ANewEarth

ANewEarthANewEarth

ANewEarth

CHAPTERONETHEFLOWERINGOFHUMANCONSCIOUSNESS

EVOCATIONEarth,114millionyearsago,onemorning justaftersunrise:Thefirst flowerever toappearontheplanetopensuptoreceivetheraysofthesun.Priortothismomentouseventthatheraldsanevolutionary transformation in the lifeofplants, theplanet had alreadybeen covered in vegetation formillionsofyears.The first flowerprobablydidnot survive for long, and flowersmusthave remainedrare and isolated phenomena, since conditions were most likely not yet favorable for a widespreadfloweringtooccur.Oneday,however,acriticalthresholdwasreached,andsuddenlytherewouldhavebeenanexplosionofcolorandscentallovertheplanetifaperceivingconsciousnesshadbeentheretowitnessit.

Muchlater,thosedelicateandfragrantbeingswecallflowerswouldcometoplayanessentialpartintheevolutionofconsciousnessofanotherspecies.Humanswouldincreasinglybedrawntoandfascinatedbythem.Astheconsciousnessofhumanbeingsdeveloped,flowersweremostlikelythefirstthingtheycame to value that had no utilitarian purpose for them, that is to say,was not linked in someway tosurvival.Theyprovidedinspirationtocountlessartists,poets,andmystics.Jesustellsustocontemplatetheflowersandlearnfromthenhowtolive.TheBuddhaissaidtohavegivenasilentsermononceduringwhich he held up a flower and gazed at it. After a while, one of those present, a monk calledMahakasyapa, began to smile.He is said to have been the only onewho had understood the sermon.Accordingtolegend,thatsmile(thatistosay,realization)washandeddownbytwenty?eightsuccessivemastersandmuchlaterbecametheoriginofZen.

Seeingbeauty ina flowercouldawakenhumans,howeverbriefly, to thebeauty that isanessentialpartoftheirowninnermostbeing,theirtruenature.Thefirstrecognitionofbeautywasoneof themostsignificanteventsintheevolutionofhumanconsciousness.Thefeelingsofjoyandloveareintrinsicallyconnectedtothatrecognition.Withoutourfullyrealizingit,flowerswouldbecomeforusanexpressioninformof thatwhich ismosthigh,most sacred,andultimately formlesswithinourselves.Flowers,morefleeting,moreetherealandmoredelicatethantheplantsoutofwhichtheyemerged,wouldbecomelikemessengersfromanotherrealm,likeabridge

betweentheworldofphysicalformsandtheformless.Theynotonlyhadascentthatwasdelicateandpleasingtohumans,butalsobroughtafragrancefromtherealmofspirit.Usingthewordenlightenmentinawidersensethantheconventionallyacceptedone,wecouldlookuponflowersastheenlightenmentofplants.

Any life?form in any realm mineral, vegetable, animal, or human can be said to undergoenlightenment. It is, however, an extremely rare occurrence since it is more than an evolutionaryprogression: It also implies a discontinuity in its development, a leap to an entirely different level ofBeingand,mostimportant,alesseningofmateriality.

Whatcouldbeheavierandmore impenetrable thana rock, thedensestofall forms?Andyet somerocksundergoachangeintheirmolecularstructure,turnintocrystals,andsobecometransparenttothelight.Somecarbons,underinconceivableheatandpressure,turnintodiamonds,andsomeheavymineralsintootherpreciousstones.

Mostcrawlingreptilians,themostearthboundofallcreatures,haveremainedunchangedformillionsofyears.Some,however,grewfeathersandwingsandturnedintobirds,thusdefyingtheforceofgravitythathadheldthemforsolong.Theydidntbecomebetteratcrawlingorwalking,buttranscendedcrawlingandwalkingentirely.

Sincetimeimmemorial, flowers,crystals,preciousstones,andbirdshaveheldspecialsignificance

forthehumanspirit.Likeall life?forms,theyare,ofcourse,temporarymanifestationsof theunderlyingoneLife,oneConsciousness.Theirspecialsignificanceandthereasonwhyhumansfeelsuchfascinationforandaffinitywiththemcanbeattributedtotheiretherealquality.

Once there isacertaindegreeofpresence,of stillandalertattention inhumanbeingsperceptions,theycansensethedivinelifeessence,theoneindwellingconsciousnessorspiritineverycreature,everylife?form, recognize it asonewith theirownessenceandso love it as themselves.Until thishappens,however,mosthumansseeonlytheouterforms,unawareoftheinneressence,justastheyareunawareoftheirownessenceandidentifyonlywiththeirownphysicalandpsychologicalform.

In thecaseofa flower,acrystal,preciousstone,orbird,however,evensomeonewith little or noPresencecanoccasionallysensethatthereismorethanthemerephysicalexistenceofthatform,withoutknowingthatthisisthereasonwhyheorsheisdrawntowardit,feelsanaffinitywithit.Becauseofitsetherealnature,itsformobscurestheindwellingspirittoalesser

degreethanisthecasewithotherlife?forms.Theexceptiontothisareallnewbornlife?formsbabies,puppies,kittens,lambs,andsoon.Theyarefragile,delicate,notyetfirmlyestablishedinmateriality.Aninnocence,asweetnessandbeautythatarenotofthisworldstillshinethroughthem.Theydelightevenrelativelyinsensitivehumans.

So when you are alert and contemplate a flower, crystal, or bird without naming it mentally, itbecomesawindowforyouintotheformless.Thereisaninneropening,howeverslight,intotherealmofspirit.Thisiswhythesethreeen?lightenedlife?formshaveplayedsuchanimportantpartintheevolutionofhumanconsciousnesssinceancienttimes;why,forexample,thejewelinthelotusflowerisacentralsymbolofBuddhismandawhitebird,thedove,signifiestheHolySpiritinChristianity.Theyhavebeenpreparingthegroundforamoreprofoundshiftinplanetaryconsciousnessthatisdestinedtotakeplaceinthehumanspecies.Thisisthespiritualawakeningthatwearebeginningtowitnessnow.

ANewEarth

THEPURPOSEOFTHISBOOK

Ishumanityreadyforatransformationofconsciousness,aninnerfloweringsoradicalandprofoundthatcomparedtoitthefloweringofplants,nomatterhowbeautiful,

is only a pale reflection?Can human beings lose the density of their conditionedmind structures andbecomelikecrystalsorpreciousstones,sotospeak,transparenttothelightofconsciousness?Cantheydefy the gravitational pull ofmaterialism andmateriality and rise above identificationwith form thatkeepstheegoinplaceandcondemnsthemtoimprisonmentwithintheirownpersonality?

Thepossibilityofsuchatransformationhasbeenthecentralmessageofthegreatwisdomteachingsofhumankind. The messengers Buddha, Jesus, and others, not all of them known were humanitys earlyflowers.Theywereprecursors,rareandpreciousbeings.Awidespreadfloweringwasnotyetpossibleatthattime,andtheirmessagebecamelargelymisunderstoodandoftengreatlydistorted.Itcertainlydidnottransformhumanbehavior,exceptinasmallminorityofpeople.

Ishumanitymorereadynowthanatthetimeofthoseearlyteachers?Whyshouldthisbeso?Whatcanyoudo,ifanything,tobringaboutoracceleratethisinnershift?Whatisitthatcharacterizestheoldegoicstateofconsciousness,andbywhatsignsisthenewemergingconsciousnessrecognized?Theseandotheressentialquestionswillbeaddressedinthisbook.Moreimportant,thisbookitselfisatransformationaldevicethathas

comeoutofthearisingnewconsciousness.Theideasandconceptspresentedheremaybeimportant,buttheyaresecondary.Theyarenomorethansignpostspointingtowardawakening.Asyouread,ashifttakesplacewithinyou.

Thisbooksmainpurposeisnottoaddnewinformationorbeliefstoyourmindortotrytoconvinceyouofanything,but tobringaboutashift inconsciousness; that is tosay, toawaken. In thatsense, thisbookisnotinteresting.Interestingmeansyoucankeepyourdistance,playaroundwithideasandconceptsinyourmind,agreeordisagree.Thisbookisaboutyou.Itwillchangeyourstateofconsciousnessoritwillbemeaningless.Itcanonlyawakenthosewhoareready.Noteveryoneisreadyyet,butmanyare,andwitheachpersonwhoawakens,themomentuminthecollectiveconsciousnessgrows,anditbecomeseasierforothers.Ifyoudontknowwhatawakeningmeans,readon.Onlybyawakeningcanyouknowthetruemeaningofthatword.Aglimpseisenoughtoinitiatetheawakeningprocess,whichisirreversible.For some, that glimpsewill comewhile reading this book. Formany others whomay not even haverealizedit,theprocesshasalreadybegun.Thisbookwillhelpthemrecognizeit.Forsome,itmayhavebegun through loss or suffering; for others, through coming into contact with a spiritual teacher orteaching, through reading The Power of Now or some other spiritually alive and thereforetransformationalbookoranycombinationoftheabove.Iftheawakeningprocesshasbeguninyou, thereadingofthisbookwillaccelerateandintensifyit.

An essential part of the awakening is the recognition of the unawakened you, the ego as it thinks,speaks and acts, as well as the recognition of the collectively conditioned mental processes thatperpetuatetheunawakenedstate.Thatiswhythisbookshowsthemainaspectsoftheegoandhowtheyoperateintheindividualaswellasinthecollective.Thisisimportantfortworelatedreasons:Thefirstisthatunlessyouknowthebasicmechanicsbehindtheworkingsoftheego,youwontrecognizeit,anditwill trick you into identifying with it again and again. This means it takes you over, an impostorpretendingtobeyou.Thesecondreasonisthattheactofrecognitionitselfisoneofthewaysinwhichawakeninghappens.Whenyou recognize theunconsciousness inyou, thatwhichmakes the recognitionpossibleisthearisingconsciousness,isawakening.Youcannotfightagainsttheegoandwin,justasyoucannotfightagainstdarkness.Thelightofconsciousnessisallthatisnecessary.Youarethatlight.

ANewEarthOURINHERITEDDYSFUNCTION

Ifwelookmoredeeplyintohumanitysancientreligionsandspiritualtraditions,wewillfindthatunderneaththemanysurfacedifferencestherearetwocoreinsights that

mostofthemagreeon.Thewordstheyusetodescribethoseinsightsdiffer,yettheyallpointtoatwofoldfundamentaltruth.Thefirstpartofthistruthistherealizationthatthenormalstateofmindofmosthumanbeingscontainsastrongelementofwhatwemightcalldysfunctionorevenmadness.Certainteachingsatthe heart ofHinduism perhaps come closest to seeing this dysfunction as a form of collectivementalillness.Theycallitmaya,theveilofdelusion.RamanaMaharshi,oneofthegreatestIndiansages,bluntlystates:Themindismaya.

Buddhismusesdifferentterms.AccordingtotheBuddha,thehumanmindinitsnormalstategeneratesdukkha, which can be translated as suffering, unsatisfactoriness, or just plainmisery. He sees it as acharacteristic of the human condition.Wherever you go, whatever you do, says the Buddha, youwillencounterdukkha,anditwillmanifestineverysituationsoonerorlater.

AccordingtoChristianteachings,thenormalcollectivestateofhumanityisoneoforiginalsin.Sinisa word that has been greatly misunderstood and misinterpreted. Literally translated from the ancientGreekinwhichtheNewTestamentwaswritten,tosinmeanstomissthemark,asanarcherwhomissesthetarget,sotosinmeanstomissthepointofhumanexistence.Itmeanstoliveunskillfully,blindly,andthustosufferandcausesuffering.Again,theterm,strippedofitsculturalbaggageandmisinterpretations,pointstothedysfunctioninherentinthehumancondition.

The achievements of humanity are impressive and undeniable.We have created sublimeworks ofmusic, literature, painting, architecture, and sculpture. More recently, science and technology havebroughtaboutradicalchangesinthewayweliveandhaveenabledustodoandcreatethingsthatwouldhave been considered miraculous even two hundred years ago. No doubt: The human mind is highlyintelligent.Yet its very intelligence is tainted bymadness. Science and technology havemagnified thedestructiveimpactthatthedysfunctionofthehumanmindhasupontheplanet,otherlife?forms,anduponhumans themselves. That is why the history of the twentieth century is where that dysfunction, thatcollective insanity, can bemost clearly recognized.A further factor is that this dysfunction is actuallyintensifyingandaccelerating.

TheFirstWorldWarbrokeoutin1914.Destructiveandcruelwars,motivatedbyfear,greed,andthedesire forpower,hadbeencommonoccurrences throughouthumanhistory,ashad slavery, torture, andwidespreadviolenceinflictedforreligiousandideologicalreasons.Humanssufferedmoreatthehandsofeachotherthanthroughnaturaldisasters.Bytheyear1914,however,thehighlyintelligenthumanmindhadinventednotonlytheinternalcombustionengine,butalsobombs,machineguns,submarines, flamethrowers,andpoisongas.Intelligenceintheserviceofmadness!Instatic trenchwarfareinFranceandBelgium,millions ofmen perished to gain a fewmiles ofmud.When thewarwas over in 1918, thesurvivorslookinhorrorandincomprehensionuponthedevastationleftbehind:tenmillionhumanbeingskilledandmanymoremaimedordisfigured.Neverbeforehadhumanmadnessbeensodestructiveinitseffect,soclearlyvisible.Littledidtheyknowthatthiswasonlythebeginning.

Bytheendofthecentury,thenumberofpeoplewhodiedaviolentdeathatthehandoftheir fellowhumanswouldrisetomorethanonehundredmillion.Theydiednotonlythroughwarsbetweennations,butalsothroughmassexterminationsandgenocide,suchasthemurderoftwentymillionclassenemies,

spies,andtraitorsintheSovietUnionunderStalinortheunspeakablehorrorsoftheHolocaustinNaziGermany.Theyalsodiedincountlesssmallerinternalconflicts,suchastheSpanishcivilwarorduringtheKhmerRougeregimeinCambodiawhenaquarterofthatcountryspopulationwasmurdered.

Weonlyneedtowatchthedailynewsontelevisiontorealizethatthemadnesshasnotabated,thatiscontinuingintothetwenty?firstcentury.Anotheraspectofthecollectivedysfunctionofthehumanmindisthe unprecedented violence that humans are inflicting on other life?forms and the planet itself thedestructionofoxygen?producingforestsandotherplantandanimallife;ill?treatmentofanimalsinfactoryfarms;andpoisoningofrivers,oceans,andair.Drivenbygreed, ignorantof theirconnectedness to thewhole,humanspersistinbehaviorthat,ifcontinuedunchecked,canonlyresultintheirowndestruction.

Thecollectivemanifestationsoftheinsanitythatliesattheheartofthehumanconditionconstitutethegreaterpartofhumanhistory.Itistoalargeextentahistoryofmadness.Ifthehistoryofhumanitywerethe clinical case history of a single human being, the diagnosis would have to be: chronic paranoiddelusions,apathologicalpropensitytocommitmurderand

acts of extreme violence and cruelty against his perceived enemies his own unconsciousnessprojectedoutward.Criminallyinsane,withafewbrieflucidintervals.

Fear,greed,andthedesireforpowerarethepsychologicalmotivatingforcesnotonlybehindwarfareandviolencebetweennations,tribes,religions,andideologies,butalsothecauseofincessantconflictinpersonal relationships. They bring about a distortion in your perception of other people and yourself.Through them,youmisinterpreteverysituation, leading tomisguidedactiondesigned to ridyouof fearandsatisfyyourneedformore,abottomlessholethatcanneverbefilled.

Itisimportanttorealize,however,thatfear,greed,andthedesireforpowerarenotthedysfunctionthatwearespeakingofbutarethemselvescreatedbythedysfunctionwhichisadeep?seatedcollectivedelusionthatlieswithinthemindofeachhumanbeing.Anumberofspiritualteachingstellustoletgooffearanddesire.Butthosespiritualpracticesareusuallyunsuccessful.Theyhaventgonetotherootofthedysfunction.Fear, greed, and desire for power are not the ultimate causal factors.Trying to become agoodorbetterhumanbeingsoundslikeacommendableandhigh?mindedthingtodo,yetitisanendeavoryoucannotultimatelysucceedinunlessthereisashiftinconsciousness.Thisisbecauseitisstillpartofthe same dysfunction, amore subtle and rarefied form of self?enhancement, of desire formore and astrengtheningofonesconceptualidentity,onesself?image.Youdonotbecomegoodbytryingtobegood,butbyfindingthegoodnessthatisalreadywithinyou,andallowingthatgoodnesstoemerge.Butitcanonlyemergeifsomethingfundamentalchangesinyourstateofconsciousness.

ThehistoryofCommunism,originallyinspiredbynobleideals,clearlyillustrateswhathappenswhenpeopleattempttochangeexternalrealitycreateanewearthwithoutanypriorchangeintheirinnerreality,theirstateofconsciousness.Theymakeplanswithouttakingintoaccounttheblueprintfordysfunctionthateveryhumanbeingcarrieswithin:theego.

ANewEarthTHEARISINGNEWCONSCIOUSNESS

Mostancientreligionsandspiritualtraditionssharethecommoninsightthatournormalstateofmindismarredbyafundamentaldefect.However,outofthis insight

intothenatureofthehumanconditionwemaycallitthebadnewsarisesasecondinsight:thegoodnewsofthepossibilityofaradicaltransformationofhumanconsciousness.InHindu

teachings (and sometimes in Buddhism also), this transformation is called enlightenment. In theteachingsofJesus,itissalvation,andinBuddhism,itistheendofsuffering.Liberationandawakeningareothertermsusedtodescribethistransformation.

The greatest achievement of humanity is not its works of art, science, or technology, but therecognitionofitsowndysfunction,itsownmadness.Inthedistantpast,thisrecognitionalreadycametoafewindividuals.AmancalledGautamaSiddhartha,wholived2,600yearsagoinIndia,wasperhapsthefirstwhosawitwithabsoluteclarity.LaterthetitleBuddhawasconferreduponhim.Buddhameanstheawakenedone.Atabutthesametime,anotherofhumanitysearlyawakenedteachersemergedinChina.HisnamewasLaoTzu.Heleftarecordofhisteachingintheformofoneofthemostprofoundspiritualbookseverwritten,theTaoTeChing.

To recognize ones own insanity, is of course, the arising of sanity, the beginning of healing andtranscendence.A newdimension of consciousness had begun to emerge on the planet, a first tentativeflowering.Thoserareindividualsthenspoketotheircontemporaries.Theyspokeofsin,ofsuffering,ofdelusion. They said, Look how you live. Seewhat you are doing, the suffering you create. They thenpointed to thepossibilityof awakening from thecollectivenightmareofnormalhumanexistence.Theyshowedtheway.

The world was not yet ready for them, and yet they were a vital and necessary part of humanawakening.Inevitably,theyweremostlymisunderstoodbytheircontemporaries,aswellasbysubsequentgenerations.Theirteachings,althoughbothsimpleandpowerful,becamedistortedandmisinterpreted,insomecasesevenastheywererecordedinwritingbytheirdisciples.Overthecenturies,manythingswereadded that had nothing to do with the original teachings, but were reflections of a fundamentalmisunderstanding.Someoftheteacherswereridiculed,reviled,orkilled;otherscametobeworshippedasgods.Teachings that pointed theway beyond the dysfunction o the humanmind, theway out of thecollectiveinsanity,weredistortedandbecamethemselvespartoftheinsanity.

Andso religions, toa largeextent,becamedivisive rather thanunifying forces. Insteadof bringingaboutanendingofviolenceandhatredthrougharealizationofthefundamentalonenessofall life, theybroughtmoreviolenceandhatred,moredivisionsbetweenpeopleaswellasbetweendifferentreligionsandevenwithingthesamereligion.Theybecameideologies,beliefsystemspeoplecould identifywithandsousethemto

enhancetheirfalsesenseofself.Throughthem,theycouldmakethemselvesrightandotherswrongandthusdefinetheiridentitythroughtheirenemies,theothers,thenonbelieversorwrongbelieverswhonotinfrequentlytheysawthemselvesjustifiedinkilling.ManmadeGodinhisownimage.Theeternal,theinfinite,andunnameablewasreducedtoamentalidolthatyouhadtobelieveinandworshipasmygodorourgod.

Andyet...andyet... inspiteofall theinsanedeedsperpetratedinthenameofreligion, theTruth towhich theypoint still shinesat their core. It still shines,howeverdimly, through layersupon layersof

distortionandmisinterpretation.Itisunlikely,however,thatyouwillbeabletoperceiveitthereunlessyouhaveatleastalreadyhadglimpseofthatTruthwithinyourself.Throughouthistory,therehavealwaysbeen rare individualswhoexperienceda shift in consciousnessand so realizedwithin themselves thattowardwhichall religionspoint.Todescribe thatnon?conceptualTruth, they thenused the conceptualframeworkoftheirownreligions.

Throughsomeofthosemenandwomen,schoolsormovementsdevelopedwithinallmajorreligionsthat representednotonlya rediscovery,but in somecasesan intensificationof the lightof theoriginalteaching.ThisishowGnosticismandmysticismcameintoexistenceinearlyandmedievalChristianity,SufismintheIslamicreligion,HasidismandKabbalainJudaism,AdvaitaVedantainHinduism,ZenandDzogcheninBuddhism.Mostoftheseschoolswereiconoclastic.Theydidawaywithlayersuponlayersofdeadeningconceptualizationandmentalbeliefstructures,andforthisreasonmostofthemwereviewedwith suspicion and often hostility by the established religious hierarchies.Unlikemainstream religion,their teachings emphasized realization and inner transformation. It is through those esoteric schools ormovementsthatthemajorreligionsregainedthetransformativepoweroftheoriginalteachings,althoughinmost cases, only a small minority of people had access to them. Their numbers were never largeenoughtohaveanysignificantimpactonthedeepcollectiveunconsciousnessofthemajority.Overtime,someofthoseschoolsthemselvesbecametoorigidlyformalizedorconceptualizedtoremaineffective.

ANewEarthSPIRITUALITYANDRELIGION

Whatistheroleotheestablishedreligionsinthearisingofthenewconsciousness?Manypeople are alreadyawareof thedifferencebetween spirituality and religion.

Theyrealizethathavingabeliefsystem?asetofthoughtsthatyouregardastheabsolutetruthdoesnotmakeyouspiritualnomatterwhatthenatureof

thosebeliefsis.Infact,themoreyoumakeyourthoughts(beliefs)intoyouridentity,themorecutoffyouare from the spiritual dimension within yourself.Many religious people are stuck at that level. Theyequatetruthwiththought,andastheyarecompletelyidentifiedwiththought(theirmind),theyclaimtobeinsolepossessionofthe truth inanunconsciousattempt toprotect their identity.Theydontrealize thelimitationsofthought.Unlessyoubelieve(think)exactlyastheydo,youarewrongintheireyes,andinthenot?too?distantpast,theywouldhavefeltjustifiedinkillingyouforthat.Andsomestilldo,evennow.

Thenewspirituality, the transformationofconsciousness, is arising toa largeextentoutsideof thestructures of the existing institutionalized religions. Therewere always pockets of spirituality even inmind?dominatedreligions,althoughtheinstitutionalizedhierarchiesfeltthreatenedbythemandoftentriedto suppress them.A large?scaleopeningof spiritualityoutsideof the religious structures is anentirelynewdevelopment.Inthepast,thiswouldhavebeeninconceivable,especiallyintheWest,themostmind?dominatedofallcultures,wheretheChristianchurchhadavirtualfranchiseonspirituality.Youcouldntjust stand up and give a spiritual talk or publish a spiritual book unless you were sanctioned by thechurch,andifyouwerenot,theywouldquicklysilenceyou.Butnow,evenwithincertainchurchesandreligions,therearesignsofchange.Itisheartwarming,andoneisgratefulforeventheslightestsignsofopenness,suchasPopeJohnPaulIIvisitingamosqueaswellasasynagogue.

Partlyasaresultofthespiritualteachingsthathavearisenoutsidetheestablishedreligions,butalsodue toan influxof theancientEasternwisdomteachings,agrowingnumberof followersof traditionalreligionsareabletoletgoofidentificationwithform,dogma,andrigidbeliefsystemsanddiscovertheoriginal depth that is hiddenwithin their own spiritual tradition at the same time as they discover thedepthwithinthemselves.Theyrealizethathowspiritualyouarehasnothingtodowithwhatyoubelievebuteverythingtodowithyourstateofconsciousness.This,inturn,determineshowyouactintheworldandinteractwithothers.

Thoseunabletolookbeyondformbecomeevenmoredeeplyentrenchedintheirbeliefs,thatistosay,intheirmind.Wearewitnessingnotonlyanunprecedentedinfluxofconsciousnessatthistimebutalsoanentrenchment and intensification of the ego. Some religious institutions will be open to the newconsciousness;otherswillhardentheirdoctrinal

positionsandbecomepartofall thoseotherman?madestructures throughwhich thecollective egowill defend itself and fight back. Some churches, sects, cults, or religious movements are basicallycollectiveegoicentities,asrigidlyidentifiedwiththeirmentalpositionsasthefollowersofanypoliticalideologythatisclosedtoanyalternativeinterpretationofreality.

Buttheegoisdestinedtodissolve,andallitsossifiedstructures,whethertheybereligiousorotherinstitutions,corporations,orgovernments,willdisintegratefromwithin,nomatterhowdeeplyentrenchedtheyappeartobe.Themostrigidstructures,themostimpervioustochange,willcollapsefirst.ThishasalreadyhappenedinthecaseofSovietCommunism.Howdeeplyentrenched,howsolidandmonolithicitappeared,andyetwithinafewyears,itdisintegratedfromwithin.Nooneforesawthis.Allweretakenby

surprise.Therearemanymoresuchsurprisesinstoreforus.

ANewEarthTHEURGENCYOFTRANSFORMATION

Whenfacedwitharadicalcrisis,whentheoldwayofbeing in theworld,of interactingwitheachother and with the realm of nature doesnt work anymore, when survival is threatened by seeminglyinsurmountableproblems,anindividuallife?formoraspecieswilleitherdieorbecomeextinctorriseabovethelimitationsofitsconditionthroughanevolutionaryleap.

Itisbelievedthatthelife?formsonthisplanetfirstevolvedinthesea.Whentherewerenoanimalsyettobefoundonland,theseawasalreadyteemingwithlife.Thenatsomepoint,oneoftheseacreaturesmusthavestartedtoventureontodryland.Itwouldperhapscrawlafewinchesatfirst,thenexhaustedbythe enormous gravitational pull of the planet, it would return to the water, where gravity is almostnonexistentandwhereitcouldlivewithmuchgreaterease.Andthenittriedagainandagainandagain,andmuch laterwouldadapt to lifeon land,growfeet insteadof fins,develop lungs insteadofgills. Itseemsunlikelythataspecieswouldventureintosuchanalienenvironmentandundergoanevolutionarytransformationunlessitwascompelledtodosobysomecrisissituation.Theremayhavebeenalargeseaarea that got cut off from themain oceanwhere thewater gradually receded over thousands of years,forcingfishtoleavetheirhabitatandevolve.

Respondingtoaradicalcrisis that threatensourverysurvival thisishumanityschallengenow.Thedysfunctionoftheegoichumanmind,

recognized alreadymore than 2,500 years ago by the ancientwisdom teachers and nowmagnifiedthrough science and technology, is for the first time threatening the survival of the planet. Until veryrecently,thetransformationofhumanconsciousnessalsopointedtobytheancientteacherswasnomorethanapossibility,realizedbyafewrareindividualshereandthere,irrespectiveofculturalorreligiousbackground. A widespread flowering of human consciousness did not happen because it was not yetimperative.

Asignificantportionoftheearthspopulationwillsoonrecognize,iftheyhaventalreadydoneso,thathumanity isnowfacedwitha starkchoice:Evolveordie.Astill relativelysmallbut rapidlygrowingpercentage of humanity is already experiencing within themselves the breakup of the old egoic mindpatternsandtheemergenceofanewdimensionofconsciousness.

Whatisarisingnowisnotanewbeliefsystem,anewreligion,spiritualideology,ormythology.Wearecomingtotheendnotonlyofmythologiesbutalsoofideologiesandbeliefsystems.Thechangegoesdeeper than the content of your mind, deeper than your thoughts. In fact, at the heart of the newconsciousnessisthetranscendenceofthought,thenewfoundabilityofrisingabovethought,ofrealizingadimensionwithinyourselfthatisinfinitelymorevastthanthought.Youthennolongerderiveyouridentity,yoursenseofwhoyouare,fromtheincessantstreamofthinkingthatintheoldconsciousnessyoutaketobeyourself.WhataliberationtorealizethatthevoiceinmyheadisnotwhoIam.WhoamIthen?Theonewhoseesthat.Theawarenessthatispriortothought,thespaceinwhichthethoughtortheemotionorsenseperceptionhappens.

Egoisnomorethanthis: identificationwithform,whichprimarilymeansthoughtforms.Ifevilhasanyrealityandithasarelative,notanabsolute,realitythisisalsoitsdefinition:completeidentificationwith form physical forms, thought forms, emotional forms. This results in a total unawareness of myconnectednesswith thewhole,my intrinsiconenesswith everyother aswell aswith theSource.Thisforgetfulness isoriginal sin, suffering,delusion.When thisdelusionofutter separatenessunderliesand

governswhateverIthink,say,anddo,whatkindofworlddoIcreate?Tofindtheanswertothis,observehowhumansrelatetoeachother,readahistorybook,orwatchthenewsontelevisiontonight.

If the structures of the human mind remain unchanged, we will always end up re?creatingfundamentallythesameworld,thesameevils,thesamedysfunction.

ANewEarthANEWHEAVENANDANEWEARTH

TheinspirationforthetitleofthisbookcamefromaBibleprophecythatseemsmoreapplicablenowthanatanyothertimeinhumanhistory.ItoccursinboththeOldand

theNewTestamentandspeaksofthecollapseoftheexistingworldorderandthearisingofanewheavenandanewearth.Weneedtounderstandherethatheavenisnotalocationbutreferstotheinnerrealmofconsciousness.Thisistheesotericmeaningoftheword,andthisisalsoitsmeaninginthe teachingsofJesus.Earth, on the other hand, is the outermanifestation in form,which is always a reflection of theinner.Collectivehumanconsciousnessandlifeonourplanetareintrinsicallyconnected.Anewheavenisthe emergence of a transformed state of human consciousness, and a new earth is its reflection in thephysicalrealm.Sincehumanlifeandhumanconsciousnessareintrinsicallyonewiththelifeoftheplanet,astheoldconsciousnessdissolves, thereareboundtobesynchronisticgeographicandclimaticnaturalupheavalsinmanypartsoftheplanet,someofwhichwearealreadywitnessingnow.

ANewEarth

CHAPTERTWOEGO:THECURRENTSTATEOFHUMANITY

Words,nomatterwhethertheyarevocalizedandmadeintosoundsorremainunspokenasthoughts,can cast an almost hypnotic spell upon you.You easily lose yourself in them, become hypnotized intoimplicitlybelievingthatwhenyouhaveattachedawordtosomething,youknowwhatitis.Thefactis:Youdontknowwhatitis.Youhaveonlycoveredupthemysterywithalabel.Everything,abird,atree,even a simple stone, and certainly a human being, is ultimately unknowable. This is because it hasunfathomabledepth.Allwecanperceive,experience,thinkabout,isthesurfacelayerofreality,lessthanthetipofaniceberg.

