Enlightenment & The Power of Now
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Join Date: Oct 2011
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Enlightenment & The Power of Now
"It's very easy
to carry the past
around with you.
To think about what happened
yesterday
or a year ago
or 20 years ago.
To think
you could have done
something different
that would have
made things better.
Or link all of the memories
together into a story
and calling it 'me.'
But it's all nonsense.
What happened
even 20 seconds ago
has nothing to do
with what you are now.
From the perspective
of the mind
you are this person
that stretches back in time.
You are the sum
of all of your memories.
But this is only mental chatter.
It has nothing to do with
what you truly are.
Truly, meaning
not what you think yourself to be
but what is here beyond
all the thinking nonsense.
No matter
what you may think about it,
you are alive in this moment.
Yesterday is not alive;
yesterday is nonexistent.
Right now,
there is the undeniable
sense of life
beyond all the useless
definitions and descriptions.
Right now life is happening
and it is your choice
whether you are alive
in this moment
or you choose
to distract yourself
about endless
commentaries
of what happened before,
what might happen later
and what to call this moment
so the mind can understand it.
If you choose in this moment
to experience yourself alive
then you are radiance.
It is no easy task,
it requires your complete
attention
to remain here
on what is really
going on in this moment.
Not your ideas about
what is going on,
not your knowledge
of what it felt like 10 seconds ago
to be alive in this moment.
But right here;
living is happening,
life is happening.
Not for your body
or your mind
or any of that nonsense.
You allow all that to be
but you look past it.
Something much bigger,
life itself
in its totality
radiating
even exploding
in this moment
with such force
that it belittles
the mind,
belittles
the idea of this
self important 'you'
with all its problems
and desires.
Its not really about
getting a certain pleasure
or attainment
but being alive,
being willing enough
to truly feel life
happening in this moment
and remaining
alive,
remaining
attentive
to the direct experience
that life is happening
forever and ever
in this moment.
To remain immersed
in the source of life
that is lighting up
the whole show.
And if you even
think about it
you miss it.
If you know it
you miss it.
It is too simple
for understanding.
Too close to you
to even be seen.
You can only be
and recognize being,
which are really the
same thing.
You fully recognize
being in this moment
and there is no
room for anything else.
Consciousness
takes up the whole view.
Blessings,
to carry the past
around with you.
To think about what happened
yesterday
or a year ago
or 20 years ago.
To think
you could have done
something different
that would have
made things better.
Or link all of the memories
together into a story
and calling it 'me.'
But it's all nonsense.
What happened
even 20 seconds ago
has nothing to do
with what you are now.
From the perspective
of the mind
you are this person
that stretches back in time.
You are the sum
of all of your memories.
But this is only mental chatter.
It has nothing to do with
what you truly are.
Truly, meaning
not what you think yourself to be
but what is here beyond
all the thinking nonsense.
No matter
what you may think about it,
you are alive in this moment.
Yesterday is not alive;
yesterday is nonexistent.
Right now,
there is the undeniable
sense of life
beyond all the useless
definitions and descriptions.
Right now life is happening
and it is your choice
whether you are alive
in this moment
or you choose
to distract yourself
about endless
commentaries
of what happened before,
what might happen later
and what to call this moment
so the mind can understand it.
If you choose in this moment
to experience yourself alive
then you are radiance.
It is no easy task,
it requires your complete
attention
to remain here
on what is really
going on in this moment.
Not your ideas about
what is going on,
not your knowledge
of what it felt like 10 seconds ago
to be alive in this moment.
But right here;
living is happening,
life is happening.
Not for your body
or your mind
or any of that nonsense.
You allow all that to be
but you look past it.
Something much bigger,
life itself
in its totality
radiating
even exploding
in this moment
with such force
that it belittles
the mind,
belittles
the idea of this
self important 'you'
with all its problems
and desires.
Its not really about
getting a certain pleasure
or attainment
but being alive,
being willing enough
to truly feel life
happening in this moment
and remaining
alive,
remaining
attentive
to the direct experience
that life is happening
forever and ever
in this moment.
To remain immersed
in the source of life
that is lighting up
the whole show.
And if you even
think about it
you miss it.
If you know it
you miss it.
It is too simple
for understanding.
Too close to you
to even be seen.
You can only be
and recognize being,
which are really the
same thing.
You fully recognize
being in this moment
and there is no
room for anything else.
Consciousness
takes up the whole view.
Blessings,
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Twin Cities MN
Posts: 83
The Power of Now is an awesome read! Very inspirational.
In my recent inpatient stay, I dedicated my time to thinking about what the 12 steps realy mean for me, especially spiritually (given my bacground in eastern beliefs and traditions). The present moment is a theme that crops up continually - in both beautiful and puzzling ways.
Just had to share that after reading this thread
In my recent inpatient stay, I dedicated my time to thinking about what the 12 steps realy mean for me, especially spiritually (given my bacground in eastern beliefs and traditions). The present moment is a theme that crops up continually - in both beautiful and puzzling ways.
Just had to share that after reading this thread
Laozi Old Man
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 6,665
Originally Posted by ZenJen 
...(given my bacground in eastern beliefs and traditions). The present moment is a theme that crops up continually - in both beautiful and puzzling ways.
Meister Eckhart's Sermons translated into English by Claud Field. At Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
Meister Eckhart und seine Zeit German Website, most texts in German translation, some in Latin
Meister Eckhart Bibliography (1800-1997)
Meister Eckhart Bibliography (1997-)
Meister Eckhart entry by B. Mojsisch & O.F. Summerell in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
"Meister Eckhart (1260—1328)" article in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Brown, Arthur, "The Man From Whom God Hid Nothing."
The Eckhart Society. Research by catholic scholars
The Meister Eckhart Site, including full text of the papal bull against Meister Eckhart.
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