Gaia: Living Metaphysics - A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle

Re: ET Shifting Between Stillness & Doing

http://myzaadzsanctuary.gaia.com — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:58:25 GMT

I'm glad I stopped by to reread the thread and to find Ken's comment. I so love what Centria said
" . . . when both are present simultaneously, as when vacuuming. You're vacuuming and moving the vacuum and you're totally within the stillness while totally within the doing." It sometimes seems like such a delicate balance to try to find, but when there, it's beautiful, isn't it?

Re: ET Shifting Between Stillness & Doing

http://baba.gaia.com — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:06:40 GMT

Starpeople, we seem to be drinking from the same well. I was thinking of Krishnamurthi as well, inspired by Judi's post. Krishnamurthi discusses quite extensively the need to inquire for oneself the state of affairs. But he doesn't bring it into a practical light. Tolle has found a way to do this. Though I'm loving Centria's remarks best -- so true. :)

Re: ET Shifting Between Stillness & Doing

http://myzaadzsanctuary.gaia.com — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:21:06 GMT

Oh my goodness!!! I'm so glad I found this pod and this post. Thanks Deb!

I appreciate Tolle's ability to explain how to be in this world and yet not of it. I've struggled with this for years, never able to stay in stillness because I was so disturbed and in anguish about the man made poverty and violence that so many others are subjected to. I can say I had "survivor's guilt" for having such a privileged life.

Over the last twenty years or more, many other authors/teachers spoke to my heart with the same information, but Tolle helped me understand the need for balance and the distinction between doing and being -- as Deb's post captured. As starpeople said, he has made this accessible to the western mind. It also makes a difference for me because I'm not being asked to worship the teacher or the teaching, but to experience for myself this pheomenon.

Re: ET Shifting Between Stillness & Doing

http://starpeople.gaia.com — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:29:21 GMT

Interesting. I've checked out a little of Tolle, he seems to fill a gap left by Krishnamurthi, he has package the pruning process very well for the western mind.

Re: ET Shifting Between Stillness & Doing

http://zennie.gaia.com — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:57:51 GMT

This was an Amazing article Deb! Thank you so much for posting it. I absolutely loved his view on surrender.

Very Deep Bow!
z

That is the state of surrender—a total “yes” to what is. Not the inner “no” to what is.

Re: ET Shifting Between Stillness & Doing

http://eternalquestion.gaia.com — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:48:10 GMT

Yes, thank you, Deb. The balance between resting in the stillness and open space...and then the interacting. So nicely said! I also love it when both are present simultaneously, as when vacuuming. You're vacuuming and moving the vacuum and you're totally within the stillness while totally within the doing. Simultaneous. Or when you're interacting on the computer, or typing or whatever, yet you're also simultaneously aware of space all around, surrounding, engulfing. Then your action seems to come from the silence itself. So beautiful, isn't it?

Re: ET Shifting Between Stillness & Doing

http://Netherlands.gaia.com — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:35:31 GMT

Oh this was very nice Deb, I enjoyed reading it, in fact I stayed up for it while Iwas planning to make it an early nite. Ok I'm off to beddie now but thanks so much or posting this.

ET Shifting Between Stillness & Doing

http://yhd52754.gaia.com — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:10:15 GMT

When I was in Chicago, with some of the presenters there, it was clear to me that - there were moments when they were being ordinary "humans" and moments when they were fulfilling a role that their life has placed them within. While all were teaching in their roles, some were more like ordinary "human" teachers and some definitely surrendered their physical self to the flow of Spirit through them, doing It's work.

In an excerpt from an article in EnlightenNext (for their 15th Annivesary in the Sept-Dec 2006 issue), Andrew Cohen interviewed Eckhart Tolle.

Cohen: Why is it that you need to take time to be alone, and what
is it that happens when you take the time to be alone?

Tolle: When I’m with people, I’m a spiritual teacher. That’s the
function, but it’s not my identity. The moment I’m alone, my deepest joy is to
be nobody, to relinquish the function of a teacher. It’s a temporary function.
Let’s say I’m seeing a group of people. The moment they leave me, I’m no longer
a spiritual teacher. There’s no longer any sense of external identity. I simply
go into the stillness more deeply. The place that I love most is the stillness.
It’s not that the stillness is lost when I talk or when I teach because the
words arise out of the stillness. But when people leave me, there is only the
stillness left. And I love that so much.

Cohen: Would you say that you prefer it?

Tolle: Not prefer. There is a balance now in my life, which perhaps
wasn’t there before. When the inner transformation happened many years ago, one could almost say a balance was lost. It was so fulfilling and so blissful simply
to be that I lost all interest in doing or interacting. For quite a few years, I got lost in Being. I had almost relinquished doing completely—just enough to keep myself alive and even that was miraculous. I had totally lost interest in the future. And then gradually a balance re-established itself. It didn’t re-establish itself fully until I started writing the book. The way I feel now is that there is a balance in my life between being alone and interacting with people, between Being and doing, whereas before, the doing was relinquished and there was only Being. Blissful, profound, beautiful—but from an external viewpoint, many people thought that I had become unbalanced or had gone mad. Some people thought I was crazy to have let go of all the worldly things I had “achieved.” They didn’t understand that I didn’t want or need any of that anymore.

So the balance now is between aloneness and meeting with people. And that’s
good. I’m quite attentive to that so that the balance doesn’t get lost. There is
now a pull toward increasing doing. People want me to talk here and talk
there—there are constant demands. I know that I need to be attentive now, so
that the balance is not lost, and I don’t get lost in doing. I don’t think it
would ever happen, but it requires a certain amount of vigilance.

