DocM wrote on Feb 24th, 2014 at 3:18pm:Albert,
That is the core problem that unsettled me on me read of Tolle. That both ego and mind/thinking are the enemy in modern society. Being or presence if the goal for him, not active thought (unless I am misreading him). Mind is a tool for the ego, and both are said to dissolve in the light of presence or just "being." I found myself wanting to get more in tune with being and presence, but unsettled by his theory of mind being a "monstrosity" to human beings, and an enemy to spirituality or unity with Source. But hey, he would just say that is my ego rebelling against its unreality, right?
M
I'm not a big Tolle fan, but after glancing through the book I have, which I wouldn't think would be a lot different than the one you have, it seems to me that he is attempting to describe the difference between a mind that is always thinking centered on the past/future and the "Being state" of mind, which can only be focused in the present moment.
As you know our thoughts can run rampant, especially when we react from fear. If something happens in our life that we oppose, judge as bad, causes us pain, gets us tied up in knots so to speak, it is our mind continuously thinking about it that can be our enemy, a "monstrosity" to humans.
On the other hand, if we are in a state of being and focused in the present moment, then we are not doing a lot of thinking. Our mind is more or less still or silent where thoughts can enter into our mind if need be, but we are not running them through our mind like a broken phonograph record. When we are focused in the present we are focused on the task at hand. We are in a state of being that is mostly without thought. Instead we are immersed with peace, calmness, a sense of joy as well as being unaware of time passing.
When we are in a state of being and focused on the present, we are more of an observer, we have clarity of mind, and let ourselves go fully into whatever is at hand, where our life energy flows out of us from an internal source. Then it seems colors are brighter, tastes are sweeter, the air is more fragrant, and the sounds around us create a symphony. These are moments when solutions to problems come to us without us having to think about the problem. Instead the solution has emerged from deep within. Or they can also be moments where we notice an old woman's wrinkled hands or look into the eyes of a newborn baby and we are filled with wonder for the mystery of life. Again, the feelings emerged from deep within, from our deep inner source or essence. We cannot "think" these experiences. They can only come from within us while we are in a state of being such as acceptance.
It's where we learn to turn down the internal noise, constant thinking in our head so we can pay attention to the softer rhythms, the subtle nuances of life that are the foundations of our moment to moment experience of life itself, which is our inner essence.
Kathy