Underneath the surface appearance, everything is not only connectedwith everything else, but alsowiththeSourceofalllifeoutofwhichitcame.Evenastone,andmoreeasilyaflowerorabird,couldshowyou thewayback toGod, to theSource, toyourself.Whenyou lookat itorhold itand let itbewithoutimposingawordormentallabelonit,asenseofawe,ofwonder,ariseswithinyou.Itsessencesilentlycommunicatesitselftoyouandreflectsyourownessencebacktoyou.Thisiswhatgreatartistssenseandsucceedinconveyingintheirart.VanGoghdidntsay:Thatsjustanoldchair.Helooked,andlooked,andlooked.HesensedtheBeingnessofthechair.Thenhesatinfrontofthecanvasandtookupthebrush.Thechairitselfwouldhavesoldfortheequivalentofafewdollars.Thepaintingofthatsamechairtodaywouldfetchinexcessof$25million.

Whenyoudontcoveruptheworldwithwordsandlabels,asenseofthemiraculousreturnstoyourlifethatwaslostalongtimeagowhenhumanity,insteadofusingthought,becamepossessedbythought.Adepth returns toyour life.Things regain their newness, their freshness.And thegreatestmiracle is theexperiencingofyouressentialselfaspriortoanywords,thoughts,mentallabels,andimages.Forthistohappen,youneedtodisentangleyoursenseofI,ofBeingness,fromallthethingsithasbecomemixedupwith,thatistosay,identifiedwith.Thatdisentanglementiswhatthisbookisabout.

The quicker you are in attaching verbal ormental labels to things, people, or situations, themoreshallowandlifelessyourrealitybecomes,andthemoredeadenedyoubecometoreality,themiracleoflifethat

continuouslyunfoldswithin andaroundyou. In thisway, clevernessmaybegained,butwisdom islost, and so are joy, love, creativity, and aliveness. They are concealed in the still gap between theperception and the interpretation.Of coursewe have to usewords and thoughts. They have their ownbeautybutdoweneedtobecomeimprisonedinthem?

Wordsreducerealitytosomethingthehumanmindcangrasp,whichisntverymuch.Languageconsistsoffivebasicsoundsproducedbythevocalcords.Theyarethevowelsa,e,i,o,u.Theothersoundsareconsonantsproducedbyairpressure:s,f,g,andsoforth.Doyoubelievesomecombinationofsuchbasicsoundscouldeverexplainwhoyouare,ortheultimatepurposeof theuniverse,orevenwhata treeorstoneisinitsdepth?

ANewEarthTHEILLUSORYSELF

The word I embodies the greatest error and the deepest truth, depending on how it is used. Inconventionalusage,itisnotonlyoneofthemostfrequentlyusedwordsinthelanguage(togetherwiththerelatedwords:me,my,mine,andmyself)butalsooneofthemostmisleading.Innormaleverydayusage,Iembodiestheprimordialerror,amisperceptionofwhoyouare,anillusorysenseofidentity.Thisistheego.ThisillusorysenseofselfiswhatAlbertEinstein,whohaddeepinsightsnotonlyintotherealityofspace and time but also into human nature, referred to as an optical illusion of consciousness. Thatillusoryselfthenbecomesthebasisforallfurtherinterpretations,orrathermisinterpretationsofreality,all thought processes, interactions, and relationships.Your reality becomes a reflection of the originalillusion.

Thegoodnewsis:Ifyoucanrecognizeillusionasillusion,itdissolves.Therecognitionofillusionisalsoitsending.Itssurvivaldependsonyourmistakingitforreality.Intheseeingofwhoyouarenot,therealityofwhoyouareemergesbyitself.Thisiswhathappensasyouslowlyandcarefullyreadthisandthenextchapter,whichareaboutthemechanicsofthefalseselfwecalltheego.Sowhatisthenatureofthisillusoryself?

WhatyouusuallyrefertowhenyousayIisnotwhoyouare.Byamonstrousactofreductionism,theinfinitedepthofwhoyouareisconfusedwithasoundproducedbythevocalcordsorthethoughtofIinyourmindandwhatevertheIhasidentifiedwith.SowhatdotheusualIandtherelatedme,my,orminereferto?

Whenayoungchildlearnsthatasequenceosoundsproducedbytheparentsvocalcordsishisorhername,thechildbeginstoequateaword,whichinthemindbecomesathought,withwhoheorsheis.Atthatstage,somechildrenrefertothemselvesinthethirdperson.Johnnyishungry.Soonafter,theylearnthemagicwordIandequateitwiththeirname,whichtheyhavealreadyequatedwithwhotheyare.ThenotherthoughtscomeandmergewiththeoriginalI?thought.Thenextsteparethoughtsofmeandminetodesignate things that are somehowpart of I.This is identificationwithobjects,whichmeans investingthings,butultimatelythoughtsthatrepresentthings,withasenseofself,therebyderivinganidentityfromthem.Whenmytoybreaksoristakenaway,intensesufferingarises.Notbecauseofanyintrinsicvaluethatthetoyhasthechildwillsoonloseinterestinit,anditwillbereplacedbyothertoys,otherobjectsbutbecauseofthethoughtofmine.Thetoybecamepartofthechildsdevelopingsenseofself,ofI.

And so as the child grows up, the original I?thought attracts other thoughts to itself: It becomesidentifiedwithagender,possessions,thesense?perceivedbody,anationality,race,religion,profession.Other things the I identifies with are roles mother, father, husband, wife, and so on accumulatedknowledgeoropinions,likesanddislikes,andalsothingsthathappenedtomeinthepast,thememoryofwhicharethoughts thatfurtherdefinemysenseofselfasmeandmystory.Theseareonlysomeof thethingspeoplederivetheirsenseofidentityform.Theyareultimatelynomorethanthoughtsheldtogetherprecariouslybythefactthattheyareallinvestedwithasenseofself.ThismentalconstructiswhatyounormallyrefertowhenyousayI.Tobemoreprecise:MostofthetimeitisnotyouwhospeakswhenyousayorthinkIbutsomeaspectofthatmentalconstruct,theegoicself.Onceyouawaken,youstillusethewordI,butitwillcomefromamuchdeeperplacewithinyourself.

Mostpeoplearestillcompletelyidentifiedwiththeincessantstreamofmind,ofcompulsivethinking,mostofitrepetitiveandpointless.ThereisnoIapartfromtheirthoughtprocessesandtheemotionsthat

gowiththem.Thisisthemeaningofbeingspirituallyunconscious.Whentoldthatthereisavoiceintheirheadthatneverstopsspeaking,theysay,Whatvoice?orangrilydenyit,whichofcourseisthevoice,isthethinker,istheunobservedmind.Itcouldalmostbelookeduponasanentitythathastakenpossessionofthem.

Some people never forget the first tie they disidentified from their thoughts and thus brieflyexperienced the shift in identity from being the content of their mind to being the awareness in thebackground.Forothersithappensinsuchasubtlewaytheyhardlynoticeit,ortheyjustnoticeaninfluxofjoyorinnerpeacewithoutknowingthereason.

ANewEarthTHEVOICEINTHEHEAD

ThatfirstglimpseofawarenesscametomewhenIwasafirst?yearstudent at the University of London. I would take the tube (subway) twice a week to go to the

universitylibrary,usuallyaroundnineoclockinthemorning,towardtheendoftherushhour.Onetimeawomaninherearlythirtiessatoppositeme.Ihadseenherbeforeafewtimesonthattrain.Onecouldnothelpbutnoticeher.Althoughthetrainwasfull,theseatsoneithersideofherwereunoccupied,thereasonbeing,nodoubt, thatsheappeared tobequite insane.She lookedextremely tenseand talked toherselfincessantlyinaloudandangryvoice.Shewassoabsorbedinherthoughtsthatshewastotallyunaware,inseemed,ofotherpeopleorhersurroundings.Herheadwasfacingdownwardandslightlytotheleft,asifshewereaddressingsomeonesittingintheemptyseatnexttoher.AlthoughIdontremembertheprecisecontent,hermonologuewentsomethinglikethis:Andthenshesaidtome...soIsaidtoheryouarealiarhowdareyouaccusemeof...whenyouaretheonewhohasalwaystakenadvantageofmeItrustedyouandyoubetrayedmytrust...Therewastheangrytoneinhervoiceofsomeonewhohasbeenwronged,whoneedstodefendherpositionlestshebecomeannihilated.

AsthetrainapproachedTottenhamCourtRoadStation,shestoodupandwalkedtowardthedoorwithstillnobreakinthestreamofwordscomingoutofhermouth.Thatwasmystoptoo,soIgotoffbehindher.Atstreetlevel,shebegantowalktowardBedfordSquare,stillengagedinher imaginarydialogue,stillangrilyaccusingandassertingherposition.Mycuriosityaroused,Idecidedtofollowheraslongasshe was walking in the same general direction I had to go in. Although engrossed in her imaginarydialogue,sheseemedtoknowwhereshewasgoing.Soonwewerewithinsightoftheimposingstructureof SenateHouse, a 1930s high?rise, the universitys central administrative building and library. I wasshocked.Wasitpossiblethatweweregoingtothesameplace?Yes,thatswhereshewasheading.Wassheateacher,student,anofficeworker,alibrarian?Maybeshe

wassomepsychologistsresearchproject.Ineverknewtheanswer.Iwalkedtwentystepsbehindher,andbythetimeIenteredthebuilding(whichironicallywasthelocationoftheheadquartersoftheMindPoliceinthefilmversionofGeorgeOrwellsnovel,1984),shehadalreadybeenswallowedupbyoneoftheelevators.

IwassomewhattakenabackbywhatIhadjustwitnessed.Amaturefirst?yearstudentattwenty?five,Isawmyselfasanintellectualinthemaking,andIwasconvincedthatalltheanswerstothedilemmasofhumanexistencecouldbe found through the intellect, that is to say,by thinking. Ididnt realizeyet thatthinkingwithoutawarenessisthemaindilemmaofhumanexistence.Ilookedupontheprofessorsassageswhohadalltheanswersandupontheuniversityasthetempleofknowledge.Howcouldaninsanepersonlikeherbepartofthis?

Iwas still thinking about herwhen Iwas in themens roomprior to entering the library.As Iwaswashingmy hands, I thought: I hope I dont end up like her. Theman next tome looked briefly inmydirection,andIsuddenlywasshockedwhenIrealizedthatIhadntjustthoughtthosewords,butmumbledthem aloud.OhmyGod, Im already like her, I thought.Wasntmymind as incessantly active as hers?Therewereonlyminordifferencesbetweenus.Thepredominantunderlyingemotionbehindherthinkingseemedtobeanger.Inmycase,itwasmostlyanxiety.Shethoughtoutloud.Ithoughtmostlyinmyhead.Ifshewasmad,theneveryonewasmad,includingmyself.Thereweredifferencesindegreeonly.

Foramoment,Iwasabletostandbackfrommyownmindandseeitfromadeeperperspective,asit

were.Therewasabriefshift fromthinking toawareness. Iwasstill in themensroom,butalonenow,lookingatmyfaceinthemirror.Atthatmomentofdetachmentfrommymind,Ilaughedoutloud.Itmayhavesoundedinsane,butitwasthelaughterofsanity,thelaughterofthebig?belliedBuddha.Lifeisntasseriousasmymindmakes itout tobe.Thatswhat the laughter seemed tobesaying.But itwasonlyaglimpse, very quickly to be forgotten. I would spend the next three years in anxiety and depression,completelyidentifiedwithmymind.Ihadtogetclosetosuicidebeforeawarenessreturned,andthenitwasmuchmorethanaglimpse.Ibecamefreeofcompulsivethinkingandofthefalse,mind?madeI.

Theaboveincidentnotonlygavemeafirstglimpseofawareness,italsoplantedthefirstdoubtastotheabsolutevalidityofthehumanintellect.Afewmonthslater,somethingtragichappenedthatmademydoubt row.On aMondaymorning,we arrived for a lecture to be given by a professorwhosemind Iadmiredgreatly, only to be told that sadly he had committed suicide sometime during theweekend byshootinghimself.Iwasstunned.Hewasahighlyrespectedteacherandseemedtohavealltheanswers.However,Icouldasyetseenoalternativetothecultivationofthought.Ididntrealizeyetthatthinkingisonlyatinyaspectoftheconsciousnessthatweare,nordidIknowanythingabouttheego,letalonebeingabletodetectitwithinmyself.

ANewEarthCONTENTANDSTRUCTUREOFTHEEGO

Theegoicmindiscompletelyconditionedbythepast.Itsconditioningistwofold:Itconsistsofcontentandstructure.In the case of a child who cries in deep suffering because his toy has been taken away, the toy

representscontent.Itisinterchangeablewithanyothercontent,anyothertoyorobject.Thecontentyouidentifywithisconditionedbyyourenvironment,yourupbringing,andsurroundingculture.Whetherthechild is rich or poor, whether the toy is a piece of wood shaped like an animal or a sophisticatedelectronicgadgetmakesnodifferenceasfarasthesufferingcausedbyitslossisconcerned.Thereasonwhy such acute suffering occurs is concealed in the word my, and it is structural. The unconsciouscompulsiontoenhanceonesidentitythroughassociationwithanobjectisbuiltintotheverystructureoftheegoicmind.

Oneof themostbasicmindstructures throughwhich theegocomes intoexistence is identification.ThewordidentificationisderivedfromtheLatinwordidem,meaningsameandfacere,whichmeanstomake.SowhenIidentifywithsomething,Imakeitthesame.Thesameaswhat?ThesameasI.Iendowitwithasenseofself,andsoitbecomespartofmyidentity.Oneofthemostbasiclevelsofidentificationiswiththings:Mytoylaterbecomesmycar,myhouse,myclothes,andsoon.Itrytofindmyselfinthingsbutneverquitemakeitandenduplosingmyselfinthem.Thatisthefateoftheego.

ANewEarthIDENTIFICATIONWITHTHINGS

Thepeople in the advertising industryknowverywell that inorder to sell things that people dontreallyneed,theymustconvincethemthatthosethingswilladdsomethingtohowtheyseethemselvesorare seenbyothers; inotherwords,addsomething to their senseof self.Theydo this, forexample,bytellingyouthatyouwillstandoutfromthecrowdbyusingthisproductandsobyimplicationbemorefullyyourself.Ortheymaycreateanassociationinyourmindbetweentheproductandafamousperson,orayouthful,attractive,orhappy?lookingperson.Evenpicturesofoldordeceasedcelebrities in theirprimeworkwellforthatpurpose.Theunspokenassumptionisthatbybuyingthisproduct,throughsomemagicalactofappropriation,youbecomelikethem,orratherthesurfaceimageofthem.Andsoinmanycases you are not buying a product but an identity enhancer. Designer labels are primarily collectiveidentitiesthatyoubuyinto.Theyareexpensiveandthereforeexclusive.Ifeverybodycouldbuythem,theywouldlosetheirpsychologicalvalueandallyouwouldbeleftwithwouldbetheirmaterialvalue,whichlikelyamountstoafractionofwhatyoupaid.

What kind of things you identify with will vary from person to person according to age, gender,income,socialclass,fashion,thesurroundingculture,andsoon.Whatyouidentifywithisalltodowithcontent;whereas,theunconsciouscompulsiontoidentifyisstructural.Itisoneofthemostbasicwaysinwhichtheegoicmindoperates.

Paradoxically,whatkeepstheso?calledconsumersocietygoingisthefactthattryingtofindyourselfthroughthingsdoesntwork:Theegosatisfactionisshort?livedandsoyoukeeplookingformore,keepbuying,keepconsuming.

Of course, in this physical dimension that our surface selves inhabit, things are a necessary andinescapablepartofourlives.Weneedhousing,clothes,furniture,tools,transportation.Theremayalsobethingsinourlivesthatwevaluebecauseoftheirbeautyorinherentquality.Weneedtohonortheworldofthings,notdespiseit.EachthinghasBeingness,isatemporaryformthathasitsoriginwithintheformlessoneLife, the source of all things, all bodies, all forms. Inmost ancient cultures, people believed thateverything,evenso?calledinanimateobjects,hadanindwellingspirit,andin

thisrespect theywereclosertothetruththanwearetoday.Whenyouliveinaworlddeadenedbymental abstraction, you dont sense the aliveness of the universe anymore.Most people dont inhabit alivingreality,butaconceptualizedone.

Butwecannotreallyhonorthingsifweusethemasameanstoself?enhancement,thatistosay,ifwetry to find ourselves through them. This is exactly what the ego does. Ego?identification with thingscreates attachment to things, obsession with things, which in turn creates our consumer society andeconomic structures where the only measure of progress is always more. The unchecked striving formore, for endlessgrowth, is adysfunctionandadisease. It is the samedysfunction the cancerous cellmanifests,whoseonlygoalistomultiplyitself,unawarethatitisbringingaboutitsowndestructionbydestroyingtheorganismofwhichitisapart.Someeconomistsaresoattachedtothenotionofgrowththattheycantletgoofthatword,sotheyrefertorecessionasatimeofnegativegrowth.

Alargepartofmanypeoples lives isconsumedbyanobsessivepreoccupationwith things.This iswhyoneoftheillsofourtimesisobjectproliferation.Whenyoucannofeelthelifethatyouare,youarelikely to fill up your life with things. As a spiritual practice, I suggest that you investigate yourrelationshipwiththeworldofthingsthroughself?observation,andinparticular,thingsthataredesignated

withthewordmy.Youneedtobealertandhonesttofindout,forexample,whetheryoursenseofself?worth is boundupwith thingsyoupossess.Docertain things induce a subtle feelingof importance orsuperiority?Does the lack of themmakeyou feel inferior to otherswhohavemore than you?Do youcasuallymentionthingsyouownorshowthemofftoincreaseyoursenseofworthinsomeoneelseseyesandthroughtheminyourown?Doyoufeelresentfulorangryandsomehowdiminishedinyoursenseofselfwhensomeoneelsehasmorethanyouorwhenyouloseaprizedpossession?

ANewEarthTHELOSTRING

WhenIwasseeingpeopleasacounselorandspiritualteacher,Iwouldvisitawomantwiceaweekwhosebodywasriddledwithcancer.Shewasaschoolteacherinhermid?fortiesandhadbeengivennomorethanafew

monthstolivebyherdoctors.Sometimesafewwordswerespokenduringthosevisits,butmostlywewouldsittogetherinsilence,andaswedid,shehadherfirstglimpsesofthestillnesswithinherselfthatsheneverknewexistedduringherbusylifeasaschoolteacher.

Oneday,however,Iarrivedtofindherinastateofgreatdistressandanger.WhathappenedIasked.Herdiamondring,ofgreatmonetaryaswellassentimentalvalue,haddisappeared,andshesaidshewassureithadbeenstolenbythewomanwhocametolookafterherforafewhourseveryday.Shesaidshedidnt understand how anybody could be so callous and heartless as to do this to her. She asked mewhethersheshouldconfront thewomanorwhether itwouldbebetter tocall thepolice immediately. IsaidIcouldnttellherwhattodo,butaskedhertofindouthowimportantarigoranythingelsewasatthispointinhrlife.Youdontunderstand,shesaid.Thiswasmygrandmothersring.IusedtoweariteverydayuntilIgotillandmyhandsbecametooswollen.Itsmorethanjustaringtome.HowcanInotbupset?

Thequicknessofherresponseandtheangeranddefensivenessinhervoicewereindicationsthatshehad not yet become present enough to lookwithin and to disentangle her reaction from the event andobservethemboth.Herangeranddefensivenessweresignsthattheegowasstillspeakingthroughher.Isaid,Iamgoingtoaskyouafewquestions,butinsteadofansweringthemnow,seeifyoucanfindtheanswers within you. I will pause briefly after each question. When an answer comes, it may notnecessarilycomeintheformofwords.Shesaidshewasreadytolisten.Iasked:Doyourealizethatyouwillhavetoletgooftheringatsomepoint,perhapsquitesoon?Howmuchmoretimedoyouneedbeforeyouwillbereadytoletgoofit?Willyoubecomelesswhenyouletgoofit?Haswhoyouarebecomediminishedbytheloss?Therewereafewminutesofsilenceafterthelastquestion.

Whenshestartedspeakingagain, therewasasmileonherface,andsheseemedatpeace.The lastquestionmademerealizesomethingimportant.FirstIwenttomymindforananswerandmymindsaid,Yes,fcourseyouhavebeendiminished.ThenIaskedmyselfthequestionagain,HaswhoIambecomediminished?ThistimeItriedtofeelratherthanthinktheanswer.AndsuddenlyIcouldfeelmyIAm?ness.Ihaveneverfelt

thatbefore.IfIcanfeeltheIAmsostrongly,thenwhoIamhasntbeendiminishedatall.Icanstillfeelitnow,somethingpeacefulbutveryalive.

ThatisthejoyofBeing,Isaid.Youcanonlyfeelitwhenyougetoutofyourhead.Beingmustbefelt.Itcantbethought.Theegodoesntknowaboutitbecausethoughtiswhatitconsistsof.TheringwasreallyinyourheadasathoughtthatyouconfusedwiththesenseofIAm.YouthoughttheIAmorapartofitwasinthering.

WhatevertheegoseeksandgetsattachedtoaresubstitutesfortheBeingthatitcannotfeel.Youcanvalueandcareforthings,butwheneveryougetattachedtothem,youwillknowitstheego.Andyouarenever reallyattached toa thingbut toa thought thathas I,me,ormine in it.Wheneveryoucompletelyacceptaloss,yougobeyondego,andwhoyouare,theIAmwhichisconsciousnessitself,emerges.

She said, Now I understand something Jesus said that never made much sense to me before: Ifsomeonetakesyourshirt,lethimhaveyourcoataswell.

Thats right, I said. Itdoesntmeanyoushouldnever lockyourdoor.All itmeans is that sometimeslettingthingsgoisanactoffargreaterpowerthandefendingorhangingon.

Inthelastfewweeksofherlifeasherbodybecameweaker,shebecamemoreandmoreradiant,asiflightwereshiningthroughher.Shegavemanyofherpossessionsaway,sometothewomanshethoughthadstolenthering,andwitheachthingshegaveaway,herjoydeepened.Whenhermothercalledmetoletme know she had passed away, she alsomentioned that after her death they found her ring in themedicine cabinet in the bathroom. Did the woman return the ring, or had it been there all the time?Nobodywilleverknow.Onethingwedoknow:Lifewillgiveyouwhateverexperienceismosthelpfulfortheevolutionofyourconsciousness.Howdoyounowthisistheexperienceyouneed?Becausethisistheexperienceyouarehavingatthismoment.

Isitwrongthentobeproudofonespossessionsortofeelresentfultowardpeopletohavemorethanyou?Notatall.Thatsenseofpride,ofneedingtostandout,theapparentenhancementofonesselfthroughmorethananddiminishmentthroughlessthanisneitherrightnorwrongitis

the ego. The ego isntwrong; its just unconscious.When you observe the ego in yourself, you arebeginningtogobeyondit.Donttaketheegotooseriously.Whenyoudetectegoicbehavior inyourself,smile.Attimesyoumayevenlaugh.Howcouldhumanityhavebeentakeninbythisforsolong?Aboveall, know that the ego isnt personal. It isntwho you are. If you consider the ego to be your personalproblem,thatsjustmoreego.

ANewEarthTHEILLUSIONOFOWNERSHIP

Toownsomethingwhatdoesitreallymean?Whatdoesitmeantomakesomethingmine?IfyoustandonastreetinNewYork,pointtoahugeskyscraperandsay,Thatbuildingismine.Iownit,youareeitherverywealthyoryouaredelusionaloraliar.Inanycase,youaretellingastoryinwhichthethoughtformIand the thought form building merge into one. Thats how the mental concept of ownership works. Ifeverybodyagreeswithyourstory,therewillbesignedpiecesofpapertocertifytheiragreementwithit.Youarewealthy.Ifnobodyagreeswiththestory,theywillsendyoutoapsychiatrist.Youaredelusional,oracompulsiveliar.

It is important torecognizeherethat thestoryandthethoughtformsthatmakeupthestory,whetherpeopleagreewithitornot,haveabsolutelynothingtodowithwhoyouare.Evenifpeopleagreewithit,itisultimatelyafiction.Manypeopledontrealizeuntiltheyareontheirdeathbedandeverythingexternalfallsawaythatnothingeverhadanythingtodowithwhotheyare.Intheproximityofdeath,thewholeconceptofownership stands revealed as ultimatelymeaningless. In the lastmoments of their life, theythenalsorealize thatwhile theywere looking throughout their lives foramorecompletesenseofself,what theywere really looking for, their Being, had actually always already been there, but had beenlargelyobscuredbytheiridentificationwiththings,whichultimatelymeansidentificationwiththeirmind.

Blessedarethepoorinspirit,Jesussaid,fortheirswillbethekingdomofheaven.Whatdoespoorinspiritmean?Noinnerbaggage,noidentifications.Notwiththings,norwithanymentalconceptsthathaveasenseofselfinthem.AndwhatisthekingdomofheavenThesimplebutprofoundjoyofBeingthatistherewhenyouletogofidentificationsandsobecomepoorinspirit.

ThisiswhyrenouncingallpossessionshasbeenanancientspiritualpracticeinbothEastandWest.Renunciationofpossessions,however,willnotautomaticallyfreeyouoftheego.Itwillattempttoensureits survival by finding something else to identify with, for example, a mental image of yourself assomeone who has transcended all interest in material possessions and is therefore superior, is morespiritual thanothers.Therearepeoplewhohave renouncedallpossessionsbuthaveabiggerego thansome millionaires. If you take away one kind of identification, the ego will quickly find another. Itultimatelydoesntmindwhat it identifieswith as long as it has an identity.Anti?consumerismor anti?privateownershipwouldbeanotherthoughtform,anothermentalposition,thatcanreplaceidentificationwith possessions. Through it you couldmake yourself right and others wrong. As we shall see later,makingyourselfrightandotherswrongisoneoftheprincipalegoicmindpatterns,oneofthemainformsofunconsciousness. Inotherwords, thecontentof theegomaychange; themind structure thatkeeps italivedoesnot.

One of the unconscious assumptions is that by identifying with an object through the fiction ofownership, theapparent solidityandpermanencyof thatmaterialobjectwill endowyour senseof selfwith greater solidity and permanency.This applies particularly to buildings and evenmore so to landsince it is the only thing you think you can own that cannot be destroyed. The absurdity of owningsomethingbecomesevenmoreapparentinthecaseofland.Inthedaysofthewhitesettlement,thenativesofNorthAmerica foundownershipof land an incomprehensible concept.And so they lost itwhen theEuropeansmadethemsignspiecesofpaper thatwereequally incomprehensible to them.Theyfelt theybelongedtotheland,butthelanddidnotbelongtothem.

TheegotendstoequatehavingwithBeing:Ihave,thereforeIam.AndthemoreIhave,themoreIam.

The ego lives through comparison. How you are seen by others turns into how you see yourself. Ifeveryone lived in amansion or everyonewaswealthy, yourmansion or yourwealthwould no longerserve to enhance your sense of self.You could thenmove to a simple cabin, give up ourwealth, andregainanidentitybyseeingyourselfandbeingseenasmorespiritualthanothers.Howyouareseenbyothersbecomesthemirrorthattellsyouwhatyouarelikeandwhoyouare.Theegossenseofself?worthisinmostcasesboundupwiththeworthyouhave

intheeyesofothers.Youneedotherstogiveyouasenseofself,andifyouliveinaculturethattoalarge extent equates self?worth with how much and what you have, if you cannot look through thiscollectivedelusion,youwillbecondemnedtochasingafterthingsfortherestofyourlifeinthevainhopeoffindingyourworthandcompletionofyoursenseofselfthere.

Howdoyouletgoofattachmenttothings?Donteventry.Itsimpossible.Attachmenttothingsdropsawaybyitselfwhenyounolongerseektofindyourselfinthem.Inthemeantime,justbeawareofyourattachment to things.Sometimesyoumaynotknow thatyouareattached to something,which is to say,untilyouloseitorthereisthethreatofloss.Ifyouthenbecomeupset,anxious,andsoon,itmeansyouareattached.Ifyouareawarethatyouareidentifiedwithathing,theidentificationisnolongertotal.Iamthe awareness that is aware that there is attachment. Thats the beginning of the transformation ofconsciousness.

ANewEarthWANTING:THENEEDFORMORE

Theegoidentifieswithhaving,but itssatisfactioninhavingisarelativelyshallowandshort?livedone. Concealed within it remains a deep? seated sense of dissatisfaction, of incompleteness, of notenough.Idon'thaveenoughyet,bywhichtheegoreallymeans,Iamnotenoughyet.

Aswehaveseen,havingtheconceptofownershipisafictioncreatedbytheegotogiveitselfsolidityand permanency andmake itself stand out,make itself special. Since you cannot find yourself throughhaving,however, thereisanothermorepowerfuldriveunderneath it thatpertains to thestructureof theego:theneedformore,whichwecouldalsocallwanting.Noegocanlastforlongwithouttheneedformore.Therefore,wantingkeepstheegoalivemuchmorethanhaving.Theegowantstowantmorethanitwantstohave.Andsotheshallowsatisfactionofhavingisalwaysreplacedbymorewanting.Thisisthepsychologicalneedformore, that is tosay,more things to identifywith. It isanaddictiveneed,notanauthenticone.

Insomecases,thepsychologicalneedformoreorthefeelingofnotenoughthatissocharacteristicofthe ego becomes transferred to the physical level and so turns into insatiable hunger. The sufferers ofbulimiawilloftenmakethemselvesvomitsotheycancontinueeating.Theirmindis

hungry,not theirbody.This eatingdisorderwouldbecomehealed if the sufferers, insteadof beingidentifiedwiththeirmind,couldgetintouchwiththeirbodyandsofeelthetrueneedsofthebodyratherthanthepseudo?needsoftheegoicmind.

SomeegosknowwhattheywantandpursuetheiraimwithgrimandruthlessdeterminationGenghisKhan, Stalin, Hitler, to give just a few larger?than?life examples. The energy behind their wanting,however, creates an opposing energy of equal intensity that in the end leads to their downfall. in themeantime,theymakethemselvesandmanyothersunhappy,or,inthelarger?than?lifeexamples,createhellonearth.Mostegoshaveconflictingwants.Theywantdifferentthingsatdifferenttimesormaynotevenknow what they want except that they don't want what is: the present moment. Unease, restlessness,boredom,anxiety,dissatisfaction,aretheresultofunfulfilledwanting.Wantingisstructural,sonoamountofcontentcanprovidelastingfulfillmentaslongasthatmentalstructureremainsinplace.Intensewantingthathasnospecificobjectcanoftenbefoundinthestill?developingegoofteenagers,someofwhomareinapermanentstateofnegativityanddissatisfaction.