Cohen: What would it mean to get lost in doing?

Tolle: Theoretically, it would mean that I would continuously travel,
teach, and interact with people. Perhaps if that happened, at some point the
flow, the stillness, might not be there. I don’t know; it may always be there.
Or physical exhaustion may set in. But I feel now that I need to return to the
pure stillness periodically. And then, when the teaching happens, just allow it
to arise out of the stillness. So the teaching and stillness are very closely
connected. The teaching arises out of the stillness. But when I’m alone, there’s
only the stillness, and that is my favorite place.

Cohen: When you’re alone, do you spend a lot of time physically being still?

Tolle: Yes, I can sometimes sit for two hours in a room with almost no
thought. Just complete stillness. Sometimes when I go for walks, there’s also
complete stillness; there’s no mental labeling of sense perceptions. There’s
simply a sense of awe or wonder or openness, and that’s beautiful.

Cohen: In your book The Power of Now you state that “the ultimate purpose of the world lies not within the world but in transcendence of the world.” Could you please explain what you mean?

Tolle: Transcending the world does not mean to withdraw from the world, to no longer take action, or to stop interacting with people. Transcendence of the world is to act and to interact without any self-seeking. In other words, it means to act without seeking to enhance one’s sense of self through one’s actions or one’s interactions with people. Ultimately, it means not needing the future anymore for one’s fulfillment or for one’s sense of self or being. There is no seeking through doing, seeking an enhanced, more fulfilled, or greater sense of self in the world. When that seeking isn’t there anymore, then you can be in the world but not be of the world. You are no longer seeking for anything to identify with out there.

Cohen: Do you mean that one has given up an egotistical, materialistic relationship to the world?

Tolle: Yes, it means no longer seeking to gain a sense of self, a deeper or enhanced sense of self. Because in the normal state of consciousness,
what people are looking for through their activity is to be more completely
themselves. The bank robber is looking for that in some way. The person who is
striving for enlightenment is also looking for it because he or she is seeking
to attain a state of perfection, a state of completion, a state of fullness at
some point in the future. There is a seeking to gain something through one’s
activities. They are seeking happiness, but ultimately they are seeking
themselves or you could say God; it comes down to the same thing. They are
seeking themselves, and they are seeking where it can never be found, in the
normal, unenlightened state of consciousness, because the unenlightened state of consciousness is always in the seeking mode. That means they are of the
world—in the world and of the world.

More of this article can be read at Ripples on the Surface of Being (An interview with Eckhart Tolle by Andrew Cohen)

Re: A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle

http://yhd52754.gaia.com — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:02:16 GMT

One of the joys, when I visited my parents in NM (that is, after my mom returned from her rush trip to the hospital to acquire the 2nd stent in 2 mos) was to discover that my mom is really into this book. She's on her 3rd reading of a book borrowed from a neighbor.

She had downloaded some of the Bill Harris programs that came out after the Oprah class. She had trouble becoming part of the Oprah webclass series (I shared that I had done all of it and much of the content is here but still unfinished). I showed her how to get transcripts. I offered to load her my iPod - which remains fully loaded with the classes and the Bill Harris interviews related to them. She seemed to prefer just having the written transcript (I have all of them and they are a great resource).

It was my mom who originally introduced me to Science of Mind by pointing to a shelf full of magazines in her home, during a difficult time in my life (I was only in my 20s). Truly, she probably didn't know what to do with me - I was way out in lah-lah land, mostly driven by a sincere desire for spiritual growth and no guidance in pursuing such. She said, "Just open a magazine to any page, it will help you".

Someone recently told me I come from a genetic line of healers. That may be so. I know I come from a line of spiritually motivated women - my mom being a genetic link but as an orphan, who knows what her line is/was?

Deb

Re: Science of Mind - 2008 Spiritual Hero

http://fastdarter.gaia.com — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:50:24 GMT

Just thought I would just toss a picture of him into the mix. He reminds me of a little leprechaun, always with that knowing grin on his face. Here's a link to Hawkeye's blog post on the issue.

Science of Mind - 2008 Spiritual Hero

http://yhd52754.gaia.com — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:55:08 GMT

Every year Science of Mind magazine chooses and features the individual that they feel has made the greatest contribution to spiritual advancement or somehow symbolizes an aspect of spirituality worth emulating. Eckhart Tolle was chosen Science of Mind's 2008 Spiritual Hero and featured in the January 2009 issue of the magazine in an article titled The Power in the Present Moment by Donna Mosher. Quote on the cover page by Eckhart is "You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are!" That article follows.

Deb

2008 Spiritual Hero - The Power in the Present Moment

Eckhart Tolle enjoys a life of relative isolation in Vancouver, Canada. Rarely does he grant interviews or hold public events. Nevertheless, the universe conspires to reveal the truth through any and all means. Tolle's profound yet simple teachings have found their way to the hearts of millions, and the awakening of the collective consciousness is growing. Science of Mind magazine is honored to recognize this modern spiritual master as our Spiritual Hero for 2008.

Throughout the ages, spiritual masters have walked among humanity, reminding us that we are divine embodiments in physical form. Each has revealed the universal truth that we are more than our bodies, more than our minds, more than our daily tasks, more than our relationships with others. Each has shared with those with whom they have come into contact that love is our essence, that suffering is our challenge, and that there is a power in each of us that may be revealed to bring us peace, joy, and the realization of heaven on earth, right here and right now.

Today, the world is experiencing a spiritual quickening, an opening of the global heart, spread by technological advances in communications. Teachers no longer must rely on one-on-one interactions, missives inscribed on parchment, scrolls tucked into clay jars to be found millennia later. No longer is the message subject to interpretation or censorship by religious leaders.

