Do you ever find yourself dwelling on things in the past? I do. I do it a lot. I think about things both positive and negative, but I tend to dwell on the negative. People say that you shouldn't live in the past but rather we should learn from the past. To learn is good. They also say don't worry about the future, don't worry about something that might be. How true. So what does that leave us, the Present, the Now.I am currently reading this book The Power of Now A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle. To say it is enlightening for me would be an understatement. It has given me many concepts to ponder. It also provides for some very interesting topics of conversations. For me it challenges the concept of how we identify ourselves.
I don't know about you but I have often identified who I am based on where I have come from. My past experiences good and bad have made me who I am today. Is that such a bad thing?
According to Eckhart, by holding onto feelings and emotions from the past holds us hostage to our emotional pain center, Echart describes these feelings as "pain-body", that we identify these feelings/emotions as being who we are"....you have made an unhappy self out of your pain-body and believe that this mind-made fiction is who you are. In that case, unconscious fear of losing your identity will create strong resistance to any disidentification. In other words, you would rather be in pain ~ pain-body ~ than take a leap into the unknown and risk losing the familiar unhappy self."
An interesting concept. So if I understand him correctly he is saying I would rather stay unhappy because that is familiar to me, rather than risk the unknown to possibly become a better me. Food for thought don't you think?
Eckhart really wants to teach the reader how to let go of the past and not worry about the future but live in the NOW. Is that possible? Part of me wants to believe this to be possible. I was saying to my husband the other day....I can work on letting go of my past, but what about the future. It has been ingrained in us to always plan for the future, like the squirrels rushing around and gathering nuts and storing them in preparation for the "possible" long winters. But if I don't take care of the future, then who will....then it dawned on me.....if I live in the NOW and take care of the NOW then tomorrow will be taken care of. Simple concept really, but not an easy one to really grasp to live by. Is that Nirvana?
I have really simplified Eckharts concept of NOW. One of the things that I really liked in his book is how he spoke about those moments in our lives when no words can express how you are feeling living the moment. Like holding your child for the first time, or when you see something so breathtaking or you are in total awe of your surroundings no words can express how beautiful, tranquil and invigorating that experience is for you.
We can all live and hold onto our past, or worry and busy ourselves planning for the future, but then we often forget about living and enjoying the present. What a pity don't you think?
