The Power of Now and Meow.

"Enlightenment is only a nap away"

3^rd February 2013       

I’ve started to re-read parts of “The Power of Now” (Eckhart Tolle).  I recalled that it was good, and I now find it’s even more amazing than I recalled. I’ve started from about half way through and it really does put everything into perspective.

I’ve been trying to figure out how to respond to aggression, to be fair in an argument and also keep healthy boundaries in place. In some situations, no matter what you do, it seems to fuel the disagreement. If you cry and ask for what you need you’re pathetic, needy and unlovable. If you yell you’re a bully, and if you shut down in order to cope then you’re cold and mean. These sort of reactions flourish in times of fear and anxiety. I really do believe that when people truly love themselves and others then they are willing to work on ‘being’ instead of reacting.

If someone is in pain and lashing out, they are lost in a kind of ‘mind maze’. It seems that the more you try and help them out of it, the more rejection you may encounter.

Tolle talks about the ‘inner body’, to pay attention to the sense of what is within. I’m practising it now as I type these words. I’m feeling not just the physical sensation of my heart in my chest, but of this very light sense of well being. There really are no words for it.

I might be losing something in my life right now. I have reacted as I usually would for much of it, how many of us do. Crying and reaching out like a child for comfort. Perhaps others clam up and close off during fear of loss. Get them together and watch the show!

I like what Tolle has to say about emotion.

“In a fully functional organism, an emotion has a very short life span. It is like a momentary ripple or wave on the surface of your Being. When you are not in your body, however, an emotion can survive inside you for days or weeks, or join with other emotions of a similar frequency that have merged and become the pain-body, a parasite that can live inside you for years, feed on your energy, lead to physical illness, and make your life miserable (see chapter 2).

So place your attention on feeling the emotion, and check whether your mind is holding on to a grievance pattern such as blame, self-pity, or resentment that is feeding the emotion. If that is the case, it means you haven’t forgiven. Non forgiveness is often toward another person or yourself, but it just as may as well be toward any situation or condition – past, present, or future – that your mind refuses to accept. … The moment you truly forgive, you have reclaimed your power from the mind …. the mind made false self, the ego, cannot survive without strife and conflict. The mind cannot forgive. Only you can. You become present, you enter your body, you feel the vibrant peace and stillness that emanate from Being. (page 120,121).

I often worked on Forgiveness last year, and also decided to figure out what a safety net for the heart would be, and how to get one. As I forgave and worked on my ‘inner body’, life changed rapidly and I realise that I am able to process negative emotions much faster than ever before. I also do not lose a deep core of inner peace. It’s there.

If you are working through conflict, then know you are not alone. Take some time to pay attention to that inner body.  Imagine that your anger or pain is being drained away by lots of silver straws, safely siphoned away … away … awayyyyy.

All I know is that this physical life is short. If someone wants to love and be loved, then cool. If they don’t, then that is their choice and their journey. All I can do is respect that, and myself.

May you enjoy the power of meow.