Thephysicalneedsforfood,water,shelter,clothing,andbasiccomfortscouldbeeasilymet forallhumansontheplanet,wereitnotfortheimbalanceofresourcescreatedbytheinsaneandrapaciousneedformore,thegreedoftheego.Itfindscollectiveexpressionintheeconomicstructuresofthisworld,suchasthehugecorporations,whichareegoicentitiesthatcompetewitheachotherformore.Theironlyblindaimisprofit.Theypursue thataimwithabsolute ruthlessness.Nature,animals,people,even theirownemployees,arenomorethandigitsonabalancesheet,lifelessobjectstobeused,thendiscarded.

The thought formsofmeandmine,ofmore than,of Iwant, Ineed, Imusthave, andofnotenoughpertainnottocontentbuttothestructureoftheego.Thecontentisinterchangeable.Aslongasyoudon'trecognize those thought formswithinyourself,as longas they remainunconscious,youwill believe inwhattheysay;youwillbecondemnedtoactingoutthoseunconsciousthoughts,condemnedtoseekingandnot findingbecausewhen those thought forms operate, no possession, place, person, or conditionwilleversatisfyyou.Nocontentwillsatisfyyou,aslongastheegoicstructureremainsinplace.Nomatterwhatyouhaveorget,

youwon'tbehappy.Youwillalwaysbelookingforsomethingelsethatpromisesgreaterfulfillment,thatpromisestomakeyourincompletesenseofselfcompleteandfillthatsenseoflackyoufeelwithin.

ANewEarthIDENTIFICATIONWITHTHEBODY

Apartfromobjects,anotherbasicformofidentificationiswithmybody.Firstly,thebodyismaleorfemale,andsothesenseofbeingamanorwomantakesupasignificantpartofmostpeople'ssenseofself.Genderbecomesidentity.Identificationwithgenderisencouragedatanearlyage,anditforcesyouintoarole,intoconditionedpatternsofbehaviorthataffectallaspectsofyourlife,notjustsexuality.Itisarolemanypeoplebecomecompletelytrappedin,evenmoresoinsomeofthetraditionalsocietiesthaninWesternculturewhereidentificationwithgenderisbeginningtolessensomewhat.Insometraditionalcultures,theworstfateawomancanhaveistobeunwedorbarren,andforamantolacksexualpotencyand not be able to produce children. Life's fulfillment is perceived to be fulfillment of one's genderidentity.

IntheWest,itisthephysicalappearanceofthebodythatcontributesgreatlytothesenseofwhoyouthink you are: its strength or weakness, its perceived beauty or ugliness relative to others. For manypeople,theirsenseofself?worthisintimatelyboundupwiththeirphysicalstrength,goodlooks,fitness,andexternalappearance.manyfeeladiminishedsenseofself?worthbecausetheyperceivetheirbodyasuglyorimperfect.

Insomecases, themental imageorconceptofmybodyisacompletedistortionofreality.Ayoungwomanmaythinkofherselfasoverweightandthereforestarveherselfwheninfactsheisquitethin.Shecannotseeherbodyanymore.Allsheseesisthementalconceptofherbody,whichsaysIamfatorIwillbecomefat.Attherootofthisconditionliesidentificationwiththemind.Aspeoplehavebecomemoreandmoremind?identified,whichistheintensificationofegoicdysfunction,therehasalsobeenadramaticincreaseintheincidenceofanorexiainrecentdecades.Ifthesufferercouldlookatherbodywithouttheinterferingjudgmentsofhermindorevenrecognizethosejudgmentsforwhattheyareinsteadofbelievinginthemorbetterstill,ifshecouldfeelherbodyfromwithinthiswouldinitiateherhealing.

Thosewhoare identifiedwith theirgood looks,physical strength, or abilities experience sufferingwhen those attributesbegin to fadeanddisappear, asof course theywill.Theirvery identity thatwasbased on them is then threatened with collapse. In either case, ugly or beautiful, people derive asignificant part of their identity, be it negative or positive, from their body. To bemore precise, theyderivetheiridentityfromtheI?thoughtthattheyerroneouslyattachtothementalimageorconceptoftheirbody,whichafterallisnomorethanaphysicalformthatsharesthedestinyofallforms?impermanenceandultimatelydecay.

Equating the physical sense?perceived body that is destined to grow old, wither, and die with Ialwaysleadstosufferingsoonerorlater.Torefrainfromidentifyingwiththebodydoesn'tmeanthatyouneglect, despise, or no longer care for it. If it is strong, beautiful, or vigorous, you can enjoy andappreciate those attributes while they last. You can also improve the body's condition through rightnutrition and exercise. If you don't' equate the body with who you are, when beauty fades, vigordiminishes,orthebodybecomesincapacitated,thiswillnotaffectyoursenseofworthoridentityinanyway.Infact,asthebodybeginstoweaken,theformlessdimension,thelightofconsciousness,canshinemoreeasilythroughthefadingform.

Itisnotjustpeoplewithgoodornear?perfectbodieswhoarelikelytoequateitwithwhotheyare.You can just as easily identifywith a problematic body andmake the body's imperfection, illness, ordisabilityintoyouridentity.Youmaythenthinkandspeakofyourselfasasuffererofthisorthatchronic

illnessordisability.Youreceiveagreatdealofattentionfromdoctorsandotherswhoconstantlyconfirmto you your conceptual identity as a sufferer or a patient. You then unconsciously cling to the illnessbecauseithasbecomethemostimportantpartofwhoyouperceiveyourselftobe.Ithasbecomeanotherthoughtformwithwhichtheegocanidentify.Oncetheegohasfoundanidentity,itdoesnotwanttoletgo.Amazinglybutnotinfrequently,theegoinsearchofastrongeridentityandcananddoescreateillnessesinordertostrengthenitselfthroughthem.

ANewEarthFEELINGTHEINNERBODY

Althoughbody?identificationisoneofthemostbasicformsofego,thegoodnewsisthatitisalsotheonethatyoucanmosteasilygobeyond.Thisisdonenotbytryingtoconvinceyourselfthatyouarenotyourbody,

butbyshiftingyourattentionfromtheexternalformofyourbodyandfromthoughtsaboutyourbodybeautiful,ugly, strong,weak, too fat, too thin to the feelingofaliveness inside it.Nomatterwhatyourbody'sappearanceisontheouterlevel,beyondtheouterformitisanintenselyaliveenergyfield.

Ifyouarenotfamiliarwithinnerbodyawareness,closeyoureyesforamomentandfindoutifthereislifeinsideyourhands.Don'taskyourmind.Itwillsay,Ican'tfeelanything.Probablyitwillalsosay,Give me something more interesting to think about. So instead of asking your mind, go to the handsdirectly.BythisImeanbecomeawareofthesubtlefeelingofalivenessinsidethem.Itisthere.Youjusthave to go therewithyour attention to notice it. youmayget a slight tingling sensation at first, then afeelingofenergyoraliveness.Ifyouholdyourattentioninyourhandsforawhile,thesenseofalivenesswill intensify. Somepeoplewon't even have to close their eyes.Theywill be able to feel their innerhandsatthesametimesastheyreadthis.Thengotoyourfeet,keepyourattentionthereforaminuteorso,andbegintofeelyourhandsandfeetatthesametime.Thenincorporateotherpartsofthebodylegs,arms,abdomen, chest, and soon into that feelinguntil youare awareof the innerbodyas aglobal senseofaliveness.

WhatIcalltheinnerbodyisn'treallythebodyanymorebutlifeenergy,thebridgebetweenformandformlessness.Makeitahabittofeeltheinnerbodyasoftenasyoucan.Afterawhile,youwon'tneedtocloseyoureyesanymoretofeelit.Forexample,seeifyoucanfeeltheinnerbodywheneveryoulistentosomeone. It almost seems like a paradox: When you are in touch with the inner body, you are notidentifiedwith your body anymore, nor are you identifiedwith yourmind. This is to say, you are nolonger identifiedwith formbutmoving away from form?identification toward formlessness,whichwemay also call Being. It is your essence identity. Body awareness not only anchors you in the presentmoment, it isadoorwayoutof theprisonthat is theego.Italsostrengthenstheimmunesystemandthebody'sabilitytohealitself.

ANewEarthFORGETFULNESSOFBEING

Ego is always identificationwith form, seekingyourself and thereby losingyourself in some form.Formsarenotjustmaterialobjectsand

physicalbodies.Morefundamentalthantheexternalformsthingsandbodiesarethethoughtformsthatcontinuously arise in the fieldof consciousness.Theyare energy formations, finer and less dense thanphysicalmatter,buttheyareformsnonetheless.Whatyoumaybeawareofasavoiceinyourheadtheatneverstopsspeakingisthestreamofincessantandcompulsivethinking.Wheneverythoughtabsorbsyourattention completely, when you are so identified with the voice in your head and the motions thataccompany it thatyou loseyourself in every thought andeveryemotion, thenyouare totally identifiedwith form and therefore in the grip of ego.. Ego is a conglomeration of recurring thought forms andconditionedmental?emotionalpatternsthatareinvestedwithasenseofI,asenseofself.EgoariseswhenyoursenseofBeingness,ofIAm,whichisformlessconsciousness,getsmixedupwithform.Thisisthemeaning of identification. This is forgetfulness of Being, the primary error, the illusion of absoluteseparatenessthatturnsrealityintoanightmare.

ANewEarthFROMDESCARTES'SERRORTOSARTRE'SINSIGHT

Theseventeenth?centuryphilosopherDescartes,regardedasthefounderofmodernphilosophy,gaveexpressiontothisprimaryerrorwithhisfamousdictum(whichhesawasprimarytruth):Ithink,thereforeIam.ThiswastheanswerhefoundtothequestionIsthereanythingIcanknowwithabsolutecertainty?Herealizedthatthefactthathewasalwaysthinkingwasbeyonddoubt,andsoheequatedthinkingwithBeing,thatistosay,identityIamwiththinking.Insteadoftheultimatetruth,hehadfoundtherootoftheego,buthedidn'tknowthat.

IttookalmostthreehundredyearsbeforeanotherfamousphilosophersawsomethinginthatstatementthatDescartes,aswellaseverybodyelse,hadoverlooked.HisnamewasJean?PaulSartre.HelookedatDescartes'sstatement I think, therefore Iamverydeeplyandsuddenlyrealized, inhisownwords,Theconsciousnessthatsays'Iam'isnottheconsciousnessthatthinks.Whatdidhemeanbythat?Whenyouare aware that you are thinking, that awareness is not part of thinking. It is a different dimension ofconsciousness. And it is that awareness that says I am. If there were nothing but thought in you, youwouldn'tevenknowyouarethinking.Youwouldbelikeadreamerwhodoesn'tknowheisdreaming.Youwouldbeas

identifiedwitheverythoughtasthedreameriswitheveryimageinthedream.Manypeoplestilllivelikethat,likesleepwalkers,trappedinolddysfunctionalmind?setsthatcontinuouslyre?createthesamenightmarish reality. When you know you are dreaming, you are awake within the dream. Anotherdimensionofconsciousnesshascomein.

TheimplicationofSartre'sinsightisprofound,buthehimselfwasstilltooidentifiedwiththinkingtorealizethefullsignificanceofwhathehaddiscovered:anemergingnewdimensionofconsciousness.

ANewEarthTHEPEACETHATPASSESALLUNDERSTANDING

Therearemanyaccountsofpeoplewhoexperiencedthatemergingnewdimensionofconsciousnessas a result of tragic loss at some point in their lives. Some lost all of their possessions, others theirchildrenorspouse,theirsocialposition,reputation,orphysicalabilities.Insomecases,throughdisasterorwar,theylostallofthesesimultaneouslyandfoundthemselveswithnothing.Wemaycallthisalimit?situation.Whatevertheyhadidentifiedwith,whatevergavethemtheirsenseofself,hadbeentakenaway.Thensuddenlyandinexplicably,theanguishorintensefeartheyinitiallyfeltgavewaytoascaredsenseofPresence,adeeppeaceandserenityandcompletefreedomfromfear.Thisphenomenonmusthavebeenfamiliar to St. Paul,who used the expression the peace ofGodwhich passeth all understanding. It isindeedapeacethatdoesn'tseemtomakesense,andthepeoplewhoexperienceditaskedthemselves:Inthefaceofthis,howcanitbethatIfeelsuchpeace?

Theanswerissimple,onceyourealizewhattheegoisandhowitworks.Whenformsthatyouhadidentifiedwith,thatgaveyouyoursenseofself,collapseoraretakenaway,itcanleadtoacollapseoftheego,sinceego is identificationwithform.When there isnothing to identifywithanymore,whoareyou?Whenformsaroundyoudieordeathapproaches,yoursenseofBeingness,ofIAm,isfreedfromitsentanglementwith form:Spirit is released from its imprisonment inmatter.You realize your essentialidentityas formless, as an all?pervasivePresence,ofBeingprior to all forms, all identifications.Yourealize your true identity as consciousness itself, rather than what consciousness had identified with.That'sthepeaceofGod.TheultimatetruthofwhoyouareisnotinIamthisorIamthat,butIAm.

Not everybody who experiences great loss also experiences this awakening, this disidentificationfromform.Someimmediatelycreateastrongmentalimageorthoughtforminwhichtheyseethemselvesasavictim,whetheritbeofcircumstances,otherpeople,anunjustfate,orGod.Thisthoughtformandtheemotions it creates, such as anger, resentment, self?pity, and so on, they strongly identifywith, and itimmediatelytakestheplaceofalltheotheridentificationsthathavecollapsedthroughtheloss.Inotherwords, theegoquickly findsanew form.The fact that thisnew form is adeeplyunhappyone doesn'tconcerntheegotoomuch,aslongasithasanidentity,goodorbad.Infact,thisnewegowillbemorecontracted,morerigidandimpenetrablethantheoldone.

Whenever tragic loss occurs, you either resist or you yield. Somepeople becomebitter or deeplyresentful;othersbecomecompassionate,wise,andloving.Yieldingmeans inneracceptanceofwhat is.You are open to life. Resistance is an inner contraction, a hardening of the shell of the ego. You areclosed.Whateveractionyoutakeinastateofinnerresistance(whichwecouldalsocallnegativity)willcreatemoreouter resistance, and theuniversewill notbeonyour side; lifewill notbehelpful. If theshuttersareclosed, thesunlightcannotcome in.Whenyouyield internally,whenyousurrender,anewdimensionofconsciousnessopensup.Ifactionispossibleornecessary,youractionwillbeinalignmentwiththewholeandsupportedbycreativeintelligence,theunconditionedconsciousnesswhichinastateof inner openness you become onewith.Circumstances and people then become helpful, cooperative.Coincidenceshappen. Ifnoaction ispossible,you rest in thepeaceand inner stillness that comewithsurrender.YourestinGod.

ANewEarth

CHAPTERTHREETHECOREOFEGO

Most people are so completely identified with the voice in the head the incessant stream ofinvoluntary andcompulsive thinkingand the emotions that accompany it thatwemaydescribe themasbeingpossessedbytheirmind.Aslongasyouarecompletelyunawareofthisyoutakethethinkertobewhoyouare.Thisistheegoicmind.Wecallitegoicbecausethereisasenseofself,ofI(ego),ineverythought every memory, every interpretation, opinion, viewpoint, reaction, emotion. This isunconsciousness,spirituallyspeaking.Yourthinking,thecontentofyourmind,isofcourseconditionedbythepast:yourupbringing,culture,familybackground,andsoon.Thecentralcoreofallyourmindactivityconsistsofcertainrepetitiveandpersistentthoughts,emotions,andreactivepatternsthatyouidentifywithmoststrongly.Thisentityistheegoitself.

Inmostcases,whenyousayI,itistheegospeaking,notyou,aswehaveseen.Itconsistsofthoughtandemotion,ofabundleofmemoriesyouidentifywithasmeandmystory,ofhabitual rolesyouplaywithout knowing it, of collective identifications such as nationality, religion, race, social class, orpolitical allegiance. It also contains personal identifications, not onlywith possessions, but alsowithopinions,externalappearance,long?standingresentments,orconceptsofyourselfasbetterthanornotasgoodasothers,asasuccessorfailure.

Thecontentoftheegovariesfrompersontoperson,buineveryegothesamestructureoperates. Inotherwords:Egosonlydifferonthesurface.Deepdowntheyareallthesame.Inwhatwayaretheythesame?Theyliveonidentificationandseparation.Whenyoulivethroughthemind?madeselfcomprisedofthoughtandemotionthatistheego,thebasisforyouridentityisprecariousbecausethoughtandemotionarebytheirverynatureephemeral,fleeting.Soeveryegoiscontinuouslystrugglingforsurvival,tryingtoprotect and enlarge itself. To uphold the I?thought, it needs the opposite thought of the other. TheconceptualIcannotsurvivewithouttheconceptualother.TheothersaremostotherwhenIseethemasmyenemies.At one endof this scale of this unconscious egoic pattern lies the egoic compulsive habit offaultfindingandcomplainingaboutothers.Jesusreferredtoitwhenhesaid,Whytodoyouseethespeckthatisinyour

brother'seye,butdonotnoticethelogthatisinyourowneye?Attheotherendofthescale,thereisphysicalviolencebetweenindividualsandwarfarebetweennations.IntheBible,Jesus'questionremainsunanswered,buttheansweris,ofcourse:BecausewhenIcriticizeorcondemnanother,itmakesmefeelbigger,superior.

ANewEarthCOMPLAININGANDRESENTMENT

Complainingisoneoftheego'sfavoritestrategiesforstrengtheningitself.Everycomplaintisalittlestorythemindmakesupthatyoucompletelybelievein.Whetheryoucomplainaloudoronlyinthoughtmakes no difference. Some egos that perhaps don't havemuch else to identifywith easily survive oncomplainingalone.Whenyouareinthegripofsuchandego,complaining,especiallyaboutotherpeople,is habitual and, of course, unconscious, which means you don't know what you are doing. Applyingnegativemental labels topeople,either to their faceormorecommonlywhenyouspeakabout themtoothersorevenjustthinkaboutthem,isoftenpartofthispattern.Name?callingisthecrudestformofsuchlabeling andof the ego's need to be right and triumphover others: jerk, bastard, bitch ? all definitivepronouncements thatyoucan'targuewith.Onthenext leveldownonthescaleofunconsciousness,youhaveshoutingandscreaming,andnotmuchbelowthat,physicalviolence.

Resentmentistheemotionthatgoeswithcomplainingandthementallabelingofpeopleandaddsevenmore energy to the ego.Resentmentmeans to feel bitter, indignant, aggrieved, or offended.You resentotherpeople'sgreed,theirdishonesty,theirlackofintegrity,whattheyaredoingwhattheydidinthepast,whattheysaidwhattheyfailedtodo,whattheyshouldforshouldn'thavedone.Theegolovesit.Insteadof overlooking unconsciousness in others, you make it in to their identity. Who is doing that? Theunconsciousnessinyou,theego.Sometimesthefaultthatyouperceiveinanotherisn'teventhere.Itisatotalmisinterpretation, a projection by amind conditioned to see enemies and tomake itself right orsuperior. At other times, the faultmay be theirs, but by focusing on it, sometimes to the exclusion ofeverythingelse,youamplifyit.Andwhatyoureacttoinanother,youstrengtheninyourself.

Non?reactiontotheegoinothersisoneofthemosteffectivewaysnotonlyofgoingbeyondego inyourselfbutalsoofdissolvingthecollectivehumanego.Butyoucanonlybeinastateofnonreactionifyoucanrecognizesomeone'sbehaviorascomingfromtheego,asbeinganexpressionofthecollectivehumandysfunction.Whenyourealize it'snotpersonal, there isno longeracompulsion to reactas if itwere.Bynot reacting to the ego, youwill oftenbe able tobringout the sanity inothers,which is theunconditionedconsciousnessasopposedtotheconditioned.Attimesyoumayhavetotakepracticalstepstoprotectyourselffromdeeplyunconsciouspeople.Thisyoucandowithoutmakingthemintoenemies.Yourgreatestprotection,however, isbeingconscious.Somebodybecomesanenemyifyoupersonalizethe unconsciousness that is the ego. Non reaction is not weakness but strength. Another word fornonreactionisforgiveness.Toforgiveistooverlook,orrathertolookthrough.Youlookthroughtheegotothesanitythatisineveryhumanbeingashisorheressence.

Theegolovestocomplainandfeelresentfulnotonlyabutotherpeoplebutalsoaboutsituations.Whatyoucandotoaperson,youcanalsodotoasituation:makeitintoanenemy.Theimplicationisalways:This should not be happening; I don'twant to be here; I don'twant to be doing this; I'mbeing treatedunfairly.Andtheegosgreatestenemyofallis,ofcourse,thepresentmoment,whichistosay,lifeitself.

Complainingisnottobeconfusedwithinformingsomeoneofamistakeordeficiencysothatitcanbeput right. And to refrain from complaining doesn't necessarily mean putting up with bad quality orbehavior.Thereisnoegointellingthewaiterthatyoursoupiscoldandneedstobeheatedupifyousticktothefacts,whicharealwaysneutral.Howdareyouservemecoldsoup...That'scomplaining.Thereisameherethatlovestofeelpersonallyoffendedbythecoldsoupandisgoingtomakethemostofit,amethatenjoysmakingsomeonewrong.Thecomplainingwearetalkingaboutisintheserviceoftheego,not

of change. Sometimes it becomes obvious that the ego doesn't reallywant change so that it can go oncomplaining.

See if you can catch, that is to say, notice, the voice in the head, perhaps in the very moment itcomplains about something, and recognize it for what it is: the voice of the ego, no more than aconditionedmind?pattern,

athought.Wheneveryounoticethatvoice,youwillalsorealizethatyouarenotthevoice,buttheonewhoisawareofit.Infact,youaretheawarenessthatisawareofthevoice.Inthebackground,thereistheawareness.Intheforeground,thereisthevoice,thethinker.Inthiswayyouarebecomingfreeoftheego,freeoftheunobservedmind.Themomentyoubecomeawareoftheegoinyou,itisstrictlyspeakingnolongertheego,butjustanold,conditionedmind?pattern.Egoimpliesunawareness.Awarenessandegocannotcoexist.Theoldmind?patternormentalhabitmaystillsurviveandreoccurforawhilebecauseithasthemomentumofthousandsofyearsofcollectivehumanunconsciousnessbehindit,buteverytimeitisrecognized,itisweakened.

ANewEarthREACTIVITYANDGRIEVANCES

Whereasresentmentisoftentheemotionthatgoeswithcomplaining,itmayalsobeaccompaniedbyastrongeremotionsuchasangerorsomeotherformofupset.Inthisway,itbecomesmorehighlychargedenergetically. Complaining then turns into reactivity, another of the ego's ways of strengthening itself.There aremany peoplewho are alwayswaiting for the next thing to react against, to feel annoyed ordisturbedaboutanditnevertakeslongbeforetheyfindit.Thisisanoutrage,theysay.Howdareyou...Iresentthis.Theyareaddictedtoupsetandangerasothersaretoadrug.Throughreactingagainstthisorthattheyassertandstrengthentheirfeelingofself.

Along?standingresentmentiscalledagrievance.Tocarryagrievanceistobeinapermanentstateofagainst, and that is why grievances constitute a significant part of many people's ego. Collectivegrievancescansurviveforcenturiesinthepsycheofanationortribeandfuelanever?endingcycleofviolence.

Agrievanceisastrongnegativeemotionconnectedtoaneventinthesometimesdistantpast that isbeingkeptalivebycompulsivethinking,byretellingthestoryintheheadoroutloudofwhatsomeonedidtomeorwhatsomeonedidtous.Agrievancewillalsocontaminateotherareasofyourlife.Forexample,whileyouthinkaboutandfeelyourgrievance,itsnegativeemotionalenergycandistortyourperceptionofaneventthatishappeninginthepresentorinfluencethewayinwhichyouspeakorbehave

towardsomeoneinthepresent.Onestronggrievanceisenoughtocontaminatelargeareasofyourlifeandkeepyouinthegripoftheego.

Itrequireshonestytoseewhetheryoustillharborgrievances,whetherthereissomeoneinyourlifeyouhavenotcompletelyforgiven,anenemy.Ifyoudo,becomeawareofthegrievancebothonthelevelofthoughtaswellasemotion,thatistosay,bewareofthethoughtsthatkeepitalive,andfeeltheemotionthat is the body's response to those thoughts. Don't try to let go of the grievance. Trying to let go, toforgive,doesnotwork.Forgivenesshappensnaturallywhenyouseethatithasnopurposeotherthantostrengthenafalsesenseofself,tokeeptheegoinplace.Theseeingisfreeing.Jesus'teachingtoForgiveyourenemiesisessentiallyabouttheundoingofoneofthemainegoicstructuresinthehumanmind.

Thepasthasnopowertostopyoufrombeingpresentnow.Onlyyourgrievanceaboutthepastcandothat.Andwhatisagrievance?Thebaggageofoldthoughtandemotion.

ANewEarthBEINGRIGHT,MAKINGWRONG

Complaining as well as faultfinding and reactivity strengthen the ego's sense of boundary andseparatenessonwhichtissurvivaldepends.Buttheyalsostrengthentheegoinanotherwaybygivingitafeelingofsuperiorityonwhichitthrives.Itmaynotbeimmediatelyapparenthowcomplaining,say,aboutatrafficjam,aboutpoliticians,aboutthegreedywealthyorthelazyunemployed,oryourcolleaguesorex?spouse ,menorwomen,cangiveyoua senseof superiority.Here iswhy.Whenyoucomplain, byimplicationyouarerightandthepersonorsituationyoucomplainaboutorreactagainstiswrong.

There is nothing that strengthens the egomore than being right.Being right is identificationwith amentalpositionaperspective,anopinion,a judgment,astory.Foryou toberight,ofcourse,youneedsomeoneelsetobewrong,andsotheegolovestomakewronginordertoberight.Inotherwords:youneedtomakeotherswronginordertogetastrongersenseofwhoyouare.Notonlyaperson,butalsoasituationcanbemadewrong throughcomplainingandreactivity,whichalways implies that thisshouldnotbehappening.Beingrightplacesyouinapositionofimaginedmoral

superiorityinrelationtothepersonorsituationthatisbeingjudgedandfoundwanting.Itisthatsenseofsuperioritytheegocravesandthroughwhichitenhancesitself.

ANewEarthINDEFENCEOFANILLUSION

Facts undoubtedly exist. If you say: Light travels faster than sound, and someone else says theopposite is the case, you are obviously right, and he is wrong. The simple observation that lightningprecedesthundercouldconfirmthis.Sonotonlyareyouright,butyouknowyouareright.Is thereanyegoinvolvedinthis?Possibly,butnotnecessarily.Ifyouaresimplystatingwhatyouknowtobetrue,theegoisnotinvolvedatall,becausethereisnoidentification.Identificationwithwhat?Withmindandamentalposition.Suchidentification,however,caneasilycreepin.Ifyoufindyourselfsaying,Believeme,IknoworWhydoyouneverbelieveme?thentheegohasalreadycreptin.Itishidinginthelittlewordme.Asimplestatement:Lightisfasterthansound,althoughtrue,isnowinserviceofillusion,ofego.Ithas become contaminated with a false sense of I; it has become personalized, turned into a mentalposition.TheIfeelsdiminishedoroffendedbecausesomebodydoesn'tbelievewhatIsaid.

Ego takes everything personally. Emotion arises, defensiveness, perhaps even aggression.Are youdefendingthetruth?No,thetruth,inanycase,needsnodefense.Thelightorsounddoesnotcareaboutwhatyouoranybodyelsethinks.Youaredefendingyourself,orrathertheillusionofyourself,themind?madesubstitute. Itwouldbeevenmoreaccurate to say that the illusion isdefending itself. If even thesimpleandstraightforwardrealmoffactscanlenditselftoegoicdistortionandillusion,howmuchmoresothelesstangiblerealmofopinions,viewpoints,andjudgments,allofthemthoughtformsthatcaneasilybecomeinfusedwithasenseofI.

Every ego confuses opinions and viewpointswith facts. Furthermore, it cannot tell the differencesbetweenaneventanditsreactiontothatevent.Everyegoisamasterofselectiveperceptionanddistortedinterpretation. Only through awareness not through thinking can you differentiate between fact andopinion.Onlythroughawarenessareyouable tosee:There is thesituationandhere is theangerIfeelaboutit,andthenrealize thereareotherwaysofapproaching thesituation,otherwaysofseeing itanddealing

withit.Onlythroughawarenesscanyouseethtotalityofthesituationorpersoninsteadofadoptingonelimitedperspective.

ANewEarthTRUTH:RELATIVEORABSOLUTE?

Beyondtherealmofsimpleandverifiablefacts,thecertaintythatIamrightandyouarewrongisadangerousthinginpersonalrelationshipsaswellasininteractionsbetweennations,tribes,religions,andsoon.

But if thebeliefIamright;youarewrongisoneof theways inwhichtheegostrengthens itself, ifmakingyourself rightandotherswrong isamentaldysfunction thatperpetuates separationandconflictbetweenhumanbeings,doesthatmeanthereisnosuchthingasrightorwrongbehavior,action,orbelief?Andwouldn'tthatbethemoralrelativismthatsomecontemporaryChristianteachingsseeasthegreatevilofourtimes?

The history of Christianity is, of course, a prime example of how the belief that you are in solepossessionofthetruth,thatistosay,right,cancorruptyouractionsandbehaviortothepointofinsanity.For centuries, torturing and burning people alive if their opinion diverged even in the slightest fromChurch doctrine or narrow interpretations of scripture (the Truth) was considered right because thevictimswerewrong.Theyweresowrongthattheyneededtobekilled.TheTruthwasconsideredmoreimportantthanhumanlife.AndwhatwastheTruth?Astoryyouhadtobelievein;whichmeans,abundleofthoughts.

Theonemillion people thatmaddictatorPolPot ofCambodia ordered killed included everybodywho wore glasses. Why? To him, the Marxist interpretation of history was the absolute truth, andaccordingtohisversionofit,thosewhoworeglassesbelongedtotheeducatedglass,thebourgeoisie,theexploitersofthepeasants.Theyneededtobeeliminatedtomakeroomforanewsocialorder.Histruthalsowasabundleofthoughts.

TheCatholic and other churches are actually correctwhen they identify relativism, the belief thatthere isnoabsolute truth toguidehumanbehavior,asoneof theevilsofour times;butyouwon't findabsolutetruthifyoulookforitwhereitcannotbefound:indoctrines,ideologies,setsofrules,orstories.Whatdoallofthesehaveincommon?Theyaremadeupofthought.Thoughtcanatbestpointtothetruth,butitneveristhetruth.That'swhyBuddhistssayThefingerpointingtothemoonisnotthemoon.All

religionsareequallyfalseandequallytrue,dependingonhowyouusethem.Youcanusethemintheserviceoftheego,oryoucanusethemintheserviceoftheTruth.IfyoubelieveonlyyourreligionistheTruth,youareusingitintheserviceoftheego.usedinsuchaway,religionbecomesideologyandcreatesan illusory senseof superiority aswell as division and conflict between people. In the service of theTruth, religious teachings representsignpostsormaps leftbehindbyawakenedhumans toassistyou inspiritualawakening,thatistosay,inbecomingfreeofidentificationwithform.