Today, millions have direct access to the wisdom of contemporary spiritual teachers through published books and articles, through public lectures delivered around the world, through videos broadcast on television, radio, and the Internet. Wisdom is shared in the vernacular: that of the Buddhist, the Christian, the Muslim, and the language of the spiritual seeker affiliated with no defined religion or concept.

No spiritual messenger has more effectively tapped the power of technology to share with the world his understanding of our divine potential than Eckhart Tolle. HIs loving guidance into the power of the present moment as the salvation of humanity has spread around the world like the fires of Pentecost. From the publication a decade ago of his first book, The Power of Now, to his extraordinary online classes last spring exploring A New Earth with Oprah Winfrey, Tolle's teaching is supporting countless millions to open to freedom from the pervasive preoccupation with past and future. This fixation plagues humanity, he says, and prevents awakening to the evolutionary impulse of the universe, which may only be found in the present moment, the "Now", the essence of enlightenment.

Beyond Thought

Divine inspiration seems to embrace Tolle in a mystical, magical way. Anyone who has "met" him, be it through his classes, lectures, books, audio recordings, or online presentations, encounters nothing less than "the peace of God that passes all understanding". Speaking calmly and bolstered with the authority of spiritual truth, this gentle man exudes an ethereal quality of presence that is contagious. He communicates his message in such a way as to impact the listener on an other-than-conscious level and to bypass what he calls "the conditioned mind".

Tolle distinguishes his use of the word "mind". "I use it differently than you do in Science of Mind", he says, "I refer to the concept of the limited, thinking mind, whereas Science of Mind refers to 'Mind' as one consciousness, as Truth being expressed."

"I use the term 'presence' or 'awareness' to mean a spiritual awakening, a greater consciousness infinitely more vast than the thought processes", Tolle says. "We all have the possibility of stepping out of the negative thought processes and seeing how destructive they are. They distort our vision of reality."

"The first discovery", he says of breaking through the conditioned mind, "is that one suddenly realizes there is a voice in the head that talks all the time. This voice loves competition, opposition, and criticism. The first awakening is that 'things are going on in my mind'. There is a place where that recognition occurs that is the site of the emergence of something deeper, a presence or awareness. You become aware you've been held captive, because something else has arisen within you."

"Up to that point, you had no choice because you were so identified with the conditioned mind. You believed every thought. There is no freedom here. You are essentially 'unconscious'."

"This is what I believe Jesus meant when he said, 'Forgive them, for they know not what they do'. He meant people were driven by unconscious mind patterning."

"When you begin to awaken, you can choose different thoughts. You can choose positive thoughts, and these thoughts come from the depth of your being. Coming from

unconditioned consciousness leads to new thought. More harmonious thoughts arise from the deeper level of Being."

Awakening to Presence

The authenticity of Tolle's wisdom comes from a personal confrontation with the conditioned mind that brought him to the brink of suicide and led to his own awakening thirty years ago. Tolle had been living in a state of ongoing anxiety, interspersed with periods of suicidal depression. At the age of 29, while a graduate student at Cambridge University, he awoke one night with an intense feeling of absolute dread and a deep

loathing of his own existence. He was gripped by a desire for his own annihilation that threatened to overcome the instinctive desire to live. The thought "I cannot live with myself any longer" kept repeating in his mind, until he realized what a peculiar thought it was, he relates in The Power of Now. "I cannot live myself. Am I one or two?" The incessant turmoil of his mind stopped, as if to ponder a koan, and he felt drawn into a vortex of energy. He heard a voice telling him to "resist nothing". Suddenly, there was no more fear. The next morning, he awoke to a quiet mind and a pervasive sense of the incredible beauty of reality. It was a realization beyond words, Eckhart Tolle had encountered enlightenment.

The resulting experience of peace and bliss was so powerful that he lost all interest in worldly acitivities. He dropped out of school, quit his job as a teaching assistant, and sat on a park bench for two years. Many assumed he was homeless. Others began to come to him with questions. Thus began his life as a spiritual teacher.

Tolle moved from London to Glastonbury, England, where he spent 20 years integrating and deepening his awakening before moving to North America to write his first book. Published by a friend in Canada, The Power of Now garnered a cult-like following in that country, its popularity growing by word-of-mouth recommendations. A California publisher picked up the rights to the book., Oprah Winfrey picked up a copy from Meg Ryan, and the phenomenal impact of Eckhart Tolle's teaching was launched around the world.

Relinquishing Attachment

One's strenght is also one's weakness, it has been said. Tolle's powerful intellect, which had served him well in his work in education, also fed the tormenting, incessant chatter of the conditioned mind. Relinquishing that in which he had so much invested perhaps required the dramatic collapse of his identification with the mind structure.

"Life always gives you what you need", Tolle says. "Most people can awaken gradually. Others find suffering is essential. Suffering can get you more stuck if you resist it. Or it can bring about an opening."

"In my case, my ego lived through my identity with my accumulated knowledge. I derived a sense of myself as an intellectual. I didn't have good looks, or physical strenght, or a good body, or material possessions to make me feel special. I did have a mind that was strong and an identity with that - that was my ego. Is it easier to let go of the identity with possessions, external appearance, or physical strength than with accumulated knowledge? Maybe it is. Jesus said it is easier for a camel to get through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. By 'rich', he did not just mean possessions. Any heavy baggage from which you derive your sense of identity keeps you from accessing the true self beyond the conditioned self."

"My mind got trained, which is helpful, so I can explain things that are hard to put into words. We don't need to become stupid or ignorant when we awaken. We just don't want to identify with the mind."

