Eckhart Tolle

21 of the Best Gratitude Quotes & A Simple Way to Practice Gratitude

2013-11-19 By Monica 3 Comments

Thanksgiving is almost upon us and is a great reminder to practice gratitude for all the wonderful things in our lives. Feeling gratitude is not only a nice thing to do, but studies show that it can improve our health, reduces feelings of depression, anxiety and sleep disorders, it improves our relationships, and increases feelings of happiness and well-being. A pretty powerful tool by any standard.

So what is the best way to practice gratitude? [Read more…] about 21 of the Best Gratitude Quotes & A Simple Way to Practice Gratitude

Finding Your Life’s Purpose in the Now

2013-01-08 By Monica 2 Comments

present moment, mindfulness
“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.” ~Eckhart Tolle

There have been many books and articles written about finding your passion, your life purpose, what you are meant to do. Most of these articles have been written to specifically address your career path and finding something that brings you joy and fulfillment. An important aspect of life purpose is often overlooked however. In Finding Your Life’s Purpose, Eckhart Tolle defines the primary life purpose and talks about why so many of us are unhappy and dissatisfied with our lives. We spend our time stuck in the past or thinking about the future while entirely missing the now. The past and future only exist in our minds as thoughts or memories.

“Always say “yes” to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to what already is? what could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say “yes” to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.” ~Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart says we have two purposes in life, a primary purpose and a secondary purpose. According to Eckhart, we get so caught up in life and in trying to discover our purpose that we miss the whole point, or primary purpose as he calls it. When we’re in this state, everything just becomes a means to an end.

Primary purpose: Our primary purpose is to live in the Present Moment, to be here fully and know we are exactly where we are meant to be at that moment doing exactly what we’re supposed to be doing. This is also called mindfulness.

To practice mindfulness, simply stop for a moment and focus on your breath. The simple act of focusing on your breath brings your focus to the body and it quiets the mind. Thich Nhat Hanh says, “The first miracle brought about by mindfulness is your own presence, real presence. With this energy dwelling in you, you become completely alive.”

Secondary purpose: Your secondary purpose is what you are meant to do which is also referred to as Dharma in The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. Everyone has a purpose in life, a unique gift or special talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals.

“The inspiration you seek is already within you. Be silent and listen.” ~Rumi

Often, we are so caught up in everyday life that we don’t notice our purpose. That’s where quiet meditation comes in. It’s often easier said than done when you first get started but it doesn’t have to be. Just take a few minutes to sit in quiet each day and just listen, focus on your breathing. You don’t need to do any special breathing techniques or rituals, just be. You will find the more often you do this, the easier it gets and the longer you are able to do this. How do you use meditation? Share your thoughts below.

Escaping the Trap of Victim Consciousness

2012-11-24 By Monica 1 Comment

“To complain is always nonacceptance of what is. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself a victim. Leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness.” ~Eckhart Tolle

From time to time, we may all feel a bit out of balance with life, stressed or just plain weak, that is part of the human condition. When you’re feeling overwhelmed or out of balance, it’s easy to fall into complaining, blaming others, or just ending up in a state of despair. All of these states are examples of victim consciousness.

It is victim consciousness that can often be blamed for many of our social ills including war, dysfunction, and by many accounts, even disease.

In Life Visioning: A Four-Stage Evolutionary Journey to Live as Divine Love, Michael Bernard Beckwith describes a victim:

“The victim has a tendency to think that life is doing something to them. It’s an external diety, a God, it’s a circumstance, a situation, one’s parents, in more superstitious cultures it might be described as The Devil. The victim stage is characterized by “What is Life Doing to Me?”, “What are Those People Doing to Me?”. Every victim has a powerful “they did it to me” story. They have a powerful BLAME story.

If you ask a victim, why aren’t they happy?, why aren’t they evolving?, why aren’t they successful? why aren’t things going right for them? – they will immediately have a story. About 90% will have a story about how somebody else did it to them.”

The limiting beliefs of the victim conscious state prevent individuals from moving forward, growing and developing and establishing that sense of inner peace. Beckwith goes on to say:

“Pain pushes you, until your Vision pulls you.”

But the victim has not yet been pulled by vision of a higher vibration of energy, a higher frequency, or that which is seeking to evolve through them, so they are being pushed by pain, and feel that life is drudgery, boring or something to be protected from. For those in victim consciousness, energy gets used up coping with life and defending themselves against bad things that might occur.

“Almost every ego contains at least an element of what we might call “victim identity”. Some people have such a strong victim of themselves that it becomes the central core of their ego. Resentment and grievances form an essential part of their sense of self. Even if your grievances are completely “justified,” you have constructed an identify for yourself that is much like a prison whose bars are made of thought forms.” – Eckhart Tolle, The Pain-Body And The Egoic Self

Once there is an understanding of victim consciousness, it becomes easier to change current thinking patterns and finding self empowerment. True peace can only be achieved through personal responsibility and accepting things are they as, not as we wish they were. In order to move out of the victim consciousness and into a higher order of being, one must begin to take responsibility for one’s life. The victim must begin to release blame from their daily practice. You must begin to let go of blaming – any one, any circumstance, any situation – for your dilemma.

Along with releasing the blame is practicing forgiveness. Beckwith says,

“Forgiveness is not ‘I’m forgiving this person, and now I get to hang out with them, and we get to be friends again’. That may be true in some cases but in some cases, you may never like that other person, that person may not ever be a part of who you would want to associate with or call friend. That’s not what we are talking about here.

Forgiveness is eliminating toxicity from your being. You are coming out of being a victim and stepping into a greater sense of empowerment, having dominion over your attention, taking responsibility for your life. You don’t want to give your power away to any one or any circumstance, saying incorrectly that they determine your success, your health, your happiness, your wholeness.

Do you find yourself falling into victim consciousness? What are your strategies for regaining your center? Share your thoughts below.

Eckhart Tolle

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