ThereisonlyoneabsoluteTruth,andallothertruthsemanatefromit.WhenyoufindthatTruth,youractionswillbeinalignmentwithit.HumanactioncanreflecttheTruth,oritcanreflectillusion.CantheTruthbeputintowords?Yes,butthewordsare,ofcourse,notit.Theyonlypointtoit.

TheTruthisinseparablefromwhoyouare.Yes,youarethetruth.Ifyoulookforitelsewhere,youwillbedeceivedeverytime.TheveryBeingthatyouareisTruth.Jesustriedtoconveythatwhenhesaid,Iamthewayandthetruthandthelife.ThesewordsutteredbyJesusareoneofthemostpowerfulanddirect pointers to the Truth, if understood correctly. If misinterpreted, however, they become a greatobstacle.JesusspeaksoftheinnermostIAm,theessenceidentityofeverymanandwoman,everylife?form,infact.Hespeaksofthelifethatyouare.SomeChristianmysticshavecalledittheChristwithin;

BuddhistscallityourBuddhanature;forHindus,itisAtman,theindwellingGod.Whenyouareintouchwiththatdimensionwithinyourselfandbeingintouchwithitisyournaturalstate,notsomemiraculousachievementallyouractionsandrelationshipswillreflect theonenesswithall lifethatyousensedeepwithin.Thisislove.Laws,commandments,rules,andregulationsarenecessaryforthosewhoarecutofffromwhotheyare,theTruthwithin.Theypreventtheworstexcessesoftheego,andoftentheydon'tevendothat.Loveanddowhatyouwill,saidSt.Augustine.WordscannotgetmuchclosertotheTruththanthat.

ANewEarthTHEEGOISNOTPERSONAL

Onacollectivelevel,themind?setWearerightandtheyarewrongisparticularlydeeplyentrenchedinthosepartsoftheworldwhereconflictbetweentwonations,races,tribes,religions,orideologiesislong?standing,extreme,andendemic.Bothsidesoftheconflictareequallyidentifiedwith

their own perspective, their own story, that is to say, identified with thought. Both are equallyincapableofseeingthatanotherperspective,anotherstory,mayexistandalsobevalid.IsraeliwriterY.Halevispeaksofthepossibilityofaccommodatingacompetingnarrative,butinmanypartsoftheworld,peoplearenotyetableorwilling todo that.Bothsidesbelieve themselves tobe inpossessionof thetruth.Bothregardthemselvesasvictimsandtheotherasevil,andbecausetheyhaveconceptualizedandtherebydehumanizedtheotheras theenemy, theycankilland inflictallkindsofviolenceon theother,evenonchildren,withoutfeelingtheirhumanityandsuffering.Theybecometrappedinaninsanespiralofperpetrationandretribution,actionandreaction.

Hereitbecomesobviousthatthehumanegoinitscollectiveaspectasusagainstthemisevenmoreinsane thatn theme, the individualego,although themechanismis thesame.Byfar thegreaterpartofviolencethathumanshaveinflictedoneachotherisnottheworkofcriminalsorthementallyderange,butofnormal,respectablecitizensintheserviceofthecollectiveego.Onecangofarastosaythatonthisplanetnormalequalsinsane.Whatisitthatliesattherootofthisinsanity?Completeidentificationwiththoughtandemotion,thatistosay,ego.

Greed,selfishness,exploitation,cruelty,andviolencearestillall?pervasiveonthisplanet.Whenyoudon't recognize themas individualandcollectivemanifestationsofanunderlyingdysfunctionormentalillness,youfallintotheerrorofpersonalizingthem.Youconstructaconceptualidentityforanindividualor group, and you say: This is who he is. This is who they are.When you confuse the ego that youperceive in others with their identity, it is the work of your own ego that uses this misperception tostrengthen itself through being right and therefore superior, and through reacting with condemnation,indignation,andoftenangeragainsttheperceivedenemy.Allthisisenormouslysatisfyingtotheego.Itstrengthensthesenseofseparationbetweenyourselfandtheother,whoseothernesshasbecomemagnifiedtosuchanextentthatyoucannolongerfeelyourcommonhumanity,northerootednessintheoneLifethatyousharewitheachhumanbeing,yourcommondivinity.

Theparticularegoicpatternsthatyoureacttomoststronglyinothersandmisperceiveastheiridentitytend tobe the samepatterns that are also inyou, but that you areunableor unwilling to detectwithinyourself.Inthat

sense,youhavemuchtolearnfromyourenemies.Whatisitinthemthatyoufindmostupsetting,mostdisturbing? Their selfishness? Their greed? Their need for power and control? Their insincerity,dishonesty,propensitytoviolence,orwhateveritmaybe?Anythingthatyouresentandstronglyreacttoinanotherisalsoinyou.Butitisnomorethanaformofego,andassuch,itiscompletelyimpersonal.Ithasnothingtodowithwhothatpersonis,norhasitanythingtodowithwhoyouare.Onlyifyoumistakeitforwhoyouarecanobservingitwithinyoubethreateningtoyoursenseofself.

ANewEarthWARISAMIND?SET

Incertaincases,youmayneedtoprotectyourselforsomeoneelsefrombeingharmedbyanother,butbewareofmakingityourmissiontoeradicateevil,asyouarelikelytoturnintotheverythingyouarefightingagainst.Fightingunconsciousnesswilldrawyouintounconsciousnessyourself.Unconsciousness,dysfunctionalegoicbehavior,canneverbedefeatedbyattackingit.Evenifyoudefeatyouropponent,theunconsciousness will simply have moved into you, or the opponent reappears in a new disguise.Whateveryoufight,youstrengthen,andwhatyouresist,persists.

Thesedaysyoufrequentlyheartheexpressionthewaragainstthisorthat,andwheneverIhear it, Iknow that it is condemned to failure. There is the war against drugs, the war against crime, the waragainstterrorism,thewaragainstcancer,thewaragainstpoverty,andsoon.Forexample,despitethewaragainstcrimeanddrugs,therehasbeenadramaticincreaseincrimeanddrug?relatedoffensesinthepasttwenty?five years. The prison population of theUnited States has gone up from just under 300,000 in1980 to a staggering 2.1million in 2004.Thewar against disease has given us, amongst other things,antibiotics.At first, theywere spectacularly successful, seemingly enabling us towin thewar againstinfectiousdiseases.Nowmanyexpertsagreethatthewidespreadandindiscriminateuseofantibioticshascreated a time bomb and that antibiotic?resistant strains of bacteria, so?called super bugs,will in alllikelihoodbringaboutareemergenceofthosediseasesandpossiblyepidemics.AccordingtotheJournalof theAmericanMedicalAssociation,medical treatment is the third?leadingcauseofdeathafterheartdiseaseandcancerintheUnitedStates.HomeopathyandChinesemedicinearetwoexamplesofpossiblealternativeapproachestodiseasethatdonottreattheillnessasanenemyandthereforedonotcreatenewdiseases.

Warisamind?set,andallactionthatcomesoutofsuchamind?setwilleitherstrengthentheenemy,theperceivedevil,or,ifthewariswon,willcreateanewenemy,anewevilequaltoandoftenworsethantheonethatwasdefeated.Thereisadeepinterrelatednessbetweenyourstateofconsciousnessandexternalreality.Whenyouareinthegripofamind?setsuchaswar,yourperceptionsbecomeextremelyselective as well as distorted. In other words, you will see only what you want to see and thenmisinterpretit.Youcanimaginewhatkindofactioncomesoutofsuchadelusionalsystem.Orinsteadofimaginingit,watchthenewsonTVtonight.

Recognizetheegoforwhatitis:acollectivedysfunction,theinsanityofthehumanmind.Whenyourecognizeitforwhatitis,younolongermisperceiveitassomebody'sidentity.Onceyouseetheegoforwhatitis,itbecomesmucheasiertoremainnonreactivetowardit.youdon'ttakeitpersonallyanymore.thereisnocomplaining,blaming,accusing,ormakingwrong.Nobodyiswrong.Itistheegoinsomeone,that'sall.Compassionariseswhenyourecognizethatallaresufferingfromthesamesicknessofthemind,somemoreacutelythanothers.Youdonotfuelthedramaanymorethatispartofallegoic relationships.Whatisitsfuel?Reactivity.Theegothrivesonit.

ANewEarthDOYOUWANTPEACEORDRAMA?

Youwantpeace.There isnoonewhodoesnotwantpeace.Yet there issomethingelse inyou thatwantsthedrama,wantstheconflict.Youmaynotbeabletofeelitatthismoment.Youmayhavetowaitforasituationorevenjustathoughtthattriggersareactioninyou:someoneaccusingyouofthisorthat,not acknowledgingyou, encroachingon your territory, questioning theway you do things, an argumentaboutmoney....Canyouthenfeeltheenormoussurgeofforcemovingthroughyou,thefear,perhapsbeingmaskedbyangerorhostility?Canyouhearyourownvoicebecomingharshorshrill,orlouderandafewoctaves lower?Canyoubeawareofyourmind racing todefend itsposition, justify,attack, blame? Inotherwords,canyouawakenatthatmomentofunconsciousness?Canyoufeelthatthereissomethinginyouthatisatwar,somethingthatfeelsthreatenedandwantstosurviveatallcost,thatneedsthedramainordertoassertitsidentityasthevictoriouscharacterwithinthattheatricalproduction?Canyoufeelthereissomethinginyouthatwouldratherberightthanatpeace?

ANewEarthBEYONDEGO:YOURTRUEIDENTITY

Whentheegoisatwar,knowthatitisnomorethananillusionthatisfightingtosurvive.Thatillusionthinksitisyou.ItisnoteasyatfirsttobethereasthewitnessingPresence,especiallywhentheegoisinsurvivalmodeorsomeemotionalpatternfromthepasthasbecomeactivated,butonceyouhavehadatasteofit,youwillgrowinPresencepower,andtheegowillloseitsgriponyou.Andsoapowercomesintoyourlifethatisfargreaterthantheego,greaterthanthemind.Allthatisrequiredtobecomefreeoftheegoistobeawareofit,sinceawarenessandegoareincompatible.Awarenessis thepowerthat isconcealedwithinthepresentmoment.ThisiswhywemayalsocallitPresence.Theultimatepurposeofhumanexistence,whichistosay,yourpurposeistobringthatpowerintothisworld.Andthisisalsowhybecoming free of the ego cannot bemade into a goal to be attained at some point in the future.OnlyPresence can free youof the ego, and you can only be presentNow, not yesterday or tomorrow. onlyPresencecanundothepastinyouandthustransformyourstateofconsciousness.

Whatisspiritualrealization?Thebeliefthatyouarespirit?No,that'sathought.Alittleclosertothetruth than the thought that believes you arewho your birth certificate says you are, but still a thought.SpiritualrealizationistoseeclearlythatwhatIperceive,experience,think,orfeelisultimatelynotwhoIam,thatIcannotfindmyselfinallthosethingsthatcontinuouslypassaway.TheBuddhawasprobablythefirst human being to see this clearly, and so anata (no self) became one of the central points of histeaching.AndwhenJesussaid,Denythyself,whathemeantwas:Negate(andthusundo)theillusionofself.IftheselfegoweretrulywhoIam,itwouldbeabsurdtodenyit.

Whatremainsisthelightofconsciousnessinwhichperceptions,experiences,thoughts,andfeelingscomeandgo.ThatisBeing,thatisthedeeper,trueI.WhenIknowmyselfasthat,whateverhappensinmylife is no longer of absolute but only of relative importance. I honor it, but it loses its absoluteseriousness, its heaviness. The only thing that ultimately matters is this: Can I sense my essentialBeingness,theIAm,inthebackgroundofmylifeatalltimes?Tobemoreaccurate,canIsensetheIAmthatIAmatthismoment?CanIsensemyessentialidentityasconsciousnessitself?OramIlosingmyselfinwhathappens,losingmyselfinthemind,intheworld?

ANewEarthALLSTRUCTURESAREUNSTABLE

Whateverformittakes,theunconsciousdrivebehindegoistostrengthentheimageofwhoIthinkIam,thephantomselfthatcameintoexistencewhenthoughtagreatblessingaswellasagreatcursebeganto take over andobscured the simple yet profound joyof connectednesswithBeing, theSource,God.Whateverbehaviortheegomanifests,thehiddenmotivatingforceisalwaysthesame:theneedtostandout,bespecial,beincontrol;theneedforpower,forattention,formore.And,ofcourse,theneedtofeelasenseofseparation,thatistosay,theneedforopposition,enemies.

Theegoalwayswantssomethingfromotherpeopleorsituations.Thereisalwaysahiddenagenda,always a sense of not enoughyet, of insufficiency and lack that needs to be filled. It uses people andsituations to get what it wants, and even when it succeeds, it is never satisfied for long. Often it isthwartedinitsaims,andforthemostpartthegapbetweenIwantandwhatisbecomesaconstantsourceofupsetandanguish.thefamousandnowclassicpopsong,(ICan'tGetNo)Satisfaction,isthesongoftheego.Theunderlyingemotionthatgovernsalltheactivityoftheegoisfear.Thefearofbeingnobody,thefearofnonexistence,thefearofdeath.Allitsactivitiesareultimatelydesignedtoeliminatethisfear,but the most the ego can ever do is to cover it up temporarily with an intimate relationship, a newpossession,orwinningat thisor that. Illusionwillnever satisfyyou.Only the truthofwhoyouare, ifrealized,willsetyoufree.

Whyfear?Becausetheegoarisesbyidentificationwithform,anddeepdownitknowsthatnoformsarepermanent,thattheyareallfleeting.Sothereisalwaysasenseofinsecurityaroundtheegoevenifontheoutsideitappearsconfident.

AsIwaswalkingwithafriendthroughabeautifulnaturereservenearMalibuinCalifornia,wecameupontheruinsofwhathadbeenonceacountryhouse,destroyedbyafireseveraldecadesago.Asweapproachedtheproperty,longovergrownwithtreesandallkindsofmagnificentplants,therewasasignby the sideof the trail put thereby thepark authorities. It read:DANGER.ALLSTRUCTURESAREUNSTABLE.Isaidtomyfriend,That'saprofoundsutra[sacredscripture].Andwestoodthereinawe.Onceyourealizeandacceptthatallstructures(forms)areunstable,eventheseeminglysolidmaterialones,peaceariseswithinyou.Thisis

because the recognition of the impermanence of all forms awakens you to the dimension of theformlesswithinyourself,thatwhichisbeyonddeath.Jesuscallediteternallife.

ANewEarthTHEEGO'SNEEDTOFEELSUPERIOR

Therearemanysubtlebuteasilyoverlookedformsofegothatyoumayobserveinotherpeopleand,more important, in yourself. Remember: The moment you become aware of the go in yourself, thatemergingawarenessiswhoyouarebeyondego,thedeeperI.Therecognitionofthefalseisalreadythearisingofthereal.

Forexample,youareabouttotellsomeonethenewsofwhathappened.Guesswhat?Youdon'tknowyet?Letmetellyou.Ifyouarealertenough,presentenough,youmaybeabletodetectamomentarysenseofsatisfactionwithinyourselfjustbeforeimpartingthenews,evenifitisbadnews.Itisduetothefactthatforabriefmomentthereis,intheeyesoftheego,animbalanceinyourfavorbetweenyouandtheotherperson.Forthatbriefmoment,youknowmorethantheother.Thesatisfactionthatyoufeelisoftheego,anditisderivedfromfeelingastrongersenseofselfrelativetotheotherperson.Evenifheorsheisthepresidentor thepope,you feel superior in thatmomentbecauseyouknowmore.Manypeople areaddictedtogossipingpartlyforthisreason.Inaddition,gossipingoftencarriesanelementofmaliciouscriticismandjudgmentofothers,andsoitalsostrengthenstheegothroughtheimpliedbutimaginedmoralsuperioritythatistherewheneveryouapplyanegativejudgmenttoanyone.

Ifsomeonehasmore,knowsmore,orcandomorethanI,theegofeelsthreatenedbecausethefeelingof less diminishes its imagined sense of self relative to the other. It may then try to restore itself bysomehowdiminishing,criticizing,orbelittlingthevalueoftheotherperson'spossessions,knowledge,orabilities.Ortheegomayshiftitsstrategy,andinsteadofcompetingwiththeotherperson,itwillenhanceitselfbyassociationwiththatperson,ifheorsheisimportantintheeyesofothers.

ANewEarthEGOANDFAME

Thewell?knownphenomenonofnamedropping,thecasualmentionofwhoyouknow,ispartoftheego's strategyofgaininga superior identity in theeyesofothersand therefore in itsowneyes throughassociationwith

someone important. The bane of being famous in this world is that who you are becomes totallyobscuredbyacollectivementalimage.Mostpeopleyoumeetwanttoenhancetheiridentity thementalimage ofwho they are through associationwith you. They themselvesmay not know that they are notinterestedinyouatallbutonlyinstrengtheningtheirultimatelyfictitioussenseofself.Theybelievethatthroughyoutheycanbemore.Theyarelookingtocompletethemselvesthroughyou,orratherthroughthementalimagetheyhaveofyouasafamousperson,alarger?than?lifecollectiveconceptualidentity.

The absurdover?valuationof fame is just one of themanymanifestations of egoicmadness in ourworld.Some famouspeople fall into the sameerror and identifywith the collective fiction, the imagepeople and themedia have created of them, and they begin to actually see themselves as superior toordinarymortals.Asa result, theybecomemoreandmorealienated from themselvesandothers,moreandmoreunhappy,moreandmoredependentontheircontinuingpopularity.Surroundedonlybypeoplewhofeedtheirinflatedself?image,theybecomeincapableofgenuinerelationships.

AlbertEinstein,whowasadmiredasalmostsuperhumanandwhosefateitwastobecomeoneofthemostfamouspeopleontheplanet,neveridentifiedwiththeimagethecollectivemindhadcreatedofhim.He remained humble, egoless. In fact, he spoke of a grotesque contradiction between what peopleconsidertobemyachievementsandabilitiesandtherealityofwhoIamandwhatIamcapableof.

This iswhy it is hard for a famous person to be in a genuine relationshipwith others.A genuinerelationshipisonethatisnotdominatedbytheegowithitsimage?makingandself?seeking.Inagenuinerelationship,thereisanoutwardflowofopen,alertattentiontowardtheotherpersoninwhichthereisnowantingwhatsoever.ThatalertattentionisPresence.It is theprerequisiteofanyauthenticrelationship.Theegoalwayseitherwantssomething,orifitbelievesthereisnothingtogetfromtheother,it isinastate of utter indifference: It doesn't care about you. And so, the three predominant states of egoicrelationshipare:wanting,thwartedwanting(anger,resentment,blaming,complaining),andindifference.

ANewEarth

CHAPTERFOURROLE?PLAYING:THEMANYFACESOFTHEEGO

Anegothatwantssomethingfromanotherandwhategodoesn'twillusuallyplaysomekindofroletoget itsneedsmet,be theymaterialgain,asenseofpower, superiority,or specialness,or somekindofgratification,be itphysicalorpsychological.Usuallypeople are completelyunawareof the roles theyplay. They are those roles. Some roles are subtle; others are blatantly obvious, except to the personplaying it. Some roles are designed simply to get attention from others. The ego thrives on others'attention,whichisafterallaformofpsychicenergy.Theegodoesn'tknowthatthesourceofallenergyiswithinyou,soitseeksitoutside.ItisnottheformlessattentionwhichisPresencethattheegoseeks,butattentioninsomeform,suchasrecognition,praise,admiration,orjusttobenoticedinsomeway,tohaveitsexistenceacknowledged.

Ashypersonwhoisafraidoftheattentionofothersisnotfreeofego,buthasanambivalentegothatbothwantsandfearsattentionfromothers.Thefearisthattheattentionmaytaketheformofdisapprovalorcriticism,thatistosay,somethingthatdiminishesthesenseofselfratherthanenhancesit.Sotheshyperson's fear of attention is greater than his or her need of attention. Shyness often goeswith a self?conceptthatispredominantlynegative,thebeliefofbeinginadequate.Anyconceptualsenseofselfseeingmyselfas thisor that? isego,whetherpredominantlypositive(Iamthegreatest)ornegative(Iamnogood).Behind every positive self?concept is the hidden fear of not being good enough. Behind everynegativeself?conceptitsthehiddendesireofbeingthegreatestorbetterthanothers.Behindtheconfidentego'sfeelingofandcontinuingneedforsuperiorityistheunconsciousfearofinferiority.Conversely,theshy, inadequateegothat feels inferiorhasastronghiddendesire forsuperiority.Manypeople fluctuatebetween feelings of inferiority and superiority, depending on situations or the people they come intocontactwith.Allyou

needtoknowandobserveinyourselfisthis:wheneveryoufeelsuperiororinferiortoanyone,that'stheegoinyou.

ANewEarthVILLAIN,VICTIM,LOVER

Someegos, if theycannotgetpraiseoradmiration,willsettle forother formsofattentionandplayroles to elicit them. If they cannot get positive attention, theymay seek negative attention instead, forexample, by provoking a negative reaction in someone else. Some children already do that too. Theymisbehavetogetattention.Theplayingofnegativerolesbecomesparticularlypronouncedwhenevertheegoismagnifiedbyanactivepain?body,thatistosay,emotionalpainfromthepastthatwantstorenewitselfthroughexperiencingmorepain.Someegosperpetratecrimes in theirsearchforfame.Theyseekattention through notoriety and other people's condemnation. Please tell me that I exist, that I am notinsignificant,theyseemtosay.Suchpathologicalformsofegoareonlymoreextremeversionsofnormalegos.

Avery common role is theoneofvictim, and the formof attention it seeks is sympathyorpity orothers'interestinmyproblems,meandmystory.Seeingoneselfasavictimisanelementinmanyegoicpatterns,suchascomplaining,beingoffended,outraged,andsoon.Ofcourse,onceIamidentifiedwithastoryinwhichIassignedmyselftheroleofvictim,Idon'twantittoend,andso,aseverytherapistknows,theegodoesnotwantanendtoitsproblemsbecausetheyarepartofitsidentity.Ifnoonewilllistentomysadstory,Icantellittomyselfinmyhead,overandover,andfeelsorryformyself,sandsohaveanidentityassomeonewhoisbeingtreatedunfairlybylifeorotherpeople,fateorGod.Itgivesdefinitiontomyself?image,makesmeintosomeone,andthatisallthatmatterstotheego.

Intheearlystagesofmanyso?calledromanticrelationships,role?playingisquitecommoninordertoattractandkeepwhoeverisperceivedbytheegoastheonewhoisgoingtomakemehappy,makemefeelspecial,andfulfillallmyneeds.I'llplaywhoyouwantmetobe,andyou'llplaywhoIwantyoutobe.That'stheunspokenandunconsciousagreement.However,role?playingishardwork,andsothoserolescannotbesustained

indefinitely, especially once you start living together. When those roles slip, what do you see?Unfortunately, in most cases, not yet the true essence of that being, but that which overs up the trueessence:therawegodivestedofitsroles,withitspain?body,anditsthwartedwantingwhichnowturnsintoanger,most likelydirectedat thespouseorpartnerforhavingfailed toremovetheunderlyingfearandsenseoflackthatisanintrinsicpartoftheegoicsenseofself.

What is commonly called falling in love is inmost cases and intensification of egoicwanting andneeding.Youbecomeaddictedtoanotherperson,orrathertoyourimageofthatperson.Ithasnothingtodowith true love,which contains nowantingwhatsoever.TheSpanish language is themost honest inregard to conventional notions of love:Te quieromeans Iwant you aswell as I love you. The otherexpressionforIloveyou,teamo,whichdoesnothavethisambiguity,israrelyusedperhapsbecausetrueloveisjustasrare.

ANewEarthLETTINGGOOFSELF?DEFINITIONS

As tribal culturesdeveloped into the ancient civilizations, certain functionsbegan tobe allotted tocertainpeople:ruler,priestorpriestess,warrior,farmer,merchant,craftsman,laborer,andsoon.Aclasssystem developed. Your function, which in most cases you were born into, determined your identity,determinedwhoyouwereintheeyesofothers,aswellasinyourowneyes.Yourfunctionbecamearole,butitwasn'trecognizedasarole:Itwaswhoyouwere,orthoughtyouwere.Onlyrarebeingsatthetime,such as the Buddha or Jesus, saw the ultimate irrelevance of caste or social class, recognized it asidentificationwithformandsawthatsuchidentificationwiththeconditionedandthetemporalobscuredthelightoftheunconditionedandeternalthatshinesineachhumanbeing.

Inourcontemporaryworld,thesocialstructuresarelessrigid,lessclearlydefinedthantheyusedtobe. Although most people are, of course, still conditioned by their environment, they are no longerautomatically assigned a function andwith it an identity. in fact, in themodernworld,more andmorepeopleareconfusedastowheretheyfitin,whattheirpurposeis,andevenwhotheyare.

I usually congratulate peoplewhen they tellme, I don't knowwho I am anymore. Then they lookperplexedandask,Areyousayingitisagoodthingtobeconfused?Iaskthemtoinvestigate.Whatdoesitmeantobeconfused?Idon'tknowisnotconfusion.Confusionis:Idon'tknow,butIshouldknoworIdon'tknow,butIneedtoknow.isitpossibletoletgoofthebeliefthatyoushouldorneedtoknowwhoyouare?Inotherwords,canyouceaselookingtoconceptualdefinitionstogiveyouasenseofself?Canyouceaselookingtothoughtforanidentity?Whenyouletgoofthebeliefthatyoushouldorneedtoknowwhoyouare,whathappenstoconfusion?Suddenlyitisgone.Whenyoufullyacceptthatyoudon'tknow,youactuallyenterastateofpeaceandclaritythatisclosertowhoyoutrulyarethanthoughtcouldeverbe.Definingyourselfthroughthoughtislimitingyourself.

ANewEarthPRE?ESTABLISHEDROLES

Ofcoursedifferentpeoplefulfilldifferentfunctionsinthisworld.Itcannotbeotherwise.Asfarasintellectualorphysicalabilitiesareconcernedknowledge,skills,talents,andenergylevelshumanbeingsdifferwidely.Whatreallymattersisnotwhatfunctionyoufulfillinthisworld,butwhetheryouidentifywithyourfunctiontosuchanextentthatittakesyouoverandbecomesarolethatyouplay.Whenyouplayroles, you are unconscious.When you catch yourself playing a role, that recognition creates a spacebetweenyouandtherole.Itisthebeginningoffreedomfromtherole.Whenyouarecompletelyidentifiedwitharole,youconfuseapatternofbehaviorwithwhoyouare,andyoutakeyourselfveryseriously.Youalsoautomaticallyassignrolestoothersthatcorrespondingtoyours.Forexample,whenyouvisitdoctorswhoaretotallyidentifiedwiththeirrole,tothemyouwillnotbeahumanbeingbutapatientoracasehistory.

Althoughthesocialstructuresinthecontemporaryworldarelessrigidthaninancientcultures, therearestillmanypre?establishedfunctionsorrolesthatpeoplereadilyidentifywithandwhichthusbecomepart of the ego.This causes human interactions to become inauthentic, dehumanized, alienating. Thosepre?established rolesmay give you a somewhat comforting sense of identity, but ultimately, you loseyourselfinthem.Thefunctionspeoplehaveinhierarchicalorganizations,suchasthemilitary,thechurch,agovernmentinstitution,orlargecorporation,easilylendthemselvesto

becomingroleidentities.Authentichumaninteractionsbecomeimpossiblewhenyouloseyourself inarole.

Somepre?establishedroleswecouldcallsocialarchetypes.Tomentionjustafew:themiddle?classhousewife (not as prevalent as it used to be, but stillwidespread); the toughmachomale; the femaleseductress; thenonconformist artistorperformer; apersonof culture (a rolequitecommon inEurope)whodisplaysaknowledgeofliterature,fineart,andmusic in thesamewayasothersmightdisplayanexpensive dress or car.And then there the universal role of adult.When you play that role, you takeyourselfandlifeveryseriously.Spontaneity,lightheartedness,andjoyarenotpartofthatrole.

Thehippiemovement thatoriginatedon theWestCoastof theUnitedStates in the1960's and thenspreadthroughouttheWesternworldcameoutofmanyyoungpeople'srejectionofsocialarchetypes,ofroles,ofpre?establishedpatternsofbehavioraswellasegoicallybasedsocialandeconomicstructures.They refused to play the roles their parents and society wanted to impose on them. Significantly, itcoincidedwiththehorrorsoftheVietnamWar,inwhichmorethan57,000youngAmericansand3millionVietnamesediedandthroughwhichtheinsanityofthesystemandtheunderlyingmind?setwasexposedfor all to see.Whereas in the 1950s, most Americans were still extremely conformist in thought andbehavior, in the 1960s, millions of people began to withdraw their identification with a collectiveconceptual identity because the insanity of the collective was so obvious. The hippie movementrepresenteda looseningof thehitherto rigid egoic structures in thepsycheof humanity.Themovementitselfdegeneratedandcametoanend,butitleftbehindanopening,andnotjustinthosewhowerepartofthemovement.ThismadeitpossibleforancientEasternwisdomandspiritualitytomovewestandplayanessentialpartintheawakeningofglobalconsciousness.

ANewEarthTEMPORARYROLES

Ifyouareawakeenough,awareenough,tobeabletoobservehowyouinteractwithotherpeople,youmay detect subtle changes in your speech, attitude, and behavior depending on the person you areinteractingwith.Atfirst,itmaybeeasiertoobservethisinothers,thenyoumayalsodetectitinyourself.Thewayinwhichyouspeaktothechairmanofthecompanymay

be different in subtleways from how you speak to the janitor.How you speak to a childmay bedifferentformhowyouspeaktoanadult.Whyisthat?Youareplayingroles.Youarenotyourself,neitherwiththechairmannorwiththejanitororthechild.Whenyouwalkintoastoretobuysomething,whenyougotoarestaurant,thebank,thepostoffice,youmayfindyourselfslippingintopre?establishedsocialroles.Youbecomeacustomerandspeakandactassuch.Andyoumaybetreatedbythesalespersonorwaiter,whoisalsoplayingarole,asacustomer.Arangeofconditionedpatternsofbehaviorcome intoeffect between twohumanbeings that determine thenatureof the interaction. Instead of human beings,conceptual mental images are interacting with each other. the more identified people are with theirrespectiveroles,themoreinauthentictherelationshipsbecome.

Youhaveamentalimagenotonlyofwhotheotherpersonis,butalsoofwhoyouare,especially inrelationtothepersonyouareinteractingwith.Soyouarenotrelatingwiththatpersonoatall,butwhoyouthinkyouareisrelatingtowhoyouthinktheotherpersonisandviceversa.Theconceptualimageyourmindhasmadeofyourselfisrelatingtoitsowncreation,whichistheconceptualimageithasmadeof the other person. The other person's mind has probably done the same, so very egoic interactionbetween tow people is in reality the interaction between for conceptual mind?made entities that areultimatelyfictions.Itisthereforenotsurprisingthereissomuchconflictinrelationships.Thereisnotruerelationship.