"For an intellectual, it requires more if you are identified with the intellect. But not all intellectuals are. For example, Einstein had a highly developed intellect, but no ego identification. His intellect was inspired by a greater intelligence. In such a case, the intellect becomes a tool. Einstein remained relatively free of the ego."

"I encountered Steven Hawking, the physicist, once when I was at Cambridge. I saw the clarity in his eyes. I thought, 'He's not suffering.' There was no trace of suffering in his eyes. It is possible that his condition destroyed his ego."

Cease Seeking

No authentic spiritual wisdom is without paradox. Tolle's teaching to seekers of enlightenment is to stop looking for it.

"Being a 'seeker' implies the future is more important than the present", he says. "It's a fallacy because it prevents you from accessing the vertical depth of consciousness. A seeker is, instead, on a horizontal path."

"A less evolved seeker might be lookng to create possessions. One more evolved may be seeking a future state of enlightenment. Either way, it prevents spiritual seekers from accessing the present moment. The seeker overlooks the present moment, which is all there is. So one would want to stop being a seeker and access the present moment. You don't want to devalue it and treat this moment as a stepping-stone to the next."

"Our entire culture lives like this, and so much suffering has resulted. When you live for the next moment, realize that it never comes. The future is no more than a thought in your head."

"The primacy of the present moment is of extraordinary importance. When we wait to live, we never feel at home. The essential spiritual practice is finding a friendly relationship with the 'Now'. Make the present moment your friend. This goes against the collective conditioned mind patterns."

"For true change, one must first become comfortable with the 'is-ness' of the present moment. No matter where you are - in prison, in a bad home, any given moment - first say, 'This is what is'. There is no problem without a mental story around your circumstances."

The state of affairs of the world today inevitably raises the question of the existence of evil. Science of Mind suggests that evil is the absence of an awareness of love. Tolle echoes that, saying that evil is actually an extreme manifestation of human unconsciousness.

"Evil is a complete identification with a thought form", Tolle says. "For example, a terrorist believes totally in thoughts. 'Me against them.' Trapped in the collective ego, he is filled with an unawareness of anything beyond the form of 'me'. He reduces others to a mind form and completely believes in judgment. Other humans are reduced to a mental concept, and he has no awareness of them as Life. This unawareness leads to evil."

"Love is the awareness that 'I and the other are one'. That which animates another human being is that which animates me. Love is the recognition that you and I are ultimately one. This awareness must happen at a feeling or sensing level, not through the conceptual mind but through the level of awareness. Ultimately, you cannot judge anyone."

"In the space of this openness is where true love arises. Our destiny is to come to this realization. And this will lead to a transformed world."

"The human species is at the point of transition", Tolle says, "an evolutionary shift from one level of consciousness to another. There is no guarantee it can happen. We're in the middle of consciousness waiting to respond to evolution. If we respond to the evolutionary movement, we can be transformed. If we don't make it, consciousness will seek another form to manifest through. It is only a short delay as far as the planet is concerned. Such a delay does not matter in eternity. But it would be tragic in terms of time."

Unfolding to Divine Purpose

Tolle says the reason for the existence of all life in the universe is to be an expression of the one consciousness. He says the concept of duality is a distortion and a separation.

"There is no truth to the idea that 'I have a life'. If you have a life, you can lose it. Rather, say, 'I am life. I am eternal timelessness'. The bodily form is a temporary expression of that."

"The individual must be open to the purpose of the whole", he says, "to be one with the evolutionary impulse of the universe. The evolving human being's life purpose is to open to the greater intelligence within, to explore inner space, the 'vertical plumbing' of consciousness. Access to it is in the 'Now', not in a resistance of the present moment."

"There is a wonderful realization at the depths of your being. You don't need a limited concept or definition of yourself to give you a sense of self worth. You can sense how vast you are. You are part of the one power that drives the universe. You are the light of the universe."

Ego

http://niecy.gaia.com — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:58:06 GMT

I received this very interesting article on Ego. It's long but worth a read.

Enjoy!

Re: More about Bruce Lipton & The Biology of Belief

http://yhd52754.gaia.com — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:53:54 GMT

Lucienne,

Of course you can - any time -

>>>"Can I write you about this situation in PM for I very much want to protect someone from these issues?"<<<

You can use the Profile Email or if you need my other one, I can give it to you. To be honest, I check Gaia more. The other is so full of junk, ya know?

Hugs-
Deb

Re: More about Bruce Lipton & The Biology of Belief

http://Netherlands.gaia.com — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:01:59 GMT

Dear Deb,

I can't even begin to tell you how profoundly grateful and emotionally touched I am by this post of you and your reference to the biology of belief. I am in the process of listening to all of Liptons vids, but I'll take it slow to let it sink in.
If this goes for DNA as far as our personalities go, it must be true also for inherditary mutants in dna that is believed to cause fatal illnesses?

If this is true, OMG I might see some light on the end of a tunnel, a light of great hope.

I have been wrestling with some serious issues for quite a while now, but the medical world only seems to believe and offer nightmare alternatives.
I would like to get as much of information about this as possible.

Can I write you about this situation in PM for I very much want to protect someone from these issues? I have been walking around with this for quite some time now, not knowing where to turn (but prayer) but i would really like to share it and literally shine some light on it.

Thank you.
oh how can I say how I love you

Lucienne

Re: Newsweek - When DNA is NOT Destiny

http://johannalyman.gaia.com — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:56:53 GMT

A HO!! I could just pinch myself!!! :-)
Love to all, Lelazjia

Re: Newsweek - When DNA is NOT Destiny

http://yhd52754.gaia.com — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:34:12 GMT

Lelazjia,

All you wrote is beautifully put and this so true -

We ARE just the luckiest Beings in the Cosmos ! ! !

