a peace and a perspective on who and what they actyally are that is not availavble to those who “haven’t been there.”
So when someone, Catholic or not, expereinces that state, they are reasoning
out from an understanding that those who havent experienced the state are rationalizing about in an attempt to go to it, even as a concept. But it is not a concept or a logically ascertainable standpoint that is at question, but an actual experiencable state that is part and parcel of the structure of each and evey one’s awareness. But try to tell that to someone who hasn’t a clue what someone who has done that is talking about. They have no referent, as they are stuck, at least for the moment, in their discursive mind. And that discursive mind id the story teller that the thousands who tell about the other side of experience refer to as the personality. That personality is distinct from the substance of self.
And that distinction, available and experiencable by anyone who makes the right effort, is what Tolle’s and many library shelves of other author’s books are about. Many even, In my opiinion correctly, claim a congruity with the Teachings of Jesus, But they are pointers, as like the Bible, the truth of it is not in the paper and ink, but the experience pointed to.
So I find your intention to go to the source admirable, and you will find great opposition from those who derive their sense of self from acquired dogma and precept rather than actually looking at the tool they use for making judgements and finding out some things that are actually rather vital, if one is actually interested in a spiritual life as distinct from mouthing one. You see, when you have that different perspective, the dogma, the precepts, the Bible, all that is instantly new and deeply meaningful. Until then, it is just words memorized or habituated religion. And that is fine, if that is as far as one wishes to go. But I’m with the Carmelites and the other, even non Catholic contemplatives, who have accomplished or been graced by a “blown fuse.” That only means that the part of the mind that talks ceaslessly about limits has shut up for a second so you can see what allows all that talking to happen to begin with!
God blesses you always, whether you ask or not. Trust that you are always in the arms of love. And don’t buy the allegations of the alligators!