ANewEarthTHEMONKWITHSWEATYPALMS

Kasan,aZenteacherandmonk,wastoofficiateatafuneralofafamousnobleman.Ashestoodtherewaitingforthegovernoroftheprovinceandotherlordsandladiestoarrive,henoticedthatthepalmsofhishandsweresweaty.

Thenextdayhecalledhisdisciplestogetherandconfessedhewasnotyetreadytobeatrueteacher.Heexplainedtothemthathestilllackedthesamenessofbearingbeforeallhumanbeings,whetherbeggarorking.Hewasstillunabletolookthroughsocialrolesandconceptualidentitiesandseethesamenessofbeing in everyhuman.He then left andbecame the pupil of anothermaster.He returned to his formerdiscipleseightyearslater,enlightened.

ANewEarthHAPPINESSASAROLEVS.TRUEHAPPINESS

Howareyou?Justgreat.Couldn'tbebetter.Trueorfalse?Inmanycases,happinessisarolepeopleplay,andbehindthesmilingfacade,thereisagreatdealof

pain.Depression,breakdowns,andoverreactionsarecommonwhenunhappinessiscoveredupbehindasmilingexteriorandbrilliantwhiteteeth,whenthereisdenial,sometimeseventoone'sself,thatthereismuchunhappiness.

Just fine is a role the ego playsmore commonly inAmerica than in certain other countrieswherebeingandlookingmiserableisalmostthenormandthereforemoresociallyacceptable.Itisprobablyanexaggeration,butIamtoldthatinthecapitalofoneNordiccountryyouruntheriskofbeingarrestedfordrunkenbehaviorifyousmileatstrangersinthestreet.

Ifthereisunhappinessinyou,firstyouneedtoacknowledgethatitisthere.Butdon'tsay,I'munhappy.Unhappinesshasnothingtodowithwhoyouare.Say:Thereisunhappinessinme.Theninvestigateit.Asituationyou findyourself inmayhave something todowith it.Actionmaybe required to change thesituationorremoveyourselffromit.Ifthereisnothingyoucando,facewhatisandsay,Well,rightnow,thisishowit is. Icaneitheraccept it,ormakemyselfmiserable.Theprimarycauseofunhappiness isnever thesituationbutyour thoughtsabout it.Beawareof the thoughtsyouare thinking.Separate themfromthesituation,whichisalwaysneutral,whichalwaysisasitis.Thereisthesituationorthefact,andherearemythoughtsaboutit.Insteadofmakingupstories,staywiththefacts.Forexample,Iamruinedisa story. It limits you and prevents you from taking effective action. I have fifty cents left inmy bankaccount is a fact.Facing facts is alwaysempowering.Beaware thatwhatyou think, to a large extent,creates the emotions that you feel. See the link between your thinking and your emotions. Rather thanbeingyourthoughtsandemotions,betheawarenessbehindthem.

Don'tseekhappiness.Ifyouseekit,youwon'tfindit,becauseseeingistheantithesisofhappiness.Happinessiseverelusive,butfreedomfromunhappinessisattainablenow,byfacingwhatisratherthanmakingupstoriesaboutit.Unhappinesscoversupyournaturalstateofwell?beingandinnerpeace,thesourceoftruehappiness.

ANewEarthPARENTHOOD:ROLEORFUNCTION?

Manyadultsplayroleswhentheyspeaktoyoungchildren.Theyusesillywordsandsounds.Theytalkdowntothechild.Theydon'ttreatthechildasanequal.Thefactthatyoutemporarilyknowmoreorthatyouarebiggerdoesnotmeanthechild isnotyourequal.Themajorityofadults,atsomepoint in theirlives,findthemselvesbeingaparent,oneofthemostuniversalroles.Theall?importantquestionis:Areyouabletofulfillthefunctionofbeingaparent,andfulfillitwell,withoutidentifyingwiththatfunction,that is,without itbecominga role?Partof thenecessaryfunctionofbeingaparent is lookingafter theneedsofthechild,preventingthechildfromgettingintodanger,andattimestellingthechildwhattodoandnottodo.Whenbeingaparentbecomesanidentity,however,whenyoursenseofselfisentirelyorlargelyderived from it, the function easily becomesoveremphasized, exaggerated, and takes youover.Givingchildrenwhattheyneedbecomesexcessiveandturnsintospoiling;preventingthemfromgettingintodangerbecomesoverprotectivenessandinterfereswiththeirneedtoexploretheworldandtrythingsoutforthemselves.Tellingchildrenwhattodoornottodobecomescontrolling,overbearing.

What is more, the role?playing identity remains in place long after the need for those particularfunctionshaspassed.Parentsthencannotletgoofbeingaparentevenwhenthechildgrowsintoanadult.Theycan't letgoof theneed tobeneededby theirchild.Evenwhen theadultchild is fortyyearsold,parents can't let go of the notion I knowwhat's best for you. The role of parent is still being playedcompulsively, and so there is no authentic relationship.Parents define themselves by that role and areunconsciously afraid of loss of identity when they cease being parents. If their desire to control orinfluence theactionsof theiradultchild is thwartedas itusually is theywill start to criticizeor showtheirdisapproval,ortrytomakethechildfeelguilty,allinanunconsciousattempttopreservetheirrole,their identity.On the surface it looks as if theywere concerned about their child, and they themselvesbelieveit,buttheyareonlyreallyconcernedaboutpreservingtheirrole?identity.Allegoicmotivationsareself?enhancementandself?interest,sometimescleverlydisguised,evenfromthepersoninwhomtheegooperates.

A mother or father who identifies with the parental role may also try to become more completethroughtheirchildren.Theego'sneedto

manipulateothersintofillingthesenseoflackitcontinuouslyfeelsisthendirectedtowardthem.Ifthemostly unconscious assumptions and motivations behind the parent's compulsion to manipulate theirchildrenweremadeconsciousandvoiced,theywouldprobablyincludesomeorallofthefollowing:IwantyoutoachievewhatIneverachieved;Iwantyoutobesomebodyintheeyesoftheworld,sothatItoocanbesomebodythroughyou.Don'tdisappointme.Isacrificedsomuchforyou.Mydisapprovalofyouisintendedtomakeyoufeelsoguiltyanduncomfortablethatyoufinallyconformtomywishes.AnditgoeswithoutsayingthatIknowwhat'sbestforyou.IloveyouandIwillcontinuetoloveyouifyoudowhatInowisrightforyou.

Whenyoumakesuchunconsciousmotivationsconscious,youimmediatelyseehowabsurdtheyare.the ego that lies behind them becomes visible, as does its dysfunction. Some parents that I spoke tosuddenly realized,MyGod, is thiswhat Ihavebeendoing?Onceyouseewhatyouaredoingorhavebeen doing, you also see its futility, and that unconscious pattern then comes to an end by itself.Awarenessisthegreatestagentforchange.

Ifyourparentsaredoingthistoyou,donottellthemtheyareunconsciousandinthegripoftheego.

Thatwilllikelymakethemevenmoreunconscious,becausetheegowilltakeupadefensiveposition.Itisenoughforyoutorecognizethatitistheegointhem,thatitisnotwhotheyare.Egoicpatterns,evenlong?standing ones, sometimes dissolve almost miraculously when you don't oppose them internally.Oppositiononlygives them renewed strength.But even if theydon't, youcan thenacceptyourparents'behaviorwithcompassion,withoutneedingtoreacttoit,thatistosay,withoutpersonalizingit.

Beawarealsoofyourownunconsciousassumptionsorexpectationsthatliebehindyourold,habitualreactionstothem.MyparentsshouldapproveofwhatIdo.Theyshouldunderstandmeandacceptmeforwho I am. Really? Why should they? The fact is they don't because they can't. Their evolvingconsciousness hasn't made the quantum leap to the level of awareness yet. They are not yet able todisidentifyfromtheirrole.Yes,butIcan'tfeelhappyandcomfortablewithwhoIamunlessIhavetheirapprovalandunderstanding.Really?Whatdifferencedoestheirapprovalor

disapproval truly make to who you are? All such unexamined assumptions cause a great deal ofnegativeemotion,muchunnecessaryunhappiness.

Bealert.Aresomeofthethoughtsthatgothroughyourmindtheinternalizedvoiceofyourfatherormother,sayingperhapssomethinglike,Youarenotgoodenough.Youwillneveramounttoanything,orsomeotherjudgmentormentalposition?Ifthereisawarenessinyou,youwillbeabletorecognizethatvoiceinyourheadforwhatitis:anoldthought,conditionedbythepast.Ifthereisawarenessinyou,youno longer need to believe in every thought you think. It's an old thought, no more. Awareness meansPresence,andonlyPresencecandissolvetheunconsciouspastinyou.

Ifyouthinkyouaresoenlightened,RamDasssaid,goandspendaweekwithyourparents.That isgoodadvice.Therelationshipwithyourparentsisnotonlytheprimordialrelationshiphatsetsthetoneforallsubsequentrelationships,itisalsoagoodtestforyourdegreeofPresence.Themoresharedpastthereisinarelationship,themorepresentyouneedtobe;otherwise,youwillbeforcedtorelivethepastagainandagain.

ANewEarthCONSCIOUSSUFFERING

Ifyouhaveyoungchildren,givethemhelp,guidance,andprotectiontothebestfyourability,butevenmore important,give themspacespace tobe.Theycome into thisworld throughyou, but they are notyours.ThebeliefIknowwhat'sbestforyoumaybetruewhentheyareveryyoung,butheoldertheyget,thelesstrueitbecomes.Themoreexpectationsyouhaveofhowtheirlifeshouldunfold,themoreyouarein your mind instead of being present for them. Eventually, they will make mistakes, and they willexperience some form of suffering, as all humans do. In fact, they may be mistakes only from yourperspective.Whattoyouisamistakemaybeexactlywhatyourchildrenneedtodoorexperience.Givethemasmuchhelpandguidanceasyoucan,butrealizethatyoumayalsoattimeshavetoallowthemtomakemistakes,especiallyastheybegintoreachadulthood.Attimes,youmayalsohavetoallowthemtosuffer. Suffering may come to them out of the blue or it may come as the consequence of their ownmistakes.

Wouldn'titbewonderfulifyoucouldsparethemfromallsuffering?No,itwouldn't.Theywouldnotevolveashumanbeingsandwouldremainshallow,identifiedwiththeexternalformofthings.Sufferingdrives you deeper. The paradox is that suffering is caused by identification with form and erodesidentificationwithform.Alotofitiscausedbytheego,althougheventuallysufferingdestroystheegobutnotuntilyousufferconsciously.

Humanityisdestinedtogobeyondsuffering,butnotinthewaytheegothinks.Oneoftheego'smanyerroneous assumptions, oneof itsmanydeluded thoughts is I shouldnot have to suffer.Sometimes thethoughtgetstransferredtosomeoneclosetoyou:Mychildshouldnothavetosuffer.That thought itselfliesattherootofsuffering.Sufferinghasanoblepurpose:theevolutionofconsciousnessandtheburningupoftheego.themanontheCrossisanarchetypalimage.Heiseverymanandeverywoman.Aslongasyouresistsuffering, it isaslowprocessbecausetheresistancecreatesmoreegotoburnup.Whenyouacceptsuffering,however,thereisanaccelerationofthatprocesswhichisbroughtaboutbythefactthatyousufferconsciously.Youcanacceptsufferingforyourself,oryoucanacceptitforsomeoneelse,suchasyourchildorparent.Inthemidstofconscioussuffering,thereisalreadythetransmutation.Thefireofsufferingbecomesthelightofconsciousness.

The ego says, I shouldn't have to suffer, and that thought makes you suffer so muchmore. It is adistortion of the truth,which is always paradoxical. The truth is that you need to say yes to sufferingbeforeyoucantranscendit.

ANewEarthCONSCIOUSPARENTING

Many children harbor hidden anger and resentment toward their parents and often the cause isinauthenticityintherelationship.Thechildhasadeeplongingfortheparenttobethereasahumanbeing,notasarole,nomatterhowconscientiouslythatroleisbeingplayed.youmaybedoingalltherightthingsandthebestyoucanforyourchild,butevendoingthebestyoucanisnotenough.Infact,doingisneverenoughifyouneglectBeing.Theegoknowsnothingofbeingbutbelievesyouwilleventuallybesavedbydoing. If you are in the grip of the ego, you believe that by doingmore andmore youwill eventuallyaccumulateenoughdoingstomakeyourselffeelcompleteatsomepointinthefuture.Youwon't.Youwillonly

loseyourselfindoing.TheentirecivilizationislosingitselfindoingthatisnotrootedinBeingandthusbecomesfutile.

HowdoyoubringBeingintothelifeofabusyfamily,intotherelationshipwithyourchild?Thekeyistogiveyourchildattention.Therearetwokindsofattention.Onewemightcallform?basedattention.Theother is formless attention. Form?based attention is always connected in some way with doing orevaluation.Haveyoudoneyourhomework?Eatyourdinner.Tidyupyour room.Brushyour teeth.Dothis.Stopdoingthat.Hurryup,getready.

What'sthenextthingwehavetodo?Thisquestionprettymuchsummarizeswhatfamilylifeislikeinmanyhomes.Form?basedattentionisofcoursenecessaryandhasitsplace,butifthat'sallthereisintherelationshipwith your child, then themost vital dimension ismissing and Being becomes completelyobscuredbydoing,bythecaresoftheworld,asJesusputsit.FormlessattentionisinseparablefromthedimensionofBeing.Howdoesitwork?

Asyou lookat, listen to, touch,orhelpyourchildwith thisor that,youarealert, still, completelypresent,notwantinganythingotherthanthatmomentasitis.inthisway,youmakeroomforBeing.Inthatmoment,ifyouarepresent,youarenotafatherormother.Youarethealertness,thestillness,thePresencethatislistening,looking,touching,evenspeaking.YouaretheBeingbehindthedoing.

ANewEarthRECOGNIZINGYOURCHILD

You are a human being.What does thatmean?Mastery of life is not a question of control, but offindingabalancebetweenhumanandBeing.Mother,father,husband,wife,young,old,therolesyouplay,the functionsyou fulfill,whateveryoudoall thatbelongs to thehumandimension. It has its place andneeds to be honored, but in itself it is not enough for a fulfilled, trulymeaningful relationship or life.Humanaloneisneverenough,nomatterhowhardyoutryorwhatyouachieve.ThenthereisBeing.itisfoundinthestill,alertpresenceofConsciousnessitself,theConsciousnessthatyouare.Humanisform.Beingisformless.HumanandBeingarenotseparatebutinterwoven.

Inthehumandimension,youareunquestionablysuperiortoyourchild.Youarebigger,stronger,knowmore, can do more. If that dimension is all you know, you will feel superior to your child, if onlyunconsciously.Andyouwillmakeyour child feel inferior, if only unconsciously.There is no equalitybetweenyouandyourchildbecausethereisonlyforminyourrelationship,andinform,youareofcoursenot equal. You may love your child, but your live will be human only, that is to say, conditional,possessive,intermittent.Onlybeyondform,inBeing,areyouequal,andonlyWhenyoufindtheformlessdimensioninyourselfcantherebetrueloveinthatrelationship.ThePresencethatyouare,thetimelessIAm,recognizesitselfinanother,andtheother,thechildinthiscase,feelsloved,thatistosay,recognized.

Toloveistorecognizeyourselfinanother.Theother'sothernessthenstandsrevealedasan illusionpertainingtothepurelyhumanrealm,therealmofform.Thelongingforlovethatisineverychildisthelonging tobe recognized,noton the levelof form,buton the levelofBeing. Ifparentshonoronly thehumandimensionof thechildbutneglectBeing, thechildwillsense that therelationship isunfulfilled,thatsomethingabsolutelyvitalismissing,andtherewillbeabuildupofpaininthechildandsometimesunconscious resentment toward the parents. Why don't you recognize me? This is what the pain orresentmentseemstobesaying.

When another recognizes you, that recognition draws the dimension of Being more fully into thisworld throughbothofyou.That is the love that redeems theworld. I havebeen speaking of thiswithspecificreferencetotherelationshipwithyourchild,butitequallyapplies,ofcourse,toallrelationships.

IthasbeensaidGodislovebutthatisnotabsolutelycorrect.GodistheOneLifeinandbeyondthecountless forms of life. Love implies duality: lover and beloved, subject and object. so love is therecognitionofonenessintheworldofduality.ThisisthebirthofGodintotheworldofform.Lovemakestheworldlessworldly,lessdense,moretransparenttothedivinedimension,thelightofconsciousnessitself.

ANewEarthGIVINGUPROLE?PLAYING

Todowhateverisrequiredofyouinanysituationwithoutitbecomingarolethatyouidentifywithisanessentiallessonintheartoflivingthateachoneofusisheretolearn.Youbecomemostpowerfulinwhateveryoudoiftheactionisperformedforitsownsakeratherthanasameanstoprotect,enhance,orconformtoyourroleidentity.Everyroleisafictitioussenseofself,andthroughiteverythingbecomespersonalizedandthuscorruptedanddistortedbythemind?madelittlemeandwhateverroleithappenstobe playing.Most of the peoplewho are in positions of power in thisworld, such as politicians, TVpersonalities,businessasawellasreligiousleaders,arecompletelyidentifiedwiththeirrole,withafewnotableexceptions.TheymaybeconsideredVIPs,buttheyarenomorethanunconsciousplayersintheegoicgame,agamethatlookssoimportantyetisultimatelydevoidoftruepurpose.Itis,inthewordsofShakespeare,a tale toldbyan idiot, fullofsoundandfury, signifyingnothing.Amazingly,Shakespearearrived at this conclusion without having the benefit of television. If the egoic earth drama has anypurpose at all, it is an indirect one: It creates more and more suffering on the planet, and suffering,althoughlargelyego?created,isintheendalsoego?destructive.Itisthefireinwhichtheegoburnsitselfup.

Inaworldofroleplayingpersonalities,thosefewpeoplewhodon'tprojectamindmadeimageandotheraresomeevenonTV,inthemedia,andthebusinessworldbutfunctionfromthedeepercoreoftheirBeing, thosewhodonot attempt to appearmore than they are but are simply themselves, standout asremarkableandaretheonlyoneswhotrulymakeadifferenceinthisworld.Theyarethebringersofthenewconsciousness.Whatevertheydobecomesempoweredbecauseitisinalignmentwiththepurposeofthewhole.Theirinfluence,however,goesfarbeyondwhattheydo,farbeyondtheirfunction.Theirmerepresencesimple, natural, unassuming has a transformational effect onwhoever they come into contactwith.

When you don't play roles, itmeans there is no self (ego) inwhat you do. There is no secondaryagenda:protectionorstrengtheningofyourself.Asaresult,youractionshavefargreaterpower.Youaretotallyfocusedonthesituation.Youbecomeonewithit.Youdon'ttrytobeanybodyinparticular.Youaremostpowerful,mosteffective,whenyouarecompletely

yourself.Butdon'ttrytobeyourselfThat'sanotherrole.It'scallednatural,spontaneousme.Assoonasyoaretryingtobethisorthat,youareplayingarole.Justbeyourselfisgoodadvice,butitcanalsobemisleading.themindwillcomeinandsay,Let'ssee.HowcanIbemyself?Then,themindwilldevelopsome kind of strategy:How to bemyself. Another role. How can I bemyself? is, in fact, the wrongyourself.Itimpliesyouhavetodosomethingtobeyourself.Buthowdoesn'tapplyherebecauseyouareyourselfalready.Juststopaddingunnecessarybaggagetowhoyoualreadyare.ButIdon'tknowwhoIam.Idon'tknowwhatitmeanstobemyself.Ifyoucanbeabsolutelycomfortablewithnotknowingwhoyouare,thenwhat'sleftiswhoyouaretheBeingbehindthehuman,afieldofpurepotentialityotherthansomethingthatisalreadydefined.

Giveupdefiningyourselftoyourselfortoothers.Youwon'tdie.Youwillcometolife.Anddon'tbeconcernedwithhowothersdefineyou.Whentheydefineyou, theyare limitingthemselves,so it's theirproblem.Wheneveryouinteractwithpeople,don'tbethereprimarilyasafunctionorarole,butasafieldofconsciousPresence.

Why does the ego play roles?Because of one unexamined assumption, one fundamental error, one

unconsciousthought.Thatthoughtis:Iamnotenough.Otherunconsciousthoughtsfollow:IneedtoplayaroleinordertogetwhatIneedtobefullymyself;IneedtogetmoresothatIcanbemore.Butyoucannotbemore thanyouarebecauseunderneathyourphysicalandpsychological form,youareonewithLifeitself,onewithBeing.Inform,youareandwillalwaysbeinferiortosome,superiortoothers.Inessence,you are neither inferior nor superior to anyone. True self?esteem and true humility arise out of thatrealization.Intheeyesoftheego,self?esteemandhumilityarecontradictory.Intruth,theyareoneandthesame.

ANewEarthTHEPATHOLOGICALEGO

Inawidersenseof theword, theegoitself ispathological,nomatterwhatformit takes.Whenwelookat theancientGreekrootof thewordpathological,wediscover justhowappropriate that term iswhen applied to the ego.Although theword is normally used to describe a condition of disease, it isderived from pathos, which means suffering. This is, of course, exactly what the Buddha alreadydiscovered2,600yearsagoasacharacteristicofthehumancondition.

Apersoninthegripofego,however,doesnotrecognizesufferingassuffering,butwilllookuponitastheonlyappropriateresponseinanygivensituation.Theegoinisblindnessisincapableofseeingthesufferingitinflictsonitselfandonothers.Unhappinessisanego?createdmental?emotionaldiseasethathasreachedepidemicproportions.Itistheinnerequivalentoftheenvironmentalpollutionofourplanet.Negativestates,suchasanger,anxiety,hatred,resentment,discontent,envy,jealousy,andsoon,arenotrecognized as negative but as totally justified and are furthermisperceived not as self?created but ascausedbysomeoneelseorsomeexternalfactor.Iamholdingyouresponsibleformypain.Thisiswhatbyimplicationtheegoissaying.

Theegocannotdistinguishbetweenasituationanditsinterpretationofandreactiontothatsituation.Youmightsay,Whatadreadfulday,withoutrealizing that thecold, thewind,and therainorwhateverconditionyoureacttoarenotdreadful.Theyareastheyare.Whatisdreadfulisyourreaction,yourinnerresistance to it, and the emotion that is created by That resistance. In Shakespeare's words, There isnothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. What is more, suffering or negativity is oftenmisperceivedbytheegoaspleasurebecauseuptthepointtheegostrengthensitselfthroughit.

For example, anger or resentment strengthen the ego enormously by increasing the sense ofseparateness, emphasizing the otherness of others and creating a seemingly unassailable fortress?likementalpositionofrightness.Ifyouwereabletoobservethephysiologicalchangesthattakeplaceinsideyourbodywhenpossessedbysuchnegativestates,howtheyadverselyaffectthefunctioningoftheheart,thedigestiveandimmunesystems,andcountlessotherbodilyfunctions,itwouldbecomeabundantlyclearthatsuchstatesareindeedpathological,areformsofsufferingandnotpleasure.

Whenever you are in a negative state, there is something in you that wants the negativity, thatperceivesitaspleasurable,orthatbelievesitwillgetyouwhatyouwant.Otherwise,whowouldwanttohang on to negativity, make themselves and others miserable, and create disease in the body? So,wheneverthereisnegativitynyou,ifyoucanbeawareatthatmomentthatthereissomethinginyouthattakespleasureinitorbelievesithasausefulpurposeyouarebecomingawareoftheegodirectly.Themomentthis

happens, your identity has shifted from ego to awareness. This means the ego is shrinking andawarenessisgrowing.

IfinthemidstofnegativityyouareabletorealizeAtthismomentIamcreatingsufferingformmyselfitwillbeenoughtoraiseyouabovethelimitationsofconditionedegoicstatesandreactions.Itwillopenupinfinitepossibilitieswhichcometoyouwhenthereisawareness?othervastlymoreintelligentwaysofdealingwithanysituation.Youwillbefreetoletgoofyourunhappinessthemomentyourecognizeitasunintelligent.Negativityisnotintelligent.Itisalwaysoftheego.Theegomaybeclever,butitisnotintelligent.Clevernesspursuesitsownlittleaims.Intelligenceseesthelargerwholeinwhichallthingsareconnected.Clevernessismotivatedyself?interest,anditisextremelyshort?sighted.Mostpoliticians

andbusinesspeopleareclever.Veryfewareintelligent.Whateverisattainedthroughclevernessisshort?livedandalwaysturnsouttobeeventuallyself?defeating.Clevernessdivides;intelligenceunites.

ANewEarthTHEBACKGROUNDUNHAPPINESS

The ego creates separation, and separation creates suffering. The ego is therefore clearlypathological.Apartfromtheobviousonessuchasanger,hatred,andsoon,thereareothermoresubtleformsofnegativitythataresocommontheyareusuallynotrecognizedassch,forexample, impatience,irritation, nervousness, and being fed up. They constitute the background unhappiness that is manypeople's predominant inner state.You need to be extremely alert and absolutely present to be able todetectthem.Wheneveryoudo,itisamomentofawakening,ofdisidentificationfromthemind.

Hereisoneofthemostcommonnegativestatesthatiseasilyoverlooked,preciselybecauseit issocommon, sonormal.Youmaybe familiarwith it.Doyouoften experience a feeling of discontent thatcouldbest bedescribed as a kindof background resentment? Itmaybe either specific or nonspecific.Manypeoplespendalargepartoftheirlivesinthatstate.Theyaresoidentifiedwithitthattheycannotstand back and see it. Underlying that feeling are certain unconsciously held beliefs, that is to say,thoughts.Youthinkthesethoughtsinthesamewaythatyoudreamyourdreamswhenyouareasleep.Inother words, you don't know you are thinking those thoughts, just as the dreamer doesn't know he isdreaming.

Here are some of the most common unconscious thoughts that feed the feeling of discontent orbackground resentment. I have stripped away the content from those thoughts so that thebare structureremains.Theybecomemoreclearlyvisiblethatway.Wheneverthereisunhappinessinthebackgroundofyour life (oreven in theforeground),youcanseewhichof these thoughtsappliesand fill inyourowncontentaccordingtoyourpersonalsituation:

ThereissomethingthatneedstohappeninmylifebeforeIcanbeatpeace(happy,fulfilled,etc.).AndIresentthatithasn'thappenedyet.Maybemyresentmentwillfinallymakeithappen.

Something happened in the past that should not have happened, and I resent that. If that hadn'thappened,Iwouldbeatpeacenow.

Somethingishappeningnowthatshouldnotbehappening,anditispreventingmefrombeingatpeacenow.

Oftentheunconsciousbeliefsaredirectedtowardapersonandsohappeningbecomesdoing:YoushoulddothisorthatsothatIcanbeatpeace.AndIresentthatyouhaven'tdoneityet.Maybemy

resentmentwillmakeyoudoit.Somethingyou(orI)did,said,orfailedtodointhepastispreventingmefrombeingatpeacenow.Whatyouaredoingorfailingtodonowispreventingmefrombeingatpeace.

ANewEarthTHESECRETOFHAPPINESS

Alloftheaboveareassumptions,unexaminedthoughtsthatareconfusedwithreality.Theyarestoriestheegocratestoconvinceyouthatyoucannotbeatpeacenoworcannotbefullyyourselfnow.Beingatpeaceandbeingwhoyouare,thatis,beingyourself,areone.Theegosays:Maybeatsomepointinthefuture,Icanbeatpeaceandifthis,that,ortheotherhappens,orIobtainthisorbecomethat.Oritsays:Icanneverbeatpeacebecauseofsomethingthathappenedinthepast.Listentopeople'sstories

andtheycouldallbeentitledWhyICannotBeAtPeaceNow.Theegodoesn'tknowthatyouronlyopportunityforbeingatpeaceisnow.Ormaybeitdoesknow,anditisafraidthatyoumayfindthisout.Peace,afterall,istheendoftheego.

Howtobeatpeacenow?Bymakingpeacewiththepresentmoment.Thepresentmomentisthefieldonwhichhegameoflifehappens.Itcannothappenanywhereelse.Onceyouhavemadepeacewiththepresentmoment,seewhathappens,whatyoucandoorchoosetodo,orratherwhatlifedoesthroughyou.Therearethreewordsthatconveythesecretoftheartofliving,thesecretofallsuccessandhappiness:OneWithLife.BeingonewithlifeisbingonewithNow.Youthenrealizethatyoudon'tliveyourlife,butlifelivesyou.Lifeisthedancer,andyouarethedance.

The ego loves its resentment of reality.What is reality?Whatever is. Buddha called it tatata thesuchnessoflife,whichisnomorethanthesuchnessofthismoment.Oppositiontowardthatsuchnessisoneofthemainfeaturesoftheego.Itcreatesthenegativitythattheegothriveson,theunhappinessthatitloves.Inthisway,youmakeyourselfandotherssufferanddon'tevenknowthatyouaredoingit,don'tknowthatyouarecreatinghellonearth.Tocreatesufferingwithoutrecognizingitthisistheessenceofunconsciousliving;thisisbeingtotallyinthegripoftheego.Theextentoftheego'sinabilitytorecognizeitselfandseewhatitisdoingisstaggeringandunbelievable.Itwilldoexactlywhatitcondemnsothersforandnotseeit.Whenitispointedout,itwilluseangrydenial,cleverarguments,andself?justificationstodistortthefacts.Peopledoit,corporationsdoit,governmentsdoit.Whenallelsefails,theegowillresort to shoutingor even tophysicalviolence.Send in themarines.We can nowunderstand the deepwisdominJesus'wordsonthecross:Forgivethemfortheyknownotwhattheydo.

Toendthemiserythathasafflictedthehumanconditionforthousandsofyears,youhavetostartwithyourselfandtakeresponsibilityforyourinnerstateatanygivenmoment.Thatmeansnow.Askyourself,Istherenegativityanmeatthismoment?Then,becomealert,attentivetoyourthoughtsaswellasyouremotions.Watchoutforthelow?levelunhappinessinwhateverformathatImentionedearlier,suchasdiscontent,nervousness,beingfedup,andsoon.Watchoutforthoughtsthatappeartojustifyorexplainthisunhappinessbutinrealitycauseit.Themomentyou

becomeawareofanegativestatewithinyourself,itdoesnotmeanyouhavefailed.Itmeansthatyouhave succeeded. until that awareness happens, there is identification with inner states, and suchidentificationisego.Withawarenesscomesdisidentificationfromthoughts,emotions,andreactions.Thisisnottobeconfusedwithdenial.Thethoughts,emotions,orreactionsarerecognized,andinthemomentofrecognizing,disidentificationhappensautomatically.Yoursenseofself,ofwhoyouare,thenundergoesashift:Beforeyouwerethethoughts,emotionsandreactions;nowyouaretheawareness,theconsciousPresencethatwitnessesthosestates.