Deb

Re: Newsweek - When DNA is NOT Destiny

http://johannalyman.gaia.com — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:22:58 GMT

Beautifully put, Deb, "The life we lead and the experiences we have reach deep into our double helix". I like that. :-)

We (most of us) vastly underestimate our ability to impact our inner and outer worlds, based on limiting beliefs picked up as children--'that's the way it's always been, so that's what it'll always be like". Indeed, we're told that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over expecting different results.... true but there's a kernel in there, a desire to achieve different results, is there not? So if we have a yearning for different results, and we know that doing the same thing doesn't get us there, it leaves us with a couple of options. The old idea would say "try gene therapy", splice and dice your genes to get different results, or try again next lifetime. Hmm, might it be easier to change your behaviors? OK, maybe not exactly EASY, because conditioning kicks in, and the Law of Inertia. The Law of Inertia being so powerful, I can understand why scientists and others thought that genetics is destiny.... most people would rather be mediocre or even miserable than risk change. But the flip side of the Law of Inertia is that once an object is finally in motion, it takes a greater force to stop it--yay!!
I think it's pretty darn cool that by getting our proverbial butts in gear and consciously creating change, we can change our outer experiences, our inner experiences, and even our actual biology. Aren't we just the luckiest beings in the Cosmos?!
Love to all,
Johanna

Newsweek - When DNA is NOT Destiny

http://yhd52754.gaia.com — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:06:50 GMT

In the most recent issue, Dec 1, 2008, of Newsweek magazine is an article by the science editor, Sharon Begley called "When DNA Is Not Destiny" that I believe goes along with the discussion of Bruce Lipton's work The Biology of Belief. You can read the article in its entirety here - http://www.newsweek.com/id/170381. I summarize as follows.

Although that belief has found support in both casual observation and science, it suffers from a basic fallacy. Just because something does not change, doesn't mean that it cannot change. Just because personality seems stable over the years, doesn't mean it's immutable. Instead, maybe we just haven't identified what changes it. And that goes for genes, too: with the growing recognition that experiences can silence genes or activate them, it is clear that even traits under genetic influence are in play.

One hint of the mutability of personality comes from the arrival, finally, of long-term studies that follow people for decades. As people age from 20 to 40, a 2006 study reported, they tend to become more conscientious and emotionally stable. After age 40, they tend to become less open to new experiences and ideas, and less outgoing. All of these traits have been linked to genes. But curiously - and here's hope for anyone who resents his genetic baggage - the influence of genes wanes with age: in middle and later adulthood, environment plays a larger role than genetics in shaping personality, a hint of the power of accumulated experiences.

Psychology researcher Carol Dweck of Stanford University says, ". . . extroversion, openness to new experience and resilience" - all of which are thought to be partly genetic can change by intervention. "More and more research is suggesting that, far from being simply encoded in the genes, much of personality is a flexible and dynamic thing that changes over the life span and is shaped by experience," she argues in the December issue of the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science. In particular, traits such as how you cope, how you perceive yourself and others, and how you act in everyday situations are malleable.

Ironically, the belief that personality cannot change may be self-fulfilling. "Whether you believe that your core traits, such as intelligence, are fixed, or are things you can develop, matters a great deal," says Dweck. In a recent study, she and colleagues taught a group of students entering junior high that intelligence is malleable, that the brain forges new connections throughout life and that it grows in response to intellectual challenge.

These kids became significantly more conscientious and diligent compared with kids who didn't receive this lesson. "Beliefs about yourself play a causal role in how likely you are to seek out challenges and in how resilient you are," says Dweck. "If you change beliefs, you can change broad traits that many people think of as stable, including openness to experience, conscientiousness and sociability. Beliefs can be changed, and when they are, so is personality."

No one claims that genes play no role in shaping personality. But it's time to junk the old idea that only the part of a trait under environmental, not genetic, control is malleable: the life we lead and the experiences we have reach deep into our double helix.

Re: A New Earth - Child Size Muscle

http://yhd52754.gaia.com — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 20:58:24 GMT

The link is -

http://www.unityfamilymatters.org/articles/NSFM/2008/09sep/aNewEarthForKids.html

From Unity - Family Matters

A New Earth for Kids: Human Muscle or Being Muscle

By Sue Woodward & Wendy Garrido

An Engage Aloud For Parents & Kids

Every time you see the ∞ sign, be sure to give your child all the time s/he needs to think about the question and discover his/her own, unique answers.

The last of our six-part series, inspired from Eckart Tolle's A New Earth, is about the importance of strengthening your BEING Muscle. NSFM magazine is founded on the belief that if we empower kids with life skills and tools, they will naturally stay connected to their BEING. Kids come into the world ready to connect, and the limit of what we believe is possible is where they begin.

As we discussed earlier in this series, a HUMAN BEING is made up of two parts. The HUMAN part of you is your mind and body. Based on your life experiences, your HUMAN part acts and reacts to the world, creating your reality or life, which is different than mine. Sometimes the HUMAN side of you believes something is true, even when it may not be!

The other part of you is your BEING and it exists throughout you, and identifies you as love, potential, brilliance, worthiness, and uniqueness. Your BEING remains constant no matter how anyone treats you or what happens around you. It is always there to guide you through life. Staying connected to your BEING makes life easier because you are focused on the only thing you truly have control over-YOU! Therefore, you can always go to your BEING, and find your PLACE of Peace, Love, Appreciation, Compassion, and Empathy.

