Thursday, March 27, 2008

Going Beyond The Ego

A friend loaned me a book to read. I can't believe my good fortune - she even asked me to highlight, underline, and mark it up for her. You would think it couldn't get any better than that EXCEPT it is just exactly what I need to read right now to move me forward a couple steps in the right direction.

The loaner turned out to be Eckhart Tolle's book "A New Earth - Awakening To Your Life's Purpose". It is all about the ego and our over-identification with our thoughts. This is where I am at in the book:

"Although body-identification is one of the most basic forms of ego, it is also the one that you can most easily go beyond. This is done not by trying to convince yourself that you are not your body, but by shifting your attention from the external form of your body and FROM THOUGHTS ABOUT YOUR BODY - to the feeling of aliveness inside it. No matter what your body's appearance is on the outer level, beyond the outer form it is an intensely alive energy field."

But, it gets even better. He goes on to give an exercise that is EXTREMELY EASY TO DO which will increase your "inner body" awareness.

"Close your eyes for a moment and find out if there is life inside your hands....become aware of the subtle feeling of aliveness inside them.....If you hold your attention in your hands for a while, the sense of aliveness will intensify....Then go to your feet, keep your attention there for a minute or so, and begin to feel your hands and feet at the same time. Then incorporate other parts of the body - legs, arms, abdomen, chest, and so on - until you are aware of the inner body as a global sense of aliveness....Make it a habit to feel the inner body as often as you can...When you are in touch with the inner body, you are not identified with the body anymore, nor are you identified with the mind. This is to say, you are no longer identified with form but moving away from form-identification toward formlessness, which we may also call Being. It is your essence identity. Body awareness not only anchors you in the present moment, it is a doorway out of the prison that is the ego.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tip Rose. I plan on purchasing that book. Nice to see you're back on your blog. I miss your readings.

Rambling Rose said...

Thanks, DW. I was inspired to write something in your honor the 1st of March on my other blog; but I didn't know how to let you know. It is called "Sisters" I will put a link here in case you check back:

www.judilynn.wordpress.com

Rambling Rose said...

I just checked back on that. I titled it "Sisterhood". And I guess the links don't take in the comments. You will have to type it in manually. Hope you find it. I appreciate all the support you have given.

Anonymous said...

Found it Rose and loved it. I have seen this before and each time it reminds me of the importance of having other women as a mirror. Keep up your posting. Some times that's what gets me thru the day. Sisters....