OnedayIwillbefreeoftheego.Whoistalking?Theego.Tobecomefreeoftheegoisnotreallyabig job but a very small one.All you need to do is be aware of your thoughts and emotions as they

happen.Thisisnotreallyadoing,butanalertseeing.Inthatsense,itistruethatthereisnothingyoucandotobecomefreeoftheego.Whenthatshifthappens,whichistheshiftfromthinkingtoawareness,anintelligence far greater than the ego's cleverness begins to operate in your life. Emotions and eventhoughtsbecomedepersonalized through awareness.Their impersonal nature is recognized. there is nolongeraselfinthem.Theyarejusthumanemotions,humanthoughts.Yourentirepersonalhistory,whichisultimatelynomorethanastory,abundleofthoughtsandemotions,becomesofsecondaryimportanceandnolongeroccupiestheforefrontofyourconsciousness.Itnolongerformsthebasisforyoursenseofidentity. youare the lightofPresence, the awareness that is prior to anddeeper than any thoughts andemotions.

ANewEarthPATHOLOGICALFROMSOFEGO

Aswehaveseen,theegoisinitsessentialnaturepathological,ifweusethewordinitswidersensetodenotedysfunctionandsuffering.Manymentaldisordersconsistofthesameegoictraitsthatoperateina normal person, except that they have become so pronounced that their pathological nature is nowobvioustoanyone,exceptthesufferer.

Forexample,manynormalpeopletellcertainkindsofliesfromtimetotimeinordertoappearmoreimportant,more special, and to enhance this image in themind of others: who they know, what theirachievements, abilities, and possessions are, and whatever else the ego uses to identify with. Somepeople,however,drivenbytheego'sfeelingofinsufficiencyand

its need to have or be more, lie habitually and compulsively. Most of what they tell you aboutthemselves, their story, isacomplete fantasy,a fictitiousedifice theegohasdesigned for itself to feelbigger,morespecial.Theirgrandioseandinflatedself?imagecansometimesfoolothers,butusuallynotforlong.Itisthenquicklyrecognizedbymostpeopleasacompetefiction.

The mental illness that is called paranoid schizophrenia, or paranoia for short, is essentially anexaggeratedformofego.Itusuallyconsistsofafictitiousstorythemindhasinventedtomakesenseofapersistent underlying feeling of fear. The main element of the story is the belief that certain people(sometimeslargenumbersoralmosteveryone)areplottingagainstme,orareconspiringtocontrolorkillme.Thestoryoftenhasaninnerconsistencyandlogicsothatitsometimesfoolsothersintobelievingittoo.Sometimesorganizationsorentirenationshaveparanoidbeliefsystemsattheirverybasis.Theego'sfearanddistrustofotherpeople, its tendencytoemphasize theothernessofothersbyfocusingon theirperceived faults andmake those faults into their identity, is takena little further andmakesothers intoinhumanmonsters.Theegoneedsothers,butitsdilemmaisthatdeepdownithatesandfearsthem.Jean?PaulSartre'sstatementHell isotherpeopleis thevoiceoftheego.Thepersonsufferingfromparanoiaexperiences thathellmostacutely,buteveryone inwhomtheegoicpatternsstilloperatewill feel it tosomedegree.Thestrongertheegoinyou,themorelikelyitisthatinyourperceptionotherpeoplearethemainsourceofproblemsinyourlife.Itisalsomorethanlikelythatyouwillmakelifedifficultforothers.But,ofcourse,youwon'tbeabletoseethat.Itisalwaysotherswhoseemtobedoingittoyou.

Thementalillnesswecallparanoiaalsomanifestsanothersymptomthatisanelementofeveryego,although in paranoia it takes on amore extreme form. Themore the sufferer sees himself persecuted,spied on, or threatened by others, themore pronounced becomes his sense of being the center of theuniversearoundwhomeverythingrevolves,andthemorespecialandimportanthefeelsastheimaginedfocal point of somany people's attention.His sense of being a victim, of beingwronged by somanypeople,makeshimfeelveryspecial.Inthestorythatformsthebasisofhisdelusionalsystem,heoftenassignstohimselftheroleofbothvictimandpotentialherowhoisgoingtosavetheworldordefeattheforcesofevil.

The collective ego of tribes, nations, and religious organizations also frequently contains a strongelement of paranoia: us against the evil others. It is the cause of much human suffering. Th SpanishInquisition,thepersecutionandburningofhereticsandwitches,therelationsbetweennationsleadingupto theFirstandSecondWorldwars,Communism throughout itshistory, theColdWar,McCarthyism inAmerica in the1950's,prolongedviolentconflict in theMiddleEastareallpainfulepisodes inhumanhistorydominatedbyextremecollectiveparanoia.

Themoreunconscious individuals,groups,ornationsare, themore likely it is thategoicpathologywillassumetheformofphysicalviolence.Violenceisaprimitivebutstillverywidespreadwayinwhichtheegoattemptstoassert itself, toproveitselfrightandanotherwrong.Withveryunconsciouspeople,argumentscaneasilyleadtophysicalviolence.Whatisanargument?Twoormorepeopleexpresstheiropinions and those opinions differ. Each person is so identified with the thoughts that make up theiropinion,thatthosethoughtshardenintomentalpositionswhichareinvestedwithasenseofself.Inotherwords:Identityandthoughtmerge.Oncethishashappened,whenIdefendmyopinions(thoughts),IfeelandactasifIweredefendingmyveryself.Unconsciously,IfeelandactasifIwerefightingforsurvivaland so my emotions will reflect this unconscious belief. they become turbulent. I am upset, angry,defensive,oraggressive.IneedtowinatallcostslestIbecomeannihilated.That'stheillusion.Theegodoesn'tknowthatmindandmentalpositionshavenothingtodowithwhoyouarebecausetheegoisheunobservedminditself.

InZentheysay:Don'tseekthetruth.Justceasetocherishopinions.Whatdoesthatmean?Letgoofidentificationwithyourmind.Whoyouarebeyondthemindthenemergesbyitself.

ANewEarthWORKWITHANDWITHOUTEGO

Mostpeoplehavemomentswhentheyarefreeofego.Thosewhoareexceptionallygoodatwhattheydomaybecompletelyorlargelyfreeofegowhileperformingtheirwork.Theymaynotknowit,buttheirworkhasbecomeaspiritualpractice.Mostof themarepresentwhile theydotheirworkandfallbackintorelativeunconsciousnessintheirprivatelife.ThismeanstheirstateofPresenceisforthetimebeingconfinedtooneareaoftheirlife.Ihavemetteachers,artists,nurses,doctors,scientists,social

workers,waiters,hairdressers,businessowners,andsalespeoplewhoperformtheirworkadmirablywithoutanyself?seeking,fullyrespondingtowhatever themomentrequiresof them.Theyareonewithwhattheydo,onewiththeNow,onewiththepeopleor thetasktheyserve.The influencesuchpeoplehaveuponothersgoesfarbeyondthefunctiontheyperform.Theybringabouta lesseningof theego ineveryonewhocomesintocontactwiththem.Evenpeoplewithheavyegossometimesbegintorelax,letdowntheirguard,andstopplayingtheirroleswhentheyinteractwiththem.Itcomesasnosurprisethatthosepeoplewhoworkwithoutegoareextraordinarilysuccessfulatwhattheydo.Anybodywhoisonewithwhatheorshedoesisbuildingthenewearth.

Ihavealsometmanyotherswhomaybetechnicallygoodatwhattheydobutwhoseegoconstantlysabotages their work. Only part of their attention is on the work they perform; the other part is onthemselves. Their ego demands personal recognition andwastes energy in resentment if it doesn't getenoughandit'sneverenough.Issomeoneelsegettingmorerecognitionthanme?Ortheirmainfocusofattentionisprofitorpower,andtheirworkisnomorethanameanstothatend.Whenworkisnomorethanameans toanend, itcannotbeofhighquality.Whenobstaclesordifficultiesarise in theirwork,when thingsdon't go according to expectation,when other people or circumstances are not helpful orcooperative, instead of immediately becoming one with the new situation and responding to therequirementsof thepresentmoment, theyreactagainst thesituationandsoseparate themselves fromit.There isame that feelspersonallyoffendedor resentful,andahugeamountof energy isburnedup inuselessprotestoranger,energythatcouldbeusedforsolvingthesituationifitwerenotbeingmisusedbythe ego.What ismore, this anti?energy creates newobstacles, newopposition.Manypeople are trulytheirownworstenemy.

Peopleunknowinglysabotagetheirownworkwhentheywithholdhelporinformationfromothersortrytounderminethemlesttheybecomemoresuccessfulorgetmorecreditthanme.Cooperationisaliento the ego, exceptwhen there is a secondarymotive.The ego doesn't know that themore you includeothers,themoresmoothlythingsflowandthemoreeasilythingscometoyou.Whenyougivelittleornohelptoothersorputobstaclesintheirpath,theuniverseintheformofpeopleandcircumstancesgiveslittleornohelptoyoubecauseyouhavecutyourselfofffromthewhole.

Theego'sunconsciouscorefeelingofnotenoughcausesittoreacttosomeoneelse'ssuccessasifthatsuccess had taken something away fromme. It doesn't know that your resentment of another person'ssuccess curtails your own chances of success. In order to attract success, you need to welcome itwhereveryouseeit.

ANewEarthTHEEGOINILLNESS

Anillnesscaneitherstrengthenorweakentheego.Ifyoucomplain,feelself?pity,orresentbeingill,your ego becomes stronger. It also becomes stronger if you make the illness art of your conceptualidentity:Iamasuffererofsuchandsuchadisease.Ah,sonowweknowwhoyouare.Somepeople,onthe other hand, who in normal life have a big ego, suddenly become gentle and kind andmuch nicerpeoplewhentheyareill.Theymaygaininsightstheymayneverhavehadintheirnormallife.Theymayaccess their inner knowing and contentment and speak words of wisdom. Then, when they get better,energyreturnsandsodoestheego.

Whenyouareill,yourenergylevelisquitelow,andtheintelligenceoftheorganismmaytakeoverandusetheremainingenergyforthehealingofthebody,andsothereisnotenoughleftforthemind,thatistosay,egoicthinkingandemotion.Theegoburnsupconsiderableamountsofenergy.Insomecases,however,theegoretainsthelittleenergythatremainsandusesitforitsownpurposes.Needlesstosay,those peoplewho experience a strengthening of the ego in illness takemuch longer to recover. Someneverdo,andsotheillnessbecomeschronicandapermanentpartoftheirfalsesenseofself.

ANewEarthTHECOLLECTIVEEGO

How hard it is to live with yourself! One of the ways in which the ego attempts to escape theunsatisfactorinessofpersonalself?hoodistoenlargeandstrengthenitssenseofselfbyidentifyingwithagroupanation,apoliticalparty,corporation,institution,sect,club,gang,footballteam.

Insomecasesthepersonalegoseemstodissolvecompletelyassomeonededicateshisorherlifetoworking selflessly for the greater good of the collective without demanding personal rewards,recognition, or aggrandizement.What a relief to be freed of the dreadful burden of personal self. Themembersofthecollectivefeelhappyandfulfilled,nomatterhow

hardtheywork,howmanysacrificestheymake.Theyappeartohavegonebeyondego.Thequestionis:Havetheytrulybecomefree,orhastheegosimplyshiftedfromthepersonaltothecollective?

Acollectiveegomanifeststhesamecharacteristicsasthepersonalego,suchastheneedforconflictandenemies,theneedformore,theneedtoberightagainstotherswhoarewrong,andsoon.Soonerorlater,thecollectivewillcomeintoconflictwithothercollectives,becauseitunconsciouslyseeksconflictanditneedsoppositiontodefineitsboundaryandthusitsidentity.Itsmemberswillthenexperiencethesufferingthatinevitablycomesinthewakeofanyego?motivatedaction.Atthatpoint,theymaywakeupandrealizethattheircollectivehasastrongelementofinsanity.

Itcanbepainfulatfirsttosuddenlywakeupandrealizethatthecollectiveyouhadidentifiedwithandworkedforisactuallyinsane.Somepeopleatthatpointbecomecynicalorbitterandhenceforthdenyallvalues,allworth.Thismeansthattheyquicklyadoptedanotherbeliefsystemwhenthepreviousonewasrecognizedasillusoryandthereforecollapsed.Theydidn'tfacethedeathoftheiregobutranawayandreincarnatedintoanewone.

Acollectiveegoisusuallymoreunconsciousthantheindividualsthatmakeupthatego.Forexamplecrowds (which are temporary collective egoic entities) are capable of committing atrocities that theindividualawayfromthecrowdwouldnotbe.Nationsnotinfrequentlyengageinbehaviorthatwouldbeimmediatelyrecognizableaspsychopathicinanindividual.

Asthenewconsciousnessemerges,somepeoplewillfeelcalledupontoformgroupsthatreflecttheenlightenedconsciousness.Thesegroupswillnotbecollectiveegos.Theindividualswhomakeupthesegroupswillhavenoneedtodefinetheiridentitythroughthem.Theynolongerlooktoanyformtodefinewhotheyare.Evenifthemembersthatmakeupthosegroupsarenottotallyfreeofegoyet,therewillbeenoughawarenessinthemtorecognizetheegointhemselvesorinothersassoonasitappears.However,constant alertness is required since the egowill try to take over and reassert itself in anyway it can.Dissolvingthehumanegobybringingitintothelightofawarenessthiswillbeoneofthemainpurposesofthesegroups,whethertheybeenlightenedbusinesses,charitableorganizations,schools,or

communitiesofpeoplelivingtogether.Enlightenedcollectiveswillfulfillanimportantfunctioninthearisingofthenewconsciousness.Justasegoiccollectivespullyouintounconsciousnessandsuffering,theenlightenedcollectivecanbeavortexforconsciousnessthatwillacceleratetheplanetaryshift.

ANewEarthINCONTROVERTIBLEPROOFOFIMMORTALITY

Egocomesaboutthroughasplitinthehumanpsycheinwhichidentityseparatesintotwopartsthatwecould call I andme or me andmyself. Every ego is therefore schizophrenic, to use the world in itspopularmeaningofsplitpersonality.Youlivewithamentalimageofyourself,aconceptualselfthatyouhavearelationshipwith.Lifeitselfbecomesconceptualizedandseparatedfromwhoyouarewhenyouspeakofmylife.Themomentyousayorthinkmylifeandbelieveinwhatyouaresaying(ratherthanitjustbeingalinguisticconvention),youhaveenteredtherealmofdelusion.Ifthereissuchathingasmylife, it follows that I and life are two separate things, and so I can also lose my life, my imaginarytreasuredpossession.Deathbecomesaseemingrealityanda threat.Wordsandconcepts split life intoseparate segments that have no reality in themselves.We could even say that the notionmy life is theoriginaldelusionofseparateness,thesourceofego.IfIandlifearetwo,ifIamseparatefromlife,thenIamseparateformallthings,allbeings,allpeople.ButhowcouldIbeseparatefromlife?WhatIcouldbethereapartfromlife,apartfromBeing?Itisutterlyimpossible.Sothereisnosuchthingasmylife,andIdon'thavealife.Iamlife.Iandlifeareone.Itcannotbeotherwise.SohowcouldIlosemylife?Howcan I lose something that I don't have in the first place? How can I lose something that I Am? It isimpossible.

ANewEarth

CHAPTERFIVETHEPAIN?BODY

Thegreaterpartofmostpeople'sthinkingisinvoluntary,automatic,andrepetitive.Itisnomorethanakindofmentalstaticandfulfillsnorealpurpose.Strictlyspeaking,youdon'tthink;Thinkinghappenstoyou.ThestatementIthinkimpliesvolition.Itimpliesthatyouhaveasayinthematter,thatthereischoiceinvolvedonyourpart.Formostpeople, this isnotyet thecase. I think is justas falseastatementas IdigestorIcirculatemyblood.Digestionhappens,circulationhappens,thinkinghappens.

The voice in the head has a life of its own.Most people are at themercy of that voice; they arepossessedbythought,bythemind.Andsincethemindisconditionedbythepast,youarethenforcedtoreenact thepastagainandagain.TheEastern termfor this iskarma.Whenyouare identifiedwith thatvoice,youdon'tknowthis,ofcourse.Ifyouknewit,youwouldnolongerbepossessedbecauseyouareonly trulypossessedwhenyoumistake thepossessing entity forwhoyou are, that is to say,whenyoubecomeit.

For thousands of years, humanity has been increasingly mind? possessed, failing to recognize thepossessingentityasnotself.Throughcompleteidentificationwiththemind,afalsesenseofselftheegocame intoexistence.Thedensityof theegodependson thedegree towhichyou theconsciousnessareidentified with your mind, with thinking. Thinking is no more than a tiny aspect of the totality ofconsciousness,thetotalityofwhoyouare.

Thedegreeofidentificationwiththeminddiffersfrompersontoperson.Somepeopleenjoyperiodsof freedomfromit,howeverbrief,and thepeace, joy,andaliveness theyexperience in thosemomentsmakelifeworthliving.Thesearealsothemomentswhencreativity,love,andcompassionarise.Othersareconstantlytrappedintheegoicstate.Theyarealienatedfromthemselves,aswellasfromothersandthe world around them. When you look at them, you may see the tension in their face, perhaps thefurrowedbrow,ortheabsentorstaringexpressionin theireyes.Mostof theirattentionisabsorbedbythinking,andsotheydon'treallyseeyou,and

theyarenotreallylisteningtoyou.Theyarenotpresentinanysituation,theirattentionbeingeitherinthepastorfuturewhich,ofcourse,existonlyinthemindasthoughtforms.Ortheyrelatetoyouthroughsomekindofroletheyplayandsoarenotthemselves.Mostpeoplearealienatedfromwhotheyare,andsomeare alienated to such a degree that theyway theybehave and interact is recognized as phonybyalmosteveryone,exceptthosewhoareequallyphony,equallyalienatedfromwhotheyare.

Alienationmeansyoudon'tfeelateaseinanysituation,anyplace,orwithanyperson,notevenwithyourself.Youarealwaystryingtogethome'butneverfeelathome.Someofthegreatestwritersofthetwentiethcentury,suchasFranzKafka,AlbertCamus,T.S.Eliot,andJamesJoyce,recognizedalienationastheuniversaldilemmaofhumanexistence,probablyfeltitdeeplywithinthemselvesandsowereableto express it brilliantly in theirworks. They don't offer a solution.Their contribution is to showus areflectionofthehumanpredicamentsothatwecanseeitmoreclearly.Toseeone'spredicamentclearlyisafirststeptowardgoingbeyondit.

ANewEarthTHEBIRTHOFEMOTION

In addition to the movement of thought, although not entirely separate from it, there is anotherdimensiontotheego:emotion.Thisisnottosaythatallthinkingandallemotionareoftheego.Theturnintoegoonlywhenyou identifywith themand they takeyouovercompletely, that is tosay,when theybecomeI.

Thephysicalorganism,yourbody,hasitsownintelligence,asdoestheorganismofeveryotherlife?form.Andthatintelligencereactstowhatyourmindissaying,reactstoyourthoughts.Soemotionisthebody's reaction to your mind. The body's intelligence is, of course, an inseparable part of universalintelligence,oneofitscountlessmanifestations.Itgivestemporarycohesiontotheatomsandmoleculesthatmakeupyourphysicalorganism.Itistheorganizingprinciplebehindtheworkingsofalltheorgansofthebody, theconversionofoxygenand food intoenergy, theheartbeatandcirculationofheblood, theimmunesystemthatprotectsthebodyfrominvaders,thetranslationofsensoryinputintonerveimpulsesthataresenttothebrain,decodedthere,andreassembledintoacoherentinnerpictureofouterreality.Allthese,aswellasthousandsofotherssimultaneouslyoccurringfunctions,arecoordinatedperfectlybythatintelligence.Youdon'trunyourbody.The

intelligencedoes.Italsoisinchargeoftheorganism'sresponsestoitsenvironment.Thisistrueforanylife?form.Itisthesameintelligencethatbroughttheplantintophysicalformand

thenmanifestsastheflowerthatcomesoutoftheplant,theflowerthatopensitspetalsinthemorningtoreceivetheraysofthesunandclosesthematnighttime.ItisthesameintelligencethatmanifestsasGaia,thecomplexlivingbeingthatisplanetearth.

This intelligence gives rise to instinctive reactions of the organism to any threat or challenge. Itproduces responses in animals that appear to be akin to human emotions: anger, fear, pleasure. Theseinstinctive responses could be considered primordial forms of emotion. In certain situations, humanbeingsexperienceinstinctiveresponsesinthesamewaythatanimalsdo.Inthefaceofdanger,whenthesurvival of the organism is threatened., the heart beats faster, themuscles contract, breathing becomesrapidinpreparationforfightorflight.Primordialfear.Whenbeingcornered,asuddenflare?upofintenseenergygivesstrengthtothebodythatitdidn'thavebefore.Primordialanger.Theseinstinctiveresponsesappearakintoemotions,butarenotemotionsinthetruesenseoftheword.Thefundamentaldifferencebetweenan instinctive responseandanemotion is this:An instinctive response response is thebody'sdirect response to some external situation.An emotion, on the other hand, is the body's response to athought.

Indirectly,anemotioncanalsobearesponsetoanactualsituationtorevent,butitwillbearesponsetotheeventseenthroughthefilterofamentalinterpretation,thefilterofthought,thatistosay,throughthementalconceptsofgoodandbad,likeanddislike,meandmine.Forexample,itislikelyyouwon'tfeelany emotionwhen you are told that someone's car has been stolen, but when it is your car, youwillprobablyfeelupset.Itisamazinghowmuchemotionalittlementalconceptlikemycangenerate.

Althoughthebodyisveryintelligent,itcannottell thedifferencebetweenanactualsituationandathought.Itreactstoeverythoughtasifitwereareality.Itdoesn'tknowitisjustathought.Tothebody,aworrisome, fearful thoughtmeansIamindanger,and it respondsaccordingly,even thoughyoumaybelyinginawarmandcomfortablebedatnight.Thheartbeatsfaster,musclescontract,breathingbecomesrapid.Thereisabuildupof

energy,butsincethedangerisonlyamentalfiction,theenergyhasnooutlet.Partofitisfedbacktothemindandgeneratesevenmoreanxiousthought.Therestoftheenergyturnstoxicandinterfereswiththeharmoniousfunctioningofthebody.

ANewEarthEMOTIONSANDTHEEGO

Theegoisnotonlytheunobservedmind,thevoiceintheheadwhichpretendstobeyou,butalsotheunobservedemotionsthatarethebody'sreactiontowhatthevoiceintheheadissaying.

We have already seen what kind of thinking the egoic voice engages in most of the time and thedysfunction inherent in the structure of its thought processes, regardless of content. This dysfunctionalthinkingiswhatthebodyreactstowithnegativeemotion.

Thevoice in thehead tells a story that thebodybelieves in and reacts to.Those reactions are theemotions. The emotions, in turn, feed energy back to the thoughts that created the emotion in the firstplace. This is the vicious circle between unexamined thoughts and emotions, giving rise to emotionalthinkingandemotionalstory?making.

The emotional component of ego differs fromperson to person. in some egos, it is greater than inothers.Thoughtsthattriggeremotionalresponsesinthebodymaysometimescomesofastthatbeforethemindhashadtimetovoicethem,thebodyhasalreadyrespondedwithanemotion,andtheemotionhasturned into a reaction. Those thoughts exist at a pre? verbal stage and could be called unspoken,unconscious assumptions. They have their origin in a person's past conditioning, usually from earlychildhood.Peoplecannotbetrustedwouldbeanexampleofsuchanunconsciousassumptioninapersonwhoseprimordialrelationships,thatistosay,withparentsroesiblings,werenotsupportiveanddidnotinspiretrust.Hereareafewmorecommonunconsciousassumptions:Nobodyrespectsandappreciatesme.Ineedtofighttosurvive.Thereisneverenoughmoney.Lifealwaysletsyoudown.Idon'tdeserveabundance. I don't deserve love. Unconscious assumptions create emotions in the body which in turngeneratemindactivityand/orinstantreactions.Inthisway,theycreateyourpersonalreality.

Thevoiceoftheegocontinuouslydisruptsthebody'snaturalstateofwell?being.Almosteveryhumanbody isunderagreatdealofstrainandstress,notbecause it is threatenedbysomeexternal factorbutfromwithinthemind.Thebodyhasanegoattachedtoit,anditcannotbutrespondtoallthedysfunctionalthought patterns thatmake up the ego. Thus, a stream of negative emotion accompanies the stream ofincessantandcompulsivethinking.

Whatisanegativeemotion?Anemotionthatistoxictothebodyandinterfereswithitsbalanceandharmonious functioning. Fear, anxiety, anger, bearing a grudge, sadness, hatred or intense dislike,jealousy,envyalldisrupttheenergyflowthroughthebody,affecttheheart,theimmunesystem,digestion,productionofhormones,andsoon.Evenmainstreammedicine,althoughitknowsverylittleabouthowthe ego operates yet is beginning to recognize the connection between negative emotional states andphysicaldisease.Anemotion thatdoesharm to thebodyalso infects thepeopleyoucome intocontactwith and indirectly, though a process of chain reaction, countless others you never meet. There is agenerictermforallnegativeemotions:unhappiness.

Do positive emotions then have the opposite effect on the physical body? Do they strengthen theimmune system, invigorate and heal the body? They do, indeed, butwe need to differentiate betweenpositive emotions that are ego?generated and deeper emotions that emanate from your natural state ofconnectednesswithBeing.

Positiveemotionsgeneratedbytheegoalreadycontainwithinthemselvestheiropposite intowhichtheycanquicklyturn.Herearesomeexamples.Whattheegocallsloveispossessivenessandaddictiveclingingthatcanturnintohatewithinasecond.Anticipationaboutanupcomingevent,whichistheego's

overvaluationoffuture,easilyturnsintoitsoppositeletdownordisappointmentwhentheeventisoverordoesn'tfulfilltheego'sexpectations.Praiseandrecognitionmakeyoufeelaliveandhappyoneday;beingcriticizedor ignoredmakeyoudejected andunhappy thenext.Thepleasureof awild party turns intobleaknessandahangoverthenextmorning.Thereisnogoodwithoutbad,nohighwithoutlow.

Ego?generatedemotionsarederivedfromthemind'sidentificationwithexternalfactorswhichareofcourse,allunstableandliabletochangeat

anymoment.Thedeeperemotionsarenot reallyemotionsatallbutstatesofBeing.Emotionsexistwithintherealmofopposites.StatesofBeingcanbeobscured,buttheyhavenoopposite.Theyemanatefromwithinyouasthelove,joy,andpeacethatareaspectsofyourtruenature.

ANewEarthTHEDUCKWITHAHUMANMIND

InThePowerofNow,Imentionedmyobservationthataftertwoducksgetintoafight,whichneverlasts long, theywill separate and float off in opposite directions. Then each duckwill flap itswingsvigorouslyafewtimes;thusreleasingthesurplusenergythatbuiltupduringthefight.Aftertheyflaptheirwings,theyfloatonpeacefully,asifnothinghadeverhappened.

Iftheduckhadahumanmind,itwouldkeepthefightalivebythinking,bystory?making.Thiswouldprobablybetheduck'sstory:Idon'tbelievewhathejustdid.Hecametowithinfiveinchesofme.Hethinksheownsthispond.Hehasnoconsiderationformyprivatespace.I'llnevertrusthimagain.Nexttimehe'lltrysomethingelsejusttoannoyme.I'msurehe'splottingsomethingalready.ButI'mnotgoingtostandforthis.I'llteachhimalessonhewon'tforget.Andonandonthemindspinsitstales,stillthinkingand talking about it days, months, or years later. As far as the body is concerned, the fight is stillcontinuing,andtheenergyitgeneratesinresponsetoallthosethoughtsisemotion,whichinturngeneratesmorethinking.Thisbecomestheemotional thinkingof theego.youcanseehowproblematic theduck'slifewouldbecomeifithadahumanmind.Butthisishowmosthumansliveallthetime.

Nosituationoreventiseverreallyfinished.Themindandthemind?mademeandmystorykeep itgoing.

Wearea species that ahas lost itsway. everythingnatural, every floweror tree, andevery animalhaveimportantlessonstoteachusifwewouldonlystop,lookandlisten.Ourduck'slessonisthis:Flapyourwingswhich translates as letgoof the story?and return to theonlyplaceofpower: thepresentmoment.

ANewEarthCARRYINGTHEPAST

TheinabilityorratherunwillingnessofthehumanmindtoletgoofthepastisbeautifullyillustratedinthestoryoftwoZenmonks,Tanzanand

Ekido,whowerewalkingalongacountryroadthathadbecomeextremelymuddyafterheavyrains.Nearavillage,theycameuponayoungwomanwhowastryingtocrosstheroad,butthemudwassodeepitwouldhaveruinedthesilkkimonoshewaswearing.Tanzanatoncepickedherupandcarriedhertotheotherside.

Themonkswalkedoninsilence.Fivehourslater,astheywereapproachingthelodgingtemple,Ekidocouldn'trestrainhimselfanylonger.Whydidyoucarrythatgirlacrosstheroad?heasked.Wemonksarenotsupposedtodothingslikethat.

Iputthegirldownhoursago,saidTanzan.Areyoustillcarryingher?Now imagine what life would be like for someone who lived like Ekido all the time, unable or

unwillingtoletgointernallyofsituations,accumulatingmoreandmorestuff'inside,andyougetasenseofwhatlifeislikeforthemajorityofpeopleonourplanet.Whataheavyburdenofpasttheycarryaroundwiththemintheirminds.

Thepastlivesinyouasmemories,butmemoriesinthemselvesarenotaproblem.infact,itisthroughmemory thatwe learn from the past and from pastmistakes. It is onlywhenmemories, that is to say,thoughts about the past, take you over completely that they turn into a burden, turn problematic, andbecomepartofyoursenseofself.Yourpersonality,whichisconditionedbythepast,thenbecomesyourprison. Your memories are invested with a sense of self, and your story becomes who you perceiveyourself to be. This little me is an illusion that obscures your true identity as timeless and formlessPresence.

Your story,however, consistsnotonlyofmentalbut alsoof emotionalmemoryold emotion that isbeingrevivedcontinuously.Asinthecaseofthemonkwhocarriedtheburdenofhisresentmentforfivehours by feeding itwith his thoughts,most people carry a large amount of unnecessary baggage, bothmentalandemotional, throughouttheirlives.Theylimit themselvesthroughgrievances,regret,hostility,guilt.Theiremotionalthinkinghasbecometheirself,andsotheyhangontotheoldemotionbecauseitstrengthenstheiridentity.

Becauseofthehumantendencytoperpetuateoldemotion,almosteveryonecarriesinhisorherenergyfiledanaccumulationofoldemotionalpain,whichIcallthepain?body.

Wecan,however,stopaddingtothepin?bodythatwealreadyhave.Wecanlearntobreakthehabitofaccumulatingandperpetuatingoldemotionbyflappingourwings,metaphoricallyspeaking,andrefrainfrommentallydwellingonthepast,regardlessofwhethersomethinghappenedyesterdayorthirtyyearsago. We can learn not to keep situations or events alive in our minds, but to return our attentioncontinuously to thepristine, timelesspresentmoment rather thanbecaughtup inmentalmovie?making.OurveryPresencethenbecomesouridentity,ratherthanourthoughtsandemotions.