Note: NSFM's concept of BEING Muscle is what Tolle calls the "spiritual muscle." This is one area where we see beyond the limitations of Tolle and Oprah, who seem to believe that consciousness comes with age. They have said that as adults we can "learn" to raise our consciousness, and have implied that children are not capable of "learning to raise their consciousness." NSFM believes kids come into this world connected to their BEING, but most of us are not empowered with the knowledge or tools to maintain that connection.

Many of us were conditioned from a young age to disconnect from our BEING part. Instead of listening to our inner knowledge, to the wisdom, wonder, and compassion that exists within us at all times, we were taught to listen to others. We shut down and did as we were told, even when it didn't feel right to us. No wonder that so many of us are now having to learn to reconnect with our BEING again, after all that practice of burying it, pushing it aside, and ignoring it! I certainly don't want that for you!

Did you ever try to run a mile? ∞ The first time you try it seems hard, but as you practice, it gets easier and easier. That's because your muscles get stronger. What muscles do you know of in your body? ∞ What do you think would happen if you stopped using those muscles? ∞

The same thing goes for your BEING Muscle. As you practice connecting to your BEING and focusing on the NOW moment instead of reacting to what's going on around you, your BEING Muscle gets stronger and easier to use. Your BEING Muscle is there to support you throughout all your life experiences. What do you like to do to strengthen those HUMAN muscles? ∞ What do you like to do to strengthen your BEING Muscle? ∞ What you are passionate about and love to do often connects you to your BEING.

BEING exists in life, and life exists only in the NOW moments.

Take your first two fingers and place them on the side of your neck, underneath your chin, next to your throat. Move them around until you feel your heart beat. In that beat is where the NOW exists. And, that is the only place life exists. The past is the past but it is no longer life. Right NOW IS LIFE! Your BEING Muscle operates in the NOW.

When something happens in life, you need to bring your attention to it, just like we brought your attention to your heartbeat. Your heart is always beating but you seldom pay attention to it. Your power lies in bringing your attention to the NOW moment. As your BEING Muscle gets stronger, it becomes easier to recognize that in each NOW moment of life, you have a choice. You may not be able to change what someone else says or does, but you can change how you respond. You are a powerful BEING.

Do you believe you are a powerful BEING? ∞ What things happen that make you think that you aren't a powerful BEING? ∞ How do you think connecting with your BEING would help that situation? ∞

Take off your shoes and socks. Now, wiggle your big toe. You decided you wanted to wiggle your big toe and when you brought your awareness to it, the HUMAN part of you made it happen. The same holds true for your BEING part. When you bring your awareness of the BEING part of you into and the NOW moment, you guide your HUMAN part toward making decisions that bring you health and happiness.

Sometimes, you are using your BEING Muscle and living in the NOW without even noticing it. Do you remember a time when you were so involved in doing something you loved like drawing, playing, or fishing, that time flew by? ∞ You felt connected to everything and everyone around. You were focused on the NOW and what you were doing had all your awareness. When you are so engaged in what you are doing that you are not worrying about the past or the future, and you are enjoying the NOW moment, your BEING Muscle is getting some exercise.

You are born a HUMAN connected to your BEING, but as you grow up, you may get distracted by what goes on around you. It's easy to forget your BEING part, especially when you feel upset, angry, sad, or worried. That means the HUMAN part has taken over and you are disconnected from your BEING. If someone acts mean or angry, then there is a reason beneath their reactions, but the reason is never you. That includes when I get upset, frustrated, or angry. My reactions are my responsibility even though sometimes I act as if someone else is to blame. The truth is that I have forgotten to use my BEING Muscle and have disconnected from my BEING. Remember that how someone else acts is never about you. It is always about them.

Remember that how someone else acts is never about you. It is always about them.

Your BEING is a great and reliable guide for creating your life and it helps you make good decisions. Close your eyes, take a breath, and reach for that BEING Muscle. Connect to the NOW moment with all your attention, and trust that your BEING knows the best answer for you. That answer will always be in the best interest of everyone as well, because when you connect to your BEING, your choices come from a place of kindness, love, consideration, and respect for yourself and others.

Do you remember a time someone (maybe it was me) said or did something to you out of anger or pain? ∞ Did you feel responsible for their anger or pain? ∞ No matter how you felt, are you really responsible for their anger or pain? ∞

Remember that your HUMAN part might believe you are the cause, but your BEING part knows that the other person is in pain, and their pain has nothing to do with you. When you use your BEING Muscle, you can respond from your BEING, with love, understanding, and compassion instead of anger, hurt, or fear.

In a family we may all want different things so we communicate and work together to find a solution that works for everyone. Sometimes I place my own limitations upon you and I have to remember that you are a different person. I might take too much responsibility for the decisions about your life, but I am going to try to give you more choices, so you can exercise your BEING Muscle. You are creating the reality of your life and it looks different than mine. You are full of wonder and possibilities and no one else is quite like you! And, you are here to express life in your unique and wonderful way.

As you go through your life, I want you to be the one who determines the right choices for you whether you're at home, at school, or out with your friends. I want to give you the space to have opinions, make choices, and be responsible for yourself. Your BEING is just as powerful as mine. I am not here to protect you from life, I am here to give you the tools, practice, and support to create a life that reflects the power and passion within you. If I give you the opportunity to make more choices about your life and about our life as a family, you will become an expert on making decisions and you won't have to rebel against anyone. And when those decisions come from your BEING, I trust they will guide you well through life. Whatever you chose I trust you will live your NOW moments with joy and passion for who you are and all you have to contribute to this world.

If you got a bad test score at school, would you believe that you weren't smart? ∞ A test score might represent how much you learned or remembered, but it never reflects who you are. Your brilliance lies in your BEING and is always there.

