Obama is not the answer - you are

Hello again gentle readers

Lately it's become trendy to revile Barack Obama in the blogosphere. When he was elected there was general public euphoria ~ now it seems the honeymoon is over, and because instant Utopia has seemingly not emerged, the public are gradually turning on the man.

Can I urge a little balance here people. Frankly I too was glad to see him elected ~ not because he was any kind of saviour, but he was at least a well-spoken, articulate man of apparently, at least, some sensitivity. Surely it's better we have someone in office who is interested in the future as opposed to simply maintaining a worn-out status quo.

My view is simply this ~ you wanted him to solve all your problems, now you are blaming him for what is still not fixed. Can I suggest that as the man himself said in his inaugural speech, it really is up to each one of us ~ yep, that's right - you! ~ to address our personal and collective problems. I am not advocating the radical individualism of the past. I am reminding us all that we have the power in our own hands to improve our personal reality.

The way to do this, in my humble opinion, is to realise that much of what we do is dysfunctional. This is not to condemn anyone, but rather to help. We need to stop trying to solve our problems at the level of the mind ~ because it's our overactive, self-deceptive, monkey-chattering minds that ARE the problem.

More and more, I find I am craving a better way of living ~ not, in the first instance, a "better life", which is the well-worn egoic mind's perpetual external-seeking of something "better". I crave for myself more objectivity, more inner stability both of my mind and persona. I really feel I need to get out of the way; to be the observer rather than the reactor. As I cultivate this inner observer more, I can see that others sense the change in me. I cease to have any particular agenda, therefore I get back from the universe a positive reaction, smiles from strangers, and a greater sense of inner peace.

All this can be done while being active in the world. We just need to come back to square one ~ which is our very self. Let's tear down the idea of "my-self"; this entity that needs constant fulfillment and distraction. Let's try to return to the sacred inner source where all our needs are already met.

I am constantly reminded of the words of Eckhart Tolle ~ such simple, nourishing words that being me back to first principles every time. That's what I believe we need right now ~ in a world that wants to take us away from our inner self, let's remember that without our inner self we can never have the truly better quality of life we all crave. Blessings and peace to all

Anthony

Transformation with consciousness

I want to mention two more books I've read lately, which are Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now and A New Earth.

These books are so useful because they define the main dilemma we have today, namely, the mind-ego and its machinations. Tolle elegantly but insightfully points out that the main cause of our suffering is our mind, which, being largely cut off from the main source of life-energy, thinks itself weak and insecure. Thus is born the existential terror most of us face ~ the fear of death.

I had a mini-revelation yesterday when I realised some of the truth that I am not the mind-ego that fears its death. I am the "I" who is beyond the death of the ego. In that moment I saw clearly that the fear of death is really just from the ego, which is an insecure structure of mental energy, made of of thoughts and fears, that must one day dissolve. I suddenly felt liberated, in some way, from the fear of personal death.

I have always believed in a spiritual reality beyond this world that we perceive with our five senses. Yet this was a new thing for me, to have a moment where I could clearly see the illusory nature of ego. I guess my reading paid off. Thank you, Mr Tolle!

Now for anyone who is also on a spiritual-seeking path, do not be put off by all this high-falutin' jargon. Tolle is very much in tune with the teachings of Jesus, and much of what Tolle says is in perfect alignment with the Master. For me, Jesus has always been number 1 in wisdom and in spiritual truth ~ what Tolle does is give this wisdom a refresh for our times. It's the same wisdom, it's just being given a new and contemporary airing.

I highly recommend these two titles, The Power of Now and A New Earth, for anyone who wants to get to grips directly with the cause of their own suffering, and who wants to take practical steps towards gaining their own enlightenment-moment.