Nothingeverhappenedinthepastthatcanpreventyoufrombeingpresentnow;andifthepastcannotpreventyoufrombeingpresentnow,whatpowerdoesithave?

ANewEarthINDIVIDUALANDCOLLECTIVE

Anynegativeemotionthatisnotfullyfacedandseenforwhatitisinthemomentitarisesdoesnotcompletelydissolve.Itleavesbehindaremnantofpain.

Childreninparticularfindstrongnegativeemotionstoooverwhelmingtocopewithandtendtotrynotto feel them. In the absence of a fully conscious adultwho guides themwith love and compassionateunderstanding into facing the emotiondirectly, choosingnot to feel it is indeed the only option for thechildat that time.Unfortunately, thatearlydefensemechanismusually remains inplacewhen the childbecomes an adult. The emotion still lives in him or her unrecognized and manifests indirectly, forexample,asanxiety,anger,outburstsofviolence,amood,orevenasaphysicalillness.Insomecases,itinterfereswith or sabotages every intimate relationship.Most psychotherapists havemet patientswhoclaimedinitiallytohavehadatotallyhappychildhood,andlatertheoppositeturnedouttobethecase.Thosemaybethemoreextremecases,butnobodycangothroughchildhoodwithoutsufferingemotionalpain.Evenifbothofyourparentswereenlightened,youwouldstillfindyourselfgrowingupinalargelyunconsciousworld.

Theremnantsofpain leftbehindbyeverystrongnegativeemotion that isnot fully faced,accepted,andthenletgoofjointogethertoformanenergyfiledthatlivesintheverycellsofyourbody.Itconsistsnotjustofchildhoodpain,butalsopainfulemotionsthatwereaddedtoitlaterinadolescenceandduringyouradultlife,muchofitcreatedbythevoiceoftheego.Itistheemotionalpainthatisyourunavoidablecompanionwhenafalsesenseofselfisthebasisofyourlife.

Thisenergyfieldofoldbutstillvery?much?aliveemotionthatlivesinalmosteveryhumanbeingisthepain?body.

The pain?body, however, is not just individual in nature. It also partakes of the pain suffered bycountlesshumans throughout thehistoryofhumanity,which isahistoryofcontinuous tribalwarfare,ofenslavement, pillage, rape, torture, and other forms of violence. This pain still lives in the collectivepsycheofhumanityandisbeingaddedtoonadailybasis,asyoucanverifywhenyouwatchthenewstonight or look at the drama in people's relationships. The collective pain?body is probably encodedwithineveryhuman'sDNA,althoughwehaven'tdiscovereditthereyet.

Every newbornwho comes into this world already carries an emotional pain?body. In some it isheavier,moredensethaninothers.Somebabiesarequitehappymostofthetime.Othersseemtocarryanenormousamountofunhappinesswithinthem.Itistruethatsomebabiescryagreatdealbecausetheyarenotgivenenoughloveandattention,butotherscryfornoapparentreason,almostasiftheyweretryingtomake everyone around them as unhappy as they are and often they succeed. They have come into thisworldwith a heavy share of human pain.Other babiesmay cry frequently because they can sense theemanationof theirmother'sandfather'snegativeemotion,anditcausesthempainandalsocausestheirpain?bodytogrowalreadybyabsorbingenergyfromtheparents'pain?bodies.Whatever thecasemaybe,asthebaby'sphysicalbodygrows,sodoesthepain?body.

Aninfantwithonlyalightpain?bodyisnotnecessarilygoingtobeaspirituallymoreadvancedmanorwoman than somebodywith a dense one. In fact, the opposite is often the case. Peoplewith heavypain?bodies usually have a better chance to awaken spiritually than thosewith a relatively light one.Whereassomeofthemdoremaintrappedintheirheavypain?

bodies,manyothersreachapointwhere theycannot livewith theirunhappinessanylonger,andso

theirmotivationtoawakenbecomesstrong.WhyisthesufferingbodyofChrist,hisfacedistortedinagonyandhisbodybleedingformcountless

wounds, such a significant image in the collective consciousness of humanity? Millions of people,particularly inmedieval times,would not have related to it as deeply as they did if somethingwithinthemselves had not resonated with it, if they had not unconsciously recognized it as an outerrepresentationoftheirowninnerrealitythepain?body.Theywerenotyetconsciousenoughtorecognizeitdirectlywithinthemselves,butitwasthebeginningoftheirbecomingawareofit.Christcanbeseenasthearchetypalhuman,embodyingboththepainandthepossibilityoftranscendence.

ANewEarthHOWTHEPAIN?BODYRENEWSITSELF

Thepain?bodyisasemi?autonomousenergyformthatliveswithinmosthumanbeings,anentitymadeupofemotion. Ithas itsownprimitive intelligence,notunlikeacunninganimal, and its intelligence isdirectedprimarilyatsurvival.Likealllife?forms,itperiodicallyneedstofeedtotakeinnewenergyandthefooditrequirestoreplenishitselfconsistsofenergythatiscompatiblewithitsown,whichistosay,energythatvibratesatasimilarfrequency.Anyemotionallypainfulexperiencecanbeusedasfoodbythepain?body.That'swhyitthrivesonnegativethinkingaswellasdramainrelationships.Thepain?bodyisanaddictiontounhappiness.

It may be shocking when you realize for the first time that there is something within you thatperiodicallyseeksemotionalnegativity,seeksunhappiness.Youneedevenmoreawareness tosee it inyourselfthantorecognizeitinanotherperson.Oncetheunhappinesshastakenyouover,notonlydoyounotwantanendtoit,butyouwanttomakeothersjustasmiserableasyouareinordertofeedontheirnegativeemotionalreactions.

Inmostpeople,thepain?bodyhasadormantandanactivestage.Whenitisdormant,youeasilyforgetthatyoucarryaheavydarkcloudoradormantvolcanoinsideyou,dependingontheenergyfieldofyourparticular pain?body.How long it remainsdormantvaries fromperson to person:A fewweeks is themostcommon,butitcanbeafewdaysormonths.Inrarecases

thepain?bodycanlieinhibernationforyearsbeforeitgetstriggeredbysomeevent.

ANewEarthHOWTHEPAIN?BODYFEEDSONYOURTHOUGHTS

Thepain?bodyawakens from its dormancywhen it gets hungry,when it is time to replenish itself.Alternatively,itmaygettriggeredbyaneventatanytime.Thepain?bodythatisreadytofeedcanusethemost insignificant event as a trigger, something somebody says or does, or even a thought. If you livealoneor there is nobody around at the time, thepain?bodywill feed on your thoughts. Suddenly, yourthinkingbecomesdeeplynegative.Youweremostlikelyunawarethatjustpriortotheinfluxofnegativethinkingawaveofemotioninvadedyourmindasadarkandheavymood,asanxietyorfieryanger.Allthoughtisenergyandthepain?bodyisnowfeedingontheenergyofyourthoughts.Butitcannotfeedonany thought. You don't need to be particularly sensitive to notice that a positive thought has a totallydifferentfeeling?tonethananegativeone.Itisthesameenergy,butitvibratesatadifferentfrequency.Ahappy,positivethoughtisindigestibletothepain?body.Itcanonlyfeedonnegativethoughtsbecauseonlythosethoughtsarecompatiblewithitsownenergyfield.

All things are vibrating energy fields in ceaselessmotion. The chair you sit on, the book you areholding inyourhandsappearsolidandmotionlessonlybecause that ishowyoursensesperceive theirvibrational frequency, that is to say, the incessant movement of the molecules, atoms, electrons andsubatomicparticlesthattogethercreatewhatyouperceiveasachair,abook,atree,orabody.Whatweperceiveasphysicalmatter isenergyvibrating (moving)at aparticular rangeof frequencies.Thoughtsconsistofthesameenergyvibratingatahigherfrequencythanmatter,whichiswhytheycannotbeseenortouched.Thoughtshavetheirownrangeoffrequencies,whichnegativethoughtsatthelowerendof thescaleandpositivethoughtsatthehigher.Thevibrationalfrequencyofthepain?bodyresonateswiththatofnegativethoughts,whichiswhyonlythosethoughtscanfeedthepain?body.

Theusualpatternofthoughtcreatingemotionisreversedinthecaseofthepain?body,atleastinitially.Emotionfromthepain?bodyquicklygains

control of your thinking, and once yourmind has been taken over by the pain?body, your thinkingbecomesnegative.Thevoiceinyourheadwillbetellingsad,anxious,orangrystoriesaboutyourselforyourlife,aboutotherpeople,aboutpast,future,orimaginaryevents.Thevoicewillbeblaming,accusing,complaining, imagining. And you are totally identified with whatever the voice says, believe all itsdistortedthoughts.Atthatpoint,theaddictiontounhappinesshassetin.

Itisnotsomuchthatyoucannotstopyourtrainofnegativethoughts,butthatyoudon'twantto.Thisisbecausethepain?bodyatthattimeislivingthroughyou,pretendingtobeyou.Andtothepain?body,painis pleasure. It eagerly devours every negative thought. In fact, the usual voice in your head has nowbecome the voice of the pain?body. It has taken over the internal dialogue.A vicious circle becomesestablishedbetweenthepain?bodyandyourthinking.Everythoughtfeedsthepain?bodyandinturnthepain?body generates more thoughts. At some point, after a few hours or even a few days, it hasreplenisheditselfandreturnstoitsdormantstage,leavingbehindadepletedorganismandabodythatismuchmoresusceptibletoillness.Ifthatsoundstoyoulikeapsychicparasite,youareright.That'sexactlywhatitis.

ANewEarthHOWTHEPAIN?BODYFEEDSONDRAMA

Ifthereareotherpeoplearound,preferablyyourpartneroraclosefamilymember,thepain?bodywillattempttoprovokethempushtheirbuttons,astheexpressiongoes?soitcanfeedontheensuingdrama.Pain?bodiesloveintimaterelationshipsandfamiliesbecausethatiswheretheygetmostofheirfood.Itishardtoresistanotherperson'spain?bodythatisdeterminedtodrawyouintoareaction.Instinctivelyitknowsyourweakest,mostvulnerablepoints.Ifitdoesn'tsucceedthefirsttime,itwilltryagainandagain.Itisrawemotionlookingformoreemotion.Theotherperson'spain?bodywantstoawakenyourssothatbothpain?bodiescanmutuallyenergizeeachother.

Manyrelationshipsgo throughviolentanddestructivepain?bodyepisodesat regular intervals. It isalmostunbearablypainful forayoungchild tohave towitness theemotionalviolenceof theirparents'pain?bodies,andyetthatisthefateofmillionsofchildrenallovertheworld,thenightmareoftheirdailyexistence.Thatisalsooneofthemainwaysin

which the human pain?body is passed on from generation to generation. After each episode, thepartnersmakeup,andthereisanintervalofrelativepeace,tothelimitedextentthattheegoallowsit.

Excessiveconsumptionofalcoholwilloftenactivatethepain?body,particularlyinmen,butalso insomewomen.Whenapersonbecomesdrunk,hegoesthroughacompletepersonalitychangeasthepain?bodytakeshimover.Adeeplyunconsciouspersonwhosepain?bodyhabituallyreplenishesitselfthroughphysicalviolenceoftendirectsittowardhisspouseorchildren.Whenhebecomessober,heistrulysorryandmaysayhewillneverdothisagain,andhemeansit.Thepersonwhoistalkingandmakingpromises,however,isnottheentitythatcommitstheviolence,andsoyoucanbesurethatitwillhappenagainandagainunlesshebecomespresent,recognizesthepain?bodywithinhimself,andthusdisidentifiesformit.Insomecases,counselingcanhelphimdothat.

Mostpain?bodieswanttobothinflictandsufferpain,butsomearepredominantlyeitherperpetratorsorvictims.Ineithercase,theyfeedonviolence,whetheremotionalorphysical.Somecoupleswhomaythink they have fallen in love are actually feeling drawn to each other because their respective pain?bodies complement each other. Sometimes the roles of perpetrator and victim are already clearlyprescribedthetimetheymeet.Somemarriagesthatarethoughttobemadeinheavenareactuallymadeinhell.

Ifyouhaveever livedwithacat,youwillknowthatevenwhenthecatseemstobeasleep, it stillknowswhatisgoingon,becauseattheslightestunusualnoise,itsearswillmovetowardit,anditseyesmayopenslightly.Dormantpain?bodiesarethesame.Onsomelevel,theyarestillawake,readytojumpintoactionwhenanappropriatetriggerpresentsitself.

Inintimaterelationships,pain?bodiesareoftencleverenoughtolielowuntilyoustartlivingtogetherandpreferablyhavesignedacontractcommittingyourselftobewiththispersonfortherestofyourlife.Youdon'tjustmarryyourwifeorhusband,youalsomarryherorhispain?bodyandyourspousemarriesyours.Itcanbequiteashockwhen,perhapsnotlongaftermovingintogetherafterthehoneymoon,youfindsuddenlyonedaythereisacompletepersonalitychangeinyourpartner.Hervoicebecomesharshorshrillassheaccusesyou,blamesyou,orshoutsatyou,mostlylikely

overarelativelytrivialmatter.Orshebecomestotallywithdrawn.What'swrong?youask.Nothingiswrong,shesays.Buttheintenselyhostileenergysheemanatesissaying,Everythingiswrong.Whenyoulookintohereyes,thereisnolightinthemanymore;itisasifaheavyveilhasdescended,andthebeing

youknowandlovewhichbeforewasabletoshinethroughherego,isnowtotallyobscured.Acompetestrangerseemstobelookingbackatyou,and inhereyes there ishatred,hostility,bitterness,oranger.When she speaks to you, it is not your spouse or partnerwho is speaking but the pain?body speakingthroughthem.Whateversheissayingisthepain?body'sversionofreality,arealitycompletelydistortedbyfear,hostility,anger,andadesiretoinflictandreceivemorepain.

Atthispointyoumaywonderwhetherthisisyourpartner'srealfacethatyouhadneverseenbeforeandwhetheryoumadeadreadfulmistakeinchoosingthisperson.Itis,ofcourse,nottherealface,justthepain?bodythattemporarilyhastakenpossession.Itwouldbehardtofindapartnerwhodoesn'tcarryapain?body;butitwouldperhapsbewisetochoosesomeonewhosepain?bodyisnotexcessivelydense.

ANewEarthDENSEPAIN?BODIES

Somepeoplecarrydensepain?bodies thatarenevercompletelydormant.Theymaybesmilingandmaking polite conversation, but you do not need to be psychic to sense that seething ball of unhappyemotioninthemjustunderneaththesurface,waitingforthenexteventtoreactto,thenextpersontoblameor confront, the next thing to be unhappy about.. Their pain?bodies can never get enough, are alwayshungry.Theymagnifytheego'sneedforenemies.

Throughtheirreactivity,relativelyinsignificantmattersareblownupoutofallproportionastheytryto pull other people into their drama by getting them to react. Some get involved in protracted andultimately pointless battles or court cases with organizations or individuals. Others are consumed byobsessivehatredtowardanex?spouseorpartner.Unawareofthepaintheycarryinside,bytheirreaction,theyprojectthepainintoeventsandsituations.Duetoacompletelackofself?awareness,theycannottellthedifferencebetweenaneventandtheirreactiontotheevent.Tothem,theunhappinessandeventhepainitselfisoutthereintheeventorsituation.

Beingunconsciousoftheirinnerstate,theydon'tevenknowthattheyaredeeplyunhappy,thattheyaresuffering.

Sometimespeoplewithsuchdensepain?bodiesbecomeactivistsfightingforacause.Thecausemayindeedbeworthy,andtheyaresometimessuccessfulatfirstingettingthingsdone;howeverthenegativeenergythatflowsintowhattheysayanddoandtheirunconsciousneedforenemiesandconflicttendtogenerateincreasingoppositiontotheircause.Usuallytheyalsoendupcreatingenemieswithintheirownorganization, because wherever they go, they find reasons for feeling bad, and so their pain?bodycontinuestofindexactlywhatitislookingfor.

ANewEarthENTERTAINMENT,THEMEDIA,ANDTHEPAIN?BODY

Ifyouwerenotfamiliarwithourcontemporarycivilization,ifyouhadcomeherefromanotherageoranotherplanet,oneofthethingsthatwouldamazeyouisthatmillionsofpeopleloveandpaymoneytowatchhumanskillandinflictpainoneachotherandcallitentertainment.

Whydoviolentfilmsattractsuchlargeaudiences?Thereisanentireindustry,alargepartofwhichfuelsthehumanaddictiontounhappiness.Peopleobviouslywatchthosefilmsbecausetheywanttofeelbad.Whatisitinhumansthatlovestofeelbadandcallsitgood?Thepain?body,ofcourse.Alargepartof the entertainment industry caters to it. So, in addition to reactivity, negative thinking, and personaldrama, the pain?body also renews itself vicariously through the cinema and television screen. Pain?bodieswriteandproducethesefilms,andpain?bodiespaytowatchthem.

Isitalwayswrongtoshowandwatchviolenceontelevisionandthecinemascreen?Doesallsuchviolencecatertothepain?body?Atthecurrentevolutionarystageofhumanity,violenceisstillnotonlyall?pervasivebutevenontheincrease,astheoldegoicconsciousness,amplifiedbythecollectivepain?body,intensifiespriortoitsinevitabledemise.Iffilmsshowviolenceinitswidercontext,iftheyshowits origin and its consequences, showwhat it does to the victim aswell as the perpetrator, show thecollectiveunconsciousnessthat liesbehinditandispassedonfromgenerationtogeneration(theangerand hatred that lives in humans as the pain?body), then those films can fulfill a vital function in theawakeningofhumanity.Theycanactasamirrorinwhichhumanityseesitsowninsanity.Thatinyou

whichrecognizesmadnessasmadness(evenifitisyourown)issanity,isthearisingawareness, istheendofinsanity.

Suchfilmsdoexistandtheydonotfuelthepain?body.Someofthebestantiwarfilmsarefilms thatshowtherealityofwarratherthanaglamorizedversionofit.Thepain?bodycanonlyfeedonfilmsinwhichviolenceisportrayedasnormalorevendesirablehumanbehavior,orthatglorifyviolencewiththesole purpose of generating negative emotion in the viewer and so become a fix for the pain?addictedpain?body.

Thepopulartabloidpressdoesnotprimarilysellnewsbutnegativeemotionfoodforthepain?body.Outragescreamsthethree?inchheadline,orBastards.TheBritishtabloidpressexcelsatthis.Theyknowthatnegativeemotionsellsfarmorepapersthannewsdoes.

Thereisatendencyinthenewsmediaingeneral,includingtelevision,tothriveonnegativenews.Theworsethingsget,themoreexcitedthepresentersbecome,andoftenthenegativeexcitementisgeneratedbythemediaitself.Pain?bodiesjustloveit.

ANewEarthTHECOLLECTIVEFEMALEPAIN?BODY

Thecollectivedimensionofthepain?bodyhasdifferentstrandsinit.Tribes,nations,races,allhavetheirowncollectivepainbody,someheavierthanothers,andmostmembersofthattribe,nationorracehaveashareinittoagreaterorlesserdegree.

Almost every woman has her share in the collective female pain?body, which tends to becomeactivated particularly just prior to the time of menstruation. At that time many women becomeoverwhelmedbyintensenegativeemotion.

Thesuppressionofthefeminineprincipleespeciallyoverthepasttwothousandyearshasenabledtheegotogainabsolutesupremacyinthecollectivehumanpsyche.Althoughwomenhaveegos,ofcourse,theegocantakerootandgrowmoreeasilyinthemaleformthaninthefemale.thisisbecausewomenarelessmind?identified thanmen.They aremore in touchwith the inner body and the intelligence of theorganismwheretheintuitivefacultiesoriginate.Thefemaleformislessrigidlyencapsulatedthanthe

male,hasgreateropennessandsensitivitytowardotherlife?forms,andismoreattunedtothenaturalworld.

Ifthebalancebetweenmaleandfemaleenergieshadnotbeendestroyedonourplant,theego'sgrowthwouldhavebeengreatlycurtailed.Wewouldnothavedeclaredwaronnature,andwewouldnotbesocompletelyalienatedfromourBeing.

Nobodyknowstheexactfigurebecauserecordswerenotkept,butitseescertainthatduringathree?hundred?year period between three and five million women were tortured and killed by the HolyInquisition, an institution founded by the Roman Catholic Church to suppress heresy. This sure rankstogetherwiththeHolocaustasoneofthedarkestchaptersinhumanhistory.Itwasenoughforawomantoshowaloveforanimals,walkaloneinthefieldsorwoods,orgathermedicinalplantstobebrandedawitch, then torturedandburnedat the stake.Thesacred femininewasdeclareddemonic, andanentiredimension largely disappeared form human experience.Other cultures and religions, such as Judaism,Islam, and even Buddhism, also suppressed the female dimension, although in a less violent way.Women'sstatuswasreducedtobeingchildbearersandmen'sproperty.Maleswhodeniedthefeminineevenwithinthemselveswherenowrunningtheworld,aworldthatwastotallyoutofbalance.Therestishistoryorratheracasehistoryofinsanity.

Whowas responsible for this fearof the feminine that couldonlybedescribedasacutecollectiveparanoia?Wecouldsay:Ofcourse,menwereresponsible.Butthenwhyinmanyancientpre?ChristiancivilizationssuchastheSumerian,Egyptian,andCelticwerewomenrespectedandthefeminineprinciplenotfearedbutrevered?What is it thatsuddenlymademenfeel threatenedbythefemale?Theevolvingegointhem.Itknewitcouldgainfullcontrolofourplanetonlythroughthemaleform,andtodoso,ithadtorenderthefemalepowerless.

Intime,theegoalsotookovermostwomen,althoughitcouldneverbecomeasdeeplyentrenched inthemasinmen.

Wenowhaveasituationinwhichthesuppressionof thefemininehasbecomeinternalized,even inmostwomen.Thesacredfeminine,becauseitissuppressed,isfeltbymanywomenasemotionalpain.Infact,ithasbecome

partoftheirpain?body,togetherwiththeaccumulatedpainsufferedbywomenovermillenniathroughchildbirth,rape,slavery,tortureandviolentdeath.

Butthingsarechangingrapidlynow.Withmanypeoplebecomingmoreconscious,theegoislosingitsholdonthehumanmind.Becausetheegowasneverasdeeplyrootedinwoman,itislosingitsholdonwomenmorequicklythanonmen.

ANewEarthNATIONALANDRACIALPAIN?BODIES

Certain countries in which many acts of collective violence were suffered or perpetrated have aheaviercollectivepain?bodythanothers.Thisiswhyoldernationstendtohavestrongerpain?bodies.Itisalsowhyyoungercountries,suchasCanadaorAustralia,andthosethathaveremainedmoreshelteredfrom the surrounding madness, such as Switzerland, tend to have lighter collective pain?bodies. Ofcourse, in thosecountries,peoplestillhave theirpersonalpain?body todealwith. Ifyouare sensitiveenough,youcanfeelaheavinessintheenergyfieldofcertaincountriesassoonasyoustepofftheplane.Inothercountries,onecansenseanenergyfieldoflatentviolencejustunderneaththesurfaceofeverydaylife. In some nations, for example, in the Middle East, the collective pain?body is so acute that asignificant part of the population finds itself forced to act it out in an endless and insane cycle ofperpetrationandretributionthroughwhichthepain?bodyrenewsitselfcontinuously.

Incountrieswherethepain?bodyisheavybutnolongeracute,therehasbeenatendencyforpeopletotryanddesensitizethemselvestothecollectiveemotionalpain:inGermanyandJapanthroughwork, insome other countries through widespread indulgence in alcohol (which, however, can also have theoppositeeffectofstimulatingthepain?body,particularlyifconsumedinexcess).China'sheavypain?bodyis to some extentmitigated by thewidespread practice of t'ai chi, which amazinglywas not declaredillegalbytheCommunistgovernmentthatotherwisefeelsthreatenedbyanythingitcannotcontrol.Everyday in the streets and city parks,millions practice thismovementmeditation that stills themind. Thismakesaconsiderabledifferencetothecollectiveenergyfieldandgoessomewaytowarddiminishingthepain?bodybyreducingthinkingandgeneratingPresence.

Spiritual practices that involve the physical body, such as tai chi, qigong, and yoga, are alsoincreasinglybeingembraced in theWesternworld.Thesepracticesdonotcreateaseparationbetweenbodyandspiritandarehelpfulinweakeningthepain?body.Theywillplayanimportantroleintheglobalawakening.

Thecollectiveracialpain?bodyispronouncedinJewishpeople,whohavesufferedpersecutionovermany centuries. Not surprisingly, it is strong as well in Native Americans, whose numbers weredecimated and whose culture all but destroyed by the European settlers. In Black Americans too thecollectivepain?bodyispronounced.Theirancestorswereviolentlyuprooted,beatenintosubmission,andsold into slavery.The foundation ofAmerican economic prosperity rested on the labor of four to fivemillion black slaves. In fact, the suffering inflicted onNative andBlackAmericans has not remainedconfinedtothosetworaces,buthasbecomepartofthecollectiveAmericanpain?body.Itisalwaysthecase that both victim and perpetrator suffer the consequences of any acts of violence, oppression, orbrutality.Forwhatyoudotoothers,youdotoyourself.

Itdoesn't reallymatterwhatproportionofyourpain?bodybelongs toyournationor raceandwhatproportion ispersonal. Ineithercase,youcanonlygobeyond itby taking responsibility foryou innerstatenow.Even ifblameseemsmore than justified,as longasyoublameothers,youkeep feeding thepain?bodywithyourthoughtsandremaintrappedinyourego.Thereisonlyoneperpetratorofevilontheplanet:humanunconsciousness.Thatrealizationistrueforgiveness.Withforgiveness,yourvictimidentitydissolves,andyourtruepoweremergesthepowerofPresence.Insteadofblamingthedarkness,youbringinthelight.

ANewEarth

CHAPTERSIXBREAKINGFREE

Thebeginningoffreedomfromthepain?bodyliesfirstofallintherealizationthatyouhaveapain?body.Then,moreimportant,inyourabilitytostaypresentenough,alertenough,tonoticethepan?bodyinyourselfasaheavyinfluxofnegativeemotionwhenitbecomesactive.Whenitisrecognized,itcannolongerpretendtobeyouandliveandrenewitselfthroughyou.

It is your conscious Presence that breaks the identification with the pain?body. When you don'tidentifywithit,thepain?bodycannolongercontrolyourthinkingandsocannotrenewitselfanymorebyfeedingonyourthoughts.Thepain?bodyinmostcasesdoesnotdissolveimmediately,butonceyouhaveseveredthelinkbetweenitandyourthinking,thepain?bodybeginstoloseenergy.Yourthinkingceasestobecloudedbyemotion;yourpresentperceptionsarenolongerdistortedbythepast.Theenergythatwastrappedinthepain?bodythenchangesintovibrationalfrequencyandistransmutedintoPresence.Inthisway, thepain?bodybecomes fuel for consciousness.This iswhymanyof thewisest,most enlightenedmenandwomenonourplanetoncehadaheavypain?body.

Regardlessofwhatyousayordoorwhatfaceyoushowtotheworld,yourmental?emotionalstatecannotbeconcealed.Everyhumanbeingemanatesanenergy field that corresponds tohisorher innerstate, and most people can sense it, although they may feel someone else's energy emanation onlysubliminally.Thatistosay,theydon'tknowthattheysenseit,yetitdeterminestoalargeextenthowtheyfeel about and react to that person. Some people are most clearly aware of it when they first meetsomeone,evenbeforeanywordsareexchanged.Alittlelater,however,wordstakeovertherelationshipandwithwordscometherolesthatmostpeopleplay.Attentionthenmovestotherealmofmind,andtheabilitytosensetheotherperson'senergyfieldbecomesgreatlydiminished.Nevertheless,itisstillfeltonanunconsciouslevel.

When you realize that pain?bodies unconsciously seek more pain, that is to say that they wantsomethingbad tohappen,youwillunderstand thatmany trafficaccidentsarecausedbydriverswhosepain?bodiesareactiveat

the time.When twodriverswith active pain?bodies arrive at an intersection at the same time, thelikelihoodofanaccidentismanytimesgreaterthanundernormalcircumstances.Unconsciouslytheybothwant the accident to happen. The role of pain?bodies in traffic accidents is most obvious in thephenomenoncalledroadrage,whendriversbecomephysicallyviolentoftenoveratrivialmattersuchassomeoneinfrontofthemdrivingtooslowly.

Manactsofviolencearecommittedbynormalpeoplewhotemporarilyturnintomaniacs.Allovertheworld at court proceedings you hear the defense lawyers say, This is totally out of character, and theaccused, Idon'tknowwhatcameoverme.Tomyknowledgesofar,nodefense lawyerhassaid to thejudgealthoughthedaymaynotbefaroff?Thisisacaseofdiminishedresponsibility.Myclient'spain?bodywasactivated,andhedidnotknowwhathewasdoing.Infact,hedidn'tdoit.Hispain?bodydid.

Doesthismeanthatpeoplearenotresponsibleforwhattheydowhenpossessedbythepain?body?Myansweris:Howcantheybe?Howcanyouberesponsiblewhenyouareunconscious,whenyoudon'tknowwhatyouaredoing?However,inthegreaterschemeofthings,humanbeingsaremeanttoevolveintoconsciousbeings,andthosewhodon'twillsuffer theconsequencesof theirunconsciousness.Theyareoutofalignmentwiththeevolutionaryimpulseoftheuniverse.

And even that is only relatively true. From a higher perspective, it is not possible to be out ofalignment with the evolution of the universe, and even human unconsciousness and the suffering itgeneratesispartofthatevolution.Whenyoucan'tstandtheendlesscycleofsufferinganymore,youbeingtoawaken.Sothepain?bodytoohasitsnecessaryplaceinthelargerpicture.

ANewEarthPRESENCE

Awomaninherthirtiescametoseeme.Asshegreetedme,Icouldsensethepainbehindherpoliteandsuperficialsmile.Shestarted tellingmeherstory,andwithinonesecondher smilechanged intoagrimaceofpain.Then,shebegantosobuncontrollably.Shesaidshefeltlonelyandunfulfilled.Therewasmuchangerandsadness.Asachildshehadbeenabusedbya

physicallyviolentfather.Isawquicklythatherpainwasnotcausedbyherpresentlifecircumstancesbut by an extraordinarily heavy pain?body. Her pain?body had become the filter through which sheviewed her life situation. She was not yet able to see the link between the emotional pain and herthoughts,beingcompletelyidentifiedwithboth.Shecouldnotyetseethatshewasfeedingthepain?bodywithher thoughts. In otherwords, she livedwith the burdenof a deeply unhappy self.At some level,however,shemusthaverealizedthatherpainoriginatedwithinherself,thatshewasaburdentoherself.Shewasreadytoawaken,andthisiswhyshehadcome.