I want to give you choices that are acceptable to me, but there might be times as you get older that my choices may not be enough for you. Then I will have an opportunity to strengthen my BEING Muscle! I am growing right along with you. We are teachers for each other, and life is our school.

Conscious parenting and empowering kids begins with the belief that every child is complete, important, and full of wonder-just as you are! You already have a BEING Muscle, all you need to do is remember to use it--and, you can remind me to use mine too! Every NOW moment of each day, we have a choice to live connected or disconnected from our BEING. The goal is to keep that connection to our BEING as we go about our HUMAN life.

September 2008

Re: A New Earth - Child Size Happiness

http://yhd52754.gaia.com — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 20:43:25 GMT

The link is -

http://www.unityfamilymatters.org/articles/NSFM/2008/07jul/aNewEarthForKids.html

From Unity - Family Matters

A New Earth for Kids: Discovering Happiness

By Sue Woodward

This series of articles is inspired by one of this year's most publicized books, A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. This book asks each of us to awaken to our own consciousness and it speaks of the power of consciousness to transform the world. As each generation leaps ahead of the ideas, beliefs, and limitations of the past, we evolve as a species creating a new level of awareness. It's our children who will lead us to a world of peace and compassion and it starts with helping them discover the truth of who they are. A New Earth asks us to stop living in our heads, with blame, fault, guilt, anger, sadness, prejudice and disharmony, and instead, asks us to tap into our consciousness, the truth that connects us all. Along the way, we discover our inner purpose and our inner gifts, and by doing so, we give others permission to do the same.

An Engage Aloud For Parents & Kids

Every time you encounter a ∞ sign, be sure to give your child all the time s/he needs to think about the question and discover his/her own, unique answers.

Is Happiness Just a Matter of What Happens to You?

Was there ever something such as a toy, a visit to a friend's house, or something else that you really, really wanted? What was it? ∞ Then, when you got it, it just wasn't all that you dreamed it would be? Maybe the toy didn't work as well as you thought, it wasn't as much fun as you expected, or you felt bored at your friend's house. Maybe for a couple seconds, minutes, or hours, you felt happy, but after that, the old feelings of wanting something else came back.

Many people, both adults and children, think that our circumstances, or what happens to us, determine our ability to feel happy. We say, "If only this happened or that happened, or if she didn't do that or he didn't do this, then I'd be happy." When is the last time you felt that way?∞You may notice that even when circumstances change, you still find reasons not to be happy! Even when people win the lottery, after some time, half of them don't feel any happier than they did before. If you go through life basing your happiness on other people or things changing, you give up your power and life becomes a series of emotional ups and downs, just like a rollercoaster. Can you think of a time when you were on an emotional roller coaster? ∞

True happiness exists in each moment of life, as you are living it. It is not dependent on things or circumstances, but rather your ability to accept what life brings you in the present moment, and stay connected to your inner BEING. You take control of your happiness when you take responsibility for how you think and act in the moments of life. The sooner you learn to take responsibility for your own happiness, the more satisfying, secure, and fulfilling life will be. You have the power to choose your thoughts and reactions in life. That's the first step to finding the happiness that exists in every moment of time. Can you tell me a time you got upset because of something someone else did or said? ∞ How could you change your thoughts and reactions so next time you can still tap into the happiness that exists in life? ∞

Sally tells Rinya that she doesn't want to walk home with her. Rinya feels sad at first, and pays attention to her sadness. She realizes that she's sad because, in a way, she's thinking, "If Sally would just walk home with me, then I'd be happy." Then she notices how silly that is. She doesn't want to keep reacting to everything around her or she'd be bouncing up and down like a ball. Rinya takes a deep breath, turns to Sally, and says, "I'll miss you but it's a beautiful day and I am going to enjoy every moment." Rinya takes responsibility for her feelings and emotions, and anytime those negative thoughts creep in, she taps them away with EFT.

What we choose to pay attention to is the major factor in feeling happy, and it is a choice we have in every moment of life. Rinya could have spent lots of time worrying about why Sally didn't want to walk home with her. She might have made up all kinds of stories and blown the issue up into something much bigger than it had to be. But what's the point? If she focused her attention on her fears and worries, she would have just felt more and more upset. Instead, she chose to accept the situation, and focus on the beauty of the moment. Then she could connect with her own source of happiness. What would you like to change about how you see the world, to take some of the pressure, sadness or anxiety off?∞

What You Pay Attention To

Let's say you're waiting in line at the post office with your dad, waiting to mail a package and buy some stamps. There is a big display on the wall with gift boxes, stamps, and photos. The cashier is talking to a man who is mad because a letter he sent got lost. There's a baby in line behind you who goes from happy gurgling to screaming back to happy gurgling. After your stop at the post office, you're going to the swimming pool for swimming lessons with your best friend.

In this simple scene, there are so many things that you can focus on. What part of the post office scene that you just read about sticks out most in your mind right now? ∞ If you were really standing in that line at the post office, what do you think you would be thinking about or paying attention to? ∞ Do you think that how happy you would be while you're waiting in line might depend on what you're paying attention to?∞

Maybe the lady in front of you is frowning about the crying baby or your dad is busy counting out the money he's going to use to pay for the package. You might not even be paying attention to what's happening in the post office because you're thinking about how great the swimming lessons are going to be. Every person has a different experience because they're all noticing different things. If a reporter stopped each person as they were leaving the post office and asked them to describe what was going on, each person would have a different recollection, even if some things would be the same.

You have a choice about what you choose to focus on. You could focus on the things that make you feel sad or annoyed, or you could focus on things that make you feel good. You could look at stamps, think about going swimming afterward, or let your dad know that you are going to sit on the bench outside and wait.

Happiness isn't about denying that there are all sorts of terrible things that go on in the world. It is about acknowledging what you have control over--you have the ability to change your thoughts and take responsibility for your own well-being in every moment of life. Spending time wishing things were different just creates frustration and resistance. Paying attention to the emotions that you feel, helps you realize what kind of thoughts you are thinking and what kind of action to take. You can change how you think or act to bring you happiness in the moment. Stop resisting what's going on, accept it, and then decide how you want to act and respond in the next moment. We can all impact the world in a positive way, and in fact, we are most powerful when we are coming from a place of trust and love.

Geoff went to school but today was different. His favorite teacher snapped at him when he asked a question in math. At first Geoff reacted with pain and sadness. He thought, "I must have done something wrong for Mr. Cramer to treat me like that. I better keep quiet and not ask any questions." The whole day felt uncomfortable and it affected all his classes. When he got home and downloaded days with his mom, she asked him how he could think about the situation differently. It seemed he was wishing this hadn't happened, but it did. The first step was just to accept what happened. He already felt better acknowledging that it was over and done with. Then he tried to think about the situation in a different way. "Mr. Cramer is usually really nice to us, so if he wasn't today, maybe it wasn't my fault after all. I like him enough that I want to find out what happened." Then he decided that the next day he would stop in before class and ask Mr. Cramer if there was a problem. The next day he did just that. Mr. Cramer had tears in his eyes as he listened and then said, "Geoff, I was feeling way out of sorts yesterday. I just found out my brother has cancer and I wasn't dealing with it very well. I probably should have let the class know that, but I didn't. Thanks for letting me know what an influence I am in your life. Remember, you are never responsible for how I or anyone else reacts, but because you chose to address your feelings, you have impacted not just your life and mine, but how I will be with all the kids throughout the day."

What's Happened To You

All of your past experiences affect how you see the world and your place in it. Your view and reaction to what is happening in each moment is colored by your past. When you are unhappy, it's often because something has triggered you with past anger, sadness, fear or anxiety.

Can you think of a time you suddenly felt angry? ∞ What triggered you? ∞ Remember the lady in the post office? If she had been around a loud, crying baby all day, she might be more likely to be extra-sensitive and annoyed by the baby crying in line. If the man whose letter got lost had a brother who always stole things from him, he might be reacting to this situation as if someone intentionally tried to lose his letter. These past experiences impact how people react in the present, but they don't change the fact that we can choose happiness in spite of the circumstances, or use them as our excuse for being unhappy. Happiness is there waiting for you in every moment. Do you want to choose happiness or make excuses? ∞

Likewise, the past can be a positive influence on the present. If you encounter a problem that you have already solved in the past, you are much more likely to feel confident about your ability to deal with it in the present. The key is that the past is just another influence on the thoughts that we have in the present. In every moment, there is another perspective, another way of looking at things that we could adopt instead of repeating the thoughts we have learned.

When You're Not Feeling Happy

When do you feel unhappy? ∞ Any time you are feeling angry, sad, frustrated, or anxious because you just aren't happy with what's going on, you are putting stress on your mind and body. We feel stress when we resist what is.

When something happens and you feel upset, take the time to acknowledge and feel your sadness, madness, or whatever you feel. When you feel unhappy, try to figure out what you are wishing would change about the situation or person so you can feel happy. When you realize that you are counting on the world around you to change, it's easy to see that you have another choice. Do you want to continue feeling upset about something you can't change or do you want to be happy? ∞

Sometimes, it might be helpful to look at your current situation as if it were on a TV screen. There you are, a character in a movie or TV episode, late for school and your mom and your sister are upset. By taking this perspective you have become the observer of what is happening and that observer is always connected to the calm that is in every moment. You have pulled away from your reactive mind and are seeing that how you act and react is part of your experience, but not who you truly are. You are more than just a physical person, and you can choose to step back and pick a different path to end the drama of fear, sadness, and anger.

Jamie looked at how bad he felt and that his parents were upset because he had forgotten to do his homework again. His mom started talking about what needed to happen for him to get on track. His dad just looked at him, with eyes that said, "Why can't you just do this right?"

Jamie put his family and himself on the world TV screen and looked at the situation. They were acting like they always did, and Jamie had forgotten, which he always did. But now Jamie was able to look at this without being a part of it. He was not responsible for his parents' reactions. He could only take responsiblty for his own. He thought about plugging into the world energy, and connecting this TV screen into it. He took a deep breath, and let go of feeling judged. He knew that he was a great kid. Then he let go of his frustration that his parents were always putting pressure on him. He tapped gently on the side of his hand and said "I am a wonderful kid even if I struggle with schedules." Then he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and asked within for a solution, something that would change this situation forever...he didn't know what or where, but he knew if he plugged in, it would come. Then he saw that he had a choice! He smiled and went over and kissed his mom and said, "I'm sorry you're so upset, but it already happened. Life is now!"

He told his parents that he was going to talk to his teacher about the homework, because he didn't want to do it. What was the point of doing it if he didn't want to? He thought, Do I want to flunk a grade? Not really. What do I want to create? Something changed and he could now see that he was creating what happened by not taking responsibility for what he wanted to happened. And, that was the start of Jamie taking responsibility for his own happiness.

Every moment is an opportunity to realize that we are much more than just what happens to us. We are alive and miracles and magic exist in every moment, right now. You have access to an unlimited amount of knowledge and information that exists in the world, waiting to be heard. Just like the discovery of gravity, life is about paying attention to what is true. It was always there, just waiting for someone to think and understand it. Now is the time to understand who you truly are.

July 2008