Idirectedthefocusofherattentiontowhatshewasfeelinginsideherbodyandaskedhertosensetheemotiondirectly,insteadofthroughthefilterofherunhappythoughts,herunhappystory.Shesaidshehadcomeexpectingmetoshowherthewayoutofherunhappiness,notintoit.Reluctantly,however,shedidwhatIaskedhertodo.Tearswererollingdownherface,herwholebodywasshaking.Atthismoment,thisiswhatyoufeel.Isaid.Thereisnothingyoucandoaboutthefactthatatthismomentthisiswhatyoufeel.Now,insteadofwantingthismomenttobedifferentfromthewayitis,whichaddsmorepaintothepainthatisalreadythere,isitpossibleforyoutocompletelyacceptthatthisiswhatyoufeelrightnow?

Shewasquietforamoment.Suddenlyshelookedimpatient,asifshewasabouttogetup,andsaidangrily,No,Idon'twanttoacceptthis.Whoisspeaking?Iaskedher.Youortheunhappinessinyou?Canyouseethatyourunhappinessaboutbeingunhappyisjustanotherlayerofunhappiness?Shebecamequietagain.Iamnotaskingyoutodoanything.AllI'maskingisthatyoufindoutwhetheritispossibleforyoutoallowthosefeelingstobethere.Inotherwords,andthismaysoundstrange, ifyoudon'tmindbeingunhappy,whathappenstotheunhappiness?Don'tyouwanttofindout?

Shelookedpuzzledbriefly,andafteraminuteorsoofsittingsilently,Isuddenlynoticedasignificantshiftinherenergyfield.Shesaid,Thisisweird.I 'mstillunhappy,butnowthereisspacearoundit.Itseemstomatterless.ThiswasthefirsttimeIheardsomebodyputitlikethat:Thereisspacearoundmyunhappiness. That space, of course, comes when there is inner acceptance of whatever you areexperiencinginthepresentmoment.

Ididn'tsaymuchelse,allowinghertobewiththeexperience.Latershecametounderstandthatthemomentshestoppedidentifyingwiththefeeling,theoldpainfulemotionthatlivedinher,themomentsheputherattentionon itdirectlywithout trying to resist it, it couldno longercontrolher thinkingand sobecomemixedupwithamentallyconstructedstorycalledTheUnhappyMe.AnotherdimensionhadcomeintoherlifethattranscendedherpersonalpastthedimensionofPresence.Sinceyoucannotbeunhappywithoutanunhappystory,thiswastheendofherunhappiness.Itwasalsothebeginningoftheendofherpain?body.Emotioninitselfisnotunhappiness.Onlyemotionplusanunhappystoryisunhappiness.

Whenour sessioncame toanend, itwas fulfilling toknow that Ihad justwitnessed thearising ofPresence in another human being. The very reason for our existence in human form is to bring thatdimensionofconsciousness into thisworld. Ihadalsowitnessedadiminishmentof thepain?body,notthroughfightingitbutthroughbringingthlightofconsciousnesstoit.

Afewminutesaftermyvisitorleft,afriendarrivedtodropsomethingoff.Assoonasshecameintotheroomshesaid,Whathappenedhere?Theenergyfeelsheavyandmurky.Italmostmakesmefeelsick.Youneedtoopenthewindows,burnsomeincense.IexplainedthatIhadjustwitnessedamajorreleaseinsomeonewithaverydensepain?bodyandthatwhatshefeltmustbesomeoftheenergythatwasreleasedduringoursession.Myfriend,however,didn'twanttostayandlisten.Shewantedtogetawayassoonaspossible.

IopenedthewindowsandwentouttohavedinneratasmallIndianrestaurantnearby.Whathappenedthere was a clear, further confirmation of what I already know: That on some level, all seeminglyindividualhumanpan?bodiesareconnected.Althoughtheformthisparticularconfirmationtookdidcomeasashock.

ANewEarthTHERETURNOFTHEPAIN?BODY

Isatdownatatableandorderedameal.Therewereafewotherguests.Atanearbytable,therewasamiddle?agedmaninawheelchairwhowasjustfinishinghismeal.Heglancedatmeonce,brieflybutintensely.Afewminutespassed.Suddenlyhebecamerestless,agitated,hisbodybegan

twitching. Thewaiter came to take his plate. Theman started arguingwith him.The foodwas nogood.Itwasdreadful.Thenwhydidyoueatit?askedthewaiter.Andthatreallysethimoff.Hestartedshouting, became abusive.Vilewordswere coming out of hismouth; intense, violent hatred filled theroom.Onecould feel that energyentering thecellsofone'sbody looking for something to latchon to.Nowhewasshoutingattheothergueststoo,butforsomestrangereasonignoringmecompletelyasIsatinintensePresence.Isuspectedthattheuniversalhumanpain?bodyhadcomebacktotellme,Youthoughtyoudefeatedme.Look,I'mstillhere.Ialsoconsideredthepossibilitythatthereleasedenergyfieldleftbehindafteroursessionfollowedme to therestaurantandattached itself to theoneperson inwhomitfoundacompatiblevibrationalfrequency,thatistosay,aheavypain?body.

Themanageropenedthedoor,Justleave.Justleave.Themanzoomedoutinhiselectricwheelchair,leaving everyone stunned. Oneminute later he returned. His pain?bodywasn't finished yet. It neededmore.Hepushedopen thedoorwithhiswheelchair, shoutingobscenities.Awaitress tried tostophimfromcomingin.Heputhischairinfast?forwardandpinnedheragainstthewall.Otherguestsjumpedupandtriedtopullhimaway.Shouting,screaming,pandemonium.Alittlelaterapolicemanarrived,themanbecamequiet,wasaskedtoleaveandnotreturn.Thewaitressfortunatelywasnothurt,exceptforbruisesonherlegs.Whenitwasallover,themanagercametomytableandaskedme,halfjokingbutperhapsfeelingintuitivelythattherewassomeconnection,Didyoucauseallthis?

ANewEarthTHEPAIN?BODYINCHILDREN

Children'spain?bodiessometimesmanifestasmoodinessorwithdrawal.Thechildbecomessullen,refusestointeract,andmaysitinacorner,huggingadollorsuckingathumb.Theycanalsomanifestasweeping fitsor temper tantrums.Thechildscreams,may throwhimorherselfon the floor,orbecomedestructive. Thwartedwanting can easily trigger the pain?body, and in a developing ego, the force ofwanting can be intense. Parentsmaywatch helplessly in incomprehension and disbelief as their littleangelbecomestransformedwithinafewseconds intoa littlemonster.Wheredoesall thatunhappinesscomefrom?theywonder.Toagreaterorlesserextent,itisthechild'sshareofthecollectivepain?bodyofhumanitywhichgoesbacktotheveryoriginofthehumanego.

But thechildmayalsoalreadyhave takenonpain fromhisorherparents'pain?bodies,and so theparentsmayseeinthechildareflectionofwhatisalsointhem.Highlysensitivechildrenareparticularlyaffected by their parents' pain?bodies. Having to witness their parents' insane drama causes almostunbearableemotionalpain,andso it isoften these sensitivechildrenwhogrow intoadultswithheavypain?bodies.Childrenarenotfooledbyparentswhotrytohidetheirpain?bodyfromthem,whosaytoeachother,Wemustn't fight in front of the children.This usuallymeanswhile the parentsmake politeconversation, thehome ispervadedwithnegativeenergy.Suppressedpain?bodiesareextremely toxic,even more so than openly active ones, and that psychic toxicity is absorbed by the children andcontributestothedevelopmentoftheirownpain?body.

Somechildren learn subliminallyaboutegoandpain?bodysimplyby livingwithveryunconsciousparents.Awomanwhoseparentsbothhadstrongegosandheavypain?bodiestoldmethatoftenwhenherparentswereshoutingandscreamingateachother,shewouldlookatthemandalthoughshelovedthem,would say to herself, These people are nuts. How did I ever end up here? There was already anawarenessinheroftheinsanityoflivinginsuchaway.Thatawarenesshelpedreducetheamountofpainsheabsorbedfromherparents.

Parentsoftenwonderwhotodealwiththeirchild'spain?body.Theprimaryquestionis,ofcourse,aretheydealingwiththeirown?Dotheyrecognizeitwithinthemselves?Aretheyabletostaypresentenoughwhenitbecomesactivatedsothattheycanbeawareoftheemotiononthefeelinglevelbeforeitgetsachancetoturnintothinkingandthusintoanunhappyperson?

Whilethechildishavingapain?bodyattack,thereisn'tmuchyoucandoexcepttostaypresentsothatyouarenotdrawnintoanemotionalreaction.Thechild'spain?bodywouldonlyfeedonit.Pain?bodiescanbe extremelydramatic.Don't buy into thedrama.Don't take it too seriously. If the pain?bodywastriggeredby thwartedwanting, don't give in now to its demands.Otherwise, the childwill learn:ThemoreunhappyIbecome,themorelikelyIamtogetwhatIwant.Thisisarecipefordysfunctioninlaterlife.Thepain?bodywill be frustratedbyyournonreaction andmaybriefly actup evenmorebefore itsubsides.Fortunately,pain?bodyepisodesinchildrenareusuallymoreshort?livedthaninadults.

A littlewhile after it has subsided, or perhaps the next day, you can talk to the child about whathappened.Butdon'ttellthechildaboutwhathappened.Askquestionsinstead.Forexample:Whatwasitthat cameoveryouyesterdaywhenyouwouldn't stop screaming?Doyou remember?What did it feellike?Wasitagoodfeeling?Thatthingthatcameoveryou,doesithaveaname?No?If ithadaname,whatwoulditbecalled?Ifyoucouldseeit,whatwoulditlooklike?Canyoupaintapictureofwhatitwouldlooklike?Whathappenedtoitwhenitwentaway?Diditgotosleep?Doyouthinkitmaycome

back?Thesearejustafewsuggestedquestions.Allthesequestionsaredesignedtoawakenthewitnessing

faculty in thechild,whichisPresence.Theywillhelpthechild todisidentify fromthepain?body.Youmayalsowanttotalktothechildaboutyourownpain?bodyusingthechild'sterminology.Thenexttimethechildgetstakenoverbythepain?body,youcansay,It'scomeback,hasn'tit?Usewhateverwordsthechildusedwhenyoutalkboutit.Directthechild'sattentiontowhatitfeelslike.Letyourattitudebeoneofinterestorcuriosityratherthanoneofcriticismorcondemnation.

Itisunlikelythatthiswillstopthepain?bodyinitstracks,anditmayappearthatthechildwillnotevenbehearingyou,yetsomeawarenesswillremaininthebackgroundofthechild'sconsciousnessevenwhilethepain?bodyisactive.Afterafewtimes,theawarenesswillhavegownstrongerandthepain?bodywillhaveweakened.ThechildisgrowinginPresence.Onedayyoumayfindthatthechildistheonetopointouttoyouthatyourownpain?bodyhastakencontrolofyou.

ANewEarthUNHAPPINESS

Notallunhappinessisofthepain?body.Someofitisnewunhappiness,createdwheneveryouareoutof alignment with the present moment, when the Now is denied in one way or another. When yourecognizethatthepresentmomentisalwaysalreadythecaseandthereforeinevitable,youcanbringanuncompromisinginneryestoitandsonotonlycreatenofurtherunhappiness,but,withinnerresistancegone,findyourselfempoweredbyLifeitself.

The pain?body's unhappiness is always clearly out of proportion to the apparent cause. In otherwords,itisanoverreaction.Thisishowitisrecognized,althoughnotusuallybythesufferer,thepersonpossessed. Someonewith a heavy pain?body easily finds reasons for being upset, angry, hurt, sad, orfearful.Relativelyinsignificantthingsthatsomeoneelsewouldshrugoffwithasmileornotevennoticebecometheapparentcauseofintenseunhappiness.Theyare,ofcourse,notthetruecausebutonlyactasatrigger.Theybringbacktolifetheoldaccumulatedemotion.Theemotionthenmovesintotheheadandamplifiesandenergizestheegoicmindstructures.

Pain?bodyandegoarecloserelatives.Theyneedeachother.Thetriggeringeventorsituationistheninterpretedandreactedtothroughthescreenofaheavilyemotionalego.This is tosay, itssignificancebecomescompletelydistorted.youlookatthepresentthroughtheeyesoftheemotionalpastwithinyou.Inotherwords,whatyouseeandexperienceisnotintheeventorsituationbutinyou.Orinsomecases,itmay be there in the event or situation, but you amplify it through your reaction. This reaction, thisamplification,iswhatthepain?bodywantsandneeds,whatitfeedson.

For someone possessed by a heavy pain?body, it is often impossible to step outside his or herdistorted interpretation, theheavily emotional story.Themorenegative emotion there is in a story, theheavierandmoreimpenetrableitbecomes.Andsothestoryisnotrecognizedassuchbutistakentobereality.When you are completely trapped in themovement of thought and the accompanying emotion,steppingoutsideisnotpossiblebecauseyoudon'tevenknowthatthereisanoutside.Youaretrappedinyourownmovieordream,trappedinyourownhell.Toyouitisrealityandnootherrealityispossible.Andasfarasyouareconcerned,yourreactionistheonlypossiblereaction.

ANewEarthBREAKINGIDENTIFICATIONWITHTHEPAIN?BODY

Apersonwithastrong,activepain?bodyhasaparticularenergyemanationthatotherpeopleperceiveas extremely unpleasant. When they meet a person, some people will immediately want to removethemselvesorreduceinteractionwithhimorhertoaminimum.Theyfeelrepulsedbytheperson'senergyfield.Otherswillfeelawaveofaggressiontowardthis

person,andtheywillberudeorattackhimorherverballyandinsomecases,evenphysically.Thismeansthereissomethingwithinthemthatresonateswiththeotherperson'spain?body.Whattheyreacttosostronglyisalsointhem.Itistheirownpain?body.

Not surprisingly, people with heavy and frequently active pain?bodies often find themselves inconflict situations. Sometimes, of course they actively provoke them.But at other times, theymay notactually do anything.The negativity they emanate is enough to attract hostility and generate conflict. ItrequiresahighdegreeofPresence toavoid reactingwhenconfrontedby someonewith suchanactivepain?body. If you are able to stay present, it sometimes happens that your Presence enables the otherperson to disidentify from his or her own pain?body ad thus experience the miracle of a suddenawakening. Although the awakening may be short?lived, the awakening process will have becomeinitiated.

OneofthefirstsuchawakeningsthatIwitnessedhappenedmanyyearsago.Mydoorbellrangclosetoeleveno'clockatnight.MyneighborEthel'sanxiety?ladenvoicecamethroughtheintercom.Weneedtotalk.Thisisveryimportant.Pleaseletmein.Ethelwasmiddle?aged,intelligent,andhighlyeducated.Shealso had a strong ego and a heavy pain?body. She escaped form Nazi Germany when she was anadolescent,andmanyofherfamilymembersperishedintheconcentrationcamps.

Ethelsatdownonmysofa,agitated,herhandstrembling.Shetooklettersanddocumentsoutof thefile she carried with her and spread them out all over the sofa and floor. At once I had the strangesensationasifadimmerswitchhadturnedtheinsideofmyentirebodytomaximumpower.Therewasnothingtodootherthanremainopen,alert,intenselypresentpresentwitheverycellofthebody.Ilookedatherwithnothoughtandnojudgmentandlistenedinstillnesswithoutanymentalcommentary.Atorrentofwords came out of hermouth. They sentme another disturbing letter today. They are conducting avendettaagainstme.Youmusthelp.Weneedtofightthemtogether.Theircrookedlawyerswillstopatnothing.Iwilllosemyhome.Theyarethreateningmewithdispossession.

It transpired that she refused topay the service chargebecause thepropertymanagers had filed tocarryoutsomerepairs.Theyinturnthreatenedtotakehertocourt.

Shetalkedfortenminutesorso.Isat,looked,andlistened.Suddenlyshestoppedtalking,lookedatthepapersallaroundheras ifshehad justwokenupfromadream.Shebecamecalmandgentle.Herentireenergyfiledchanged.Thenshelookedatmeandsaid,Thisisn'timportantatall,isit?No,itisn't,Isaid.Shesatquietlyforacouplemoreminutes,thenpickedupherpapersandleft.Thenextmorningshestoppedmeinthestreet,lookingatmesomewhatsuspiciously.Whatdidyoudotome?LastnightwasthefirstnightinyearsthatIsleptwell.Infact,Isleptlikeababy.

ShebelievedIhaddonesomethingtoher,butIhaddonenothing.InsteadofaskingwhatIhaddonetoher,perhapssheshouldhaveaskedwhatIhadnotdone.Ihadtoreacted,notconfirmedtherealityofherstory,not fedhermindwithmore thoughtandherpain?bodywithmore emotion. I had allowedher toexperience whatever she was experiencing at that moment, and the power of allowing lies in non?

interference,non?doing.Beingpresentisalwaysinfinitelymorepowerfulthananythingonecouldsayordo,althoughsometimesbeingpresentcangiverisetowordsoractions.

Whathappenedtoherwasnotyetapermanentshift,butaglimpseofwhatispossible,aglimpseofwhatwasalreadywithinher.InZen,suchaglimpseiscalledsatori.SatoriisamomentofPresence,abrief steppingout of the voice in your head, the thought processes, and their reflection in the body asemotion. It is the arising of inner spaciousness where before there was the clutter of thought and theturmoilofemotion.

ThethinkingmindcannotunderstandPresenceandsowilloftenmisinterpretit.Itwillsaythatyouareuncaring,distant,havenocompassion,arenotrelating.Thetruthis,youarerelatingbutataleveldeeperthanthoughtandemotion.Infact,atthatlevelthereisatruecomingtogether,atruejoiningthatgoesfarbeyond relating. In the stillnessofPresence,youcan sense the formless essence inyourself and in theotherasone.Knowingtheonenessofyourselfandtheotheristruelove,truecare,truecompassion.

ANewEarthTRIGGERS

Somepain?bodiesreacttoonlyoneparticularkindoftriggerorsituation,whichisusuallyone thatresonateswithacertainkindofemotionalpainsufferedinthepast.Forexample,ifachildgrowsupwithparentsforwhomfinancialissuesarethesourceoffrequentdramaand

conflict, he or she may absorb the parents' fear around money and develop a pain?body that istriggered whenever financial issues are involved. The child a adult gets upset or angry even overinsignificantamountsofmoney.Behindtheupsetorangerliesissuesofsurvivalandintensefear.Ihaveseen spiritual, that is to say, relatively conscious, people who started to shout, blame, and makeaccusationsthemomenttheypickedupthephonetotalktotheirstockbrokerorrealtor.Justasthereisahealth warning on every package of cigarettes, perhaps there should be similar warnings on everybanknoteandbankstatement:Moneycanactivatethepain?bodyandcausecompleteunconsciousness.

Someonewhoinchildhoodwasneglectedorabandonedbyoneorbothparentswilllikelydevelopapain?bodythatbecomestriggeredinanysituationthatresonatesevenremotelywiththeirprimordialpainofabandonment.Afriendarrivingafewminuteslatetopickthemupat theairportoraspousecominghome late can trigger a major pain?body attack. If their partner or spouse leaves them or dies, theemotional pain they experience goes far beyond the pain that is natural in such a situation. Itmay beintenseanguish,long?lasting,incapacitatingdepression,orobsessiveanger.

Awomanwhoinchildhoodwasphysicallyabusedbyherfathermyfindthatherpain?bodybecomeseasilyactivatedinanycloserelationshipwithaman.Alternatively,theemotionthatmakesupherpain?bodymaydrawhertoamanwhosepain?bodyissimilartothatofherfather.Herpain?bodymayfeelamagnetic pull to someone who it senses will give it more of the same pain. That pain is sometimesmisinterpretedasfallinginlove.

Amanwhohadbeenanunwantedchildandwasgivennoloveandaminimumofcareandattentionbyhismotherdevelopedaheavyambivalentpain?bodythatconsistedofunfulfilled intense longingforhismother'sloveandattentionandatthesametimeintensehatredtowardherforwithholdingwhathesodesperately needed. When he became an adult, almost every woman would trigger his pain?body'sneedinessaformofemotionalpainandthiswouldmanifestasanaddictivecompulsiontoconquerandseducealmosteverywomanhemetandinthiswaygetthefemaleloveandattentionthatthepain?bodycraved. He became quite an expert on seduction, but as soon as a relationship turned intimate or hisadvanceswererejected,the

pain?body'sangertowardhismotherwouldcomeupandsabotagetherelationship.When you recognize your own pain?body as it arises, you will also quickly learn what the most

common triggers are that activate it,whether it be situations or certain things other people do or say.Whenthosetriggersoccur,youwillimmediatelyseethemforwhattheyareandenteraheightenedstateofalertness.Withina secondor two,youwill alsonotice the emotional reaction that is the arisingpain?body,butinthatstateofalertPresence,youwon'tidentifywithit,whichmeansthepain?bodycannottakeyouoverandbecomethevoiceinyourhead.Ifyouarewithyourpartneratthetime,youmaytellhimorher: What you just said (or did) triggered my pain?body. Have an agreement with your partner thatwhenever either of you says or does something that triggers the other person's pain?body, you willimmediately mention it. In this way, the pain?body can no longer renew itself through drama in therelationshipandinsteadofpullingyouintounconsciousness,willhelpyoubecomefullypresent.

Every timeyouarepresentwhen thepain?bodyarises,someof thepain?body'snegativeemotionalenergywill burnup, as itwere, andbecome transmuted intoPresence.The restof the pain?bodywillquickly withdraw and wait for a better opportunity to rise again, that is to say, when you are lessconscious. A better opportunity for the pain?body to arise may come whenever you lose Presence,perhapsafteryouhavehada fewdrinksorwhilewatchingaviolent film.The tiniestnegativemotion,suchasbeingirritatedoranxious,canalsoserveasadoorwaythroughwhichthepain?bodycanreturn.Thepain?bodyneedsyourunconsciousness.ItcannottoleratethelightofPresence.

ANewEarthTHEPAIN?BODYASANAWAKENER

At first sight, it may seem that the pain?body is the greatest obstacle to the arising of a newconsciousness in humanity. It occupies your mind, controls and distorts your thinking, disrupts yourelationships, and feels like a dark cloud that occupies your entire energy field. It tends tomake youunconscious, spiritually speaking,whichmeans totally identifiedwithmind and emotion. Itmakes youreactive,makesyousayanddothingsthataredesignedtoincreasetheunhappinesswithinyourselfandtheworld.

Asunhappinessincreases,however,italsocausesincreasingdisruptioninyourlife.Perhapsthebodycan't take the stress anymore and develops an illness or some dysfunction. Perhaps you have becomeinvolvedinanaccident,somehugeconflictsituationordramathatwascausedbythepain?body'sdesireforsomethingbadtohappen,oryoubecometheperpetratorofphysicalviolence.Oritallbecomestoomuchandyoucannotlivewithyourunhappyselfanymore.Thepain?body,ofcourse,ispartofthatfalseself.

Whenever you get taken over by the pain?body, whenever you don't recognize it or what it is, itbecomespartofyourego.Whateveryouidentifywithturnsintoego.Thepain?bodyisoneof themostpowerfulthingstheegocanidentifywith,justasthepain?bodyneedstheegotorenewitselfthroughit.Thatunholyalliance,however,eventuallybreaksdowninthosecaseswherethepain?bodyissoheavythattheegoicmindstructures,insteadofbeingstrengthenedbyit,arebecomingerodedbythecontinuousonslaughtofthepain?body'senergycharge,inthesamewaythatanelectronicdevicecanbeempoweredbyanelectriccurrentbutalsodestroyedbyitifthevoltageistoohigh.

Peoplewithstrongpain?bodiesoftenreachapointwheretheyfeeltheirlifeisbecomingunbearable,wheretheycan't takeanymorepain,anymoredrama.OnepersonexpressedthisbysayingplainlyandsimplythatshewasFedupwithbeingunhappy.Somepeoplemayfeel,asIdid,thattheycannotlivewiththemselvesanymore.Innerpeacethenbecomestheirfirstpriority.Theiracuteemotionalpainforcesthemtodisidentify fromthecontentof theirmindsand themental?emotional structures thatgivebirth toandperpetuatetheunhappyme.Theythenknowthatneithertheirunhappystorynortheemotiontheyfeel iswho they are. They realize they are the knowing, not the known. Rather than pulling them intounconsciousness,thepain?bodybecomestheirawakener,thedecisivefactorthatforcesthemintoastateofPresence.

However, due to the unprecedented influx of consciousness we arewitnessing on the planet now,manypeoplenolongerneedtogothroughthedepthofacutesufferingtobeabletodisidentify fromthepain?body. Whenever they notice they have slipped back into a dysfunctional state, they are able tochoosetostepoutofidentificationwiththinkingandemotionand

enterthestateofPresence.Theyrelinquishresistance,becomestillandalert,onewithwhatis,withinandwithout.

Thenextstepinhumanevolutionisnotinevitable,butforthefirsttimeinthehistoryofourplanet,itcanbeaconsciouschoice.Whoismakingthatchoice?Youare.Andwhoareyou?Consciousnessthathasbecomeconsciousofitself.

ANewEarthBREAKINGFREEOFTHEPAIN?BODY

Aquestion people frequently ask is,How longdoes it take to become free of the pain?body? Theansweris,ofcourse,thatitdependsbothonthedensityofanindividual'spain?bodyaswellasthedegreeorintensityofthatindividual'sarisingPresence.Butitisnotthepain?body,butidentificationwithitthatcausesthesufferingthatyouinflictonyourselfandothers.Itisnotthepain?bodybutidentificationwiththe pain?body that forces you to relive the past again and again and keeps you in a state ofunconsciousness.Soamoreimportantquestiontoaskwouldbethis:Howlongdoes it take tobecomefreeofidentificationwiththepain?body?

Andtheanswertothatquestion:Ittakesnotimeatall.Whenthepain?bodyisactivated,knowthatwhatyouarefeelingisthpain?bodyinyou.Thisknowingisallthatisneededtobreakyouridentificationwith it.Andwhen identificationwith itceases, the transmutationbegins.Theknowingprevents theoldemotionfromrisingupinyourheadandtakingovernotonlytheinternaldialogue,butalsoyouractionsaswellasinteractionswithotherpeople.Thismeanthepain?bodycannotuseyouanymoreandrenewitselfthroughyou.Theoldemotionmaythenstillliveinyouforawhileandcomeupperiodically.Itmayalsostilloccasionallytrickyouintoidentifyingwithitagainandthusobscuretheknowing,butnotforlong.Not projecting the old emotion into situations means facing it directly within yourself. It may not bepleasant,but itwon'tkillyou.YourPresence ismore thancapableofcontaining it.Theemotion isnotwhoyouare.

Whenyoufeelthepain?body,don'tfallintotheerrorofthinkingthereissomethingwrongwithyou.Making yourself into a problem the ego loves that. The knowing needs to be followed by accepting.Anythingelsewillobscure itagain.Acceptingmeansyouallowyourself to feelwhatever it isyouarefeelingatthatmoment.Itispartoftheis?nessoftheNow.You

can'targuewithwhatis.Well,youcan,butifyoudo,yousuffer.Throughallowing,youbecomewhatyou are: vast, spacious. You become whole. You are not a fragment anymore, which is how the egoperceivesitself.Yourtruenatureemerges,whichisonewiththenatureofGod.

Jesuspoints to thiswhenhesays,Beyewhole,evenasyourFather inHeaveniswhole.TheNewTestament'sBeyeperfectisamistranslationofheoriginalGreekword,whichmeanswhole.Thisistosay,youdon'tneedtobecomewhole,butbewhatyoualreadyarewithorwithoutthepain?body.

ANewEarth

CHAPTERSEVENFINDINGOUTWHOYOUREALLYARE

Gnothi Seauton Know Thyself. These words were inscribed above the entrance to the temple ofApolloatDelphi,siteofthesacredOracle.InancientGreece,peoplewouldvisittheOraclehoping tofindoutwhatdestinyhadinstoreforthemorwhatcourseofactiontotakeinaparticularsituation.ItislikelythatmostvisitorsreadthosewordsastheyenteredthebuildingwithoutrealizingthattheypointedtoadeepertruththananythingtheOraclecouldpossiblytellthem.Theymaynothaverealizedeitherthat,nomatterhowgreatarevelationorhowaccuratetheinformationtheyreceived,itwouldultimatelyprovetobeofnoavail,wouldnotsavethemfromfurtherunhappinessandself?createdsuffering,iftheyfailedtofindthetruththatisconcealedinthatinjunctionKnowThyself.Whatthosewordsimplyisthis:Beforeyouaskanyotherquestion,firstaskthemostfundamentalquestionofyourlife:WhoamI?

Unconsciouspeopleandmanyremainunconscious, trapped in theiregos throughout their liveswillquickly tellyouwho theyare: theirname, theiroccupation, theirpersonalhistory, theshapeorstateoftheir body, andwhatever else they identifywith.Othersmay appear to bemore evolvedbecause theythinkofthemselvesasanimmortalsoulorlivingspirit.Butdotheyreallyknowthemselves,orhavetheyjust added some spiritual? sounding concepts to the content of theirmind?Knowing yourself goes fardeeperthantheadoptionofasetofideasorbeliefs.Spiritualideasand

beliefsmayatbestbehelpfulpointers,butinthemselvestheyrarelyhavethepowertodislodge themorefirmlyestablishedcoreconceptsofwhoyouthinkyouare,whicharepartoftheconditioningofthehumanmind.Knowingyourselfdeeplyhasnothingtodowithwhateverideasarefloatingaroundinyourmind.KnowingyourselfistoberootedinBeing,insteadoflostinyourmind.

ANewEarthWHOYOUTHINKYOUARE

Yoursenseofwhoyouaredetermineswhatyouperceiveasyourneedsandwhatmatterstoyouinlifeandwhatevermatterstoyouwillhavethepowertoupsetanddisturbyou.Youcanusethisasacriteriontofindouthowdeeplyyouknowyourself.Whatmatterstoyouisnotnecessarilywhatyousayorbelieve,but what your actions and reactions reveal as important and serious to you. So youmaywhat to askyourself thequestion:Whatare the things thatupset anddisturbme? If small thingshave thepower todisturbyou,thenwhoyouthinkyouareisexactlythat:small.Thatwillbeyourunconsciousbelief.Whatarethesmallthings?Ultimatelyallthingsaresmallthingsbecauseallthingsaretransient.

Youmightsay,IknowIamanimmortalspirit,orIamtiredofthismadworld,andpeaceisallIwant?untilthephonerings.Badnews:Thestockmarkethascollapsed;thedealmayfallthrough;thecarhasbeen stolen; yourmother?in?law has arrived; the trip is cancelled, the contract has been broken; yourpartnerhasleftyou;theydemandmoremoney;theysayit'syourfault.Suddenlythereisasurgeofanger,ofanxiety.Aharshnesscomesintoyourvoice;Ican'ttakeanymoreofthis.Youaccuseandblame,attack,defend, or justify yourself, and it's all happening on autopilot. Something is obviously much moreimportanttoyounowthantheinnerpeacethatamomentagoyousaidwasallyouwanted,andyou'renotanimmortalspiritanymoreeither.Thedeal, themoney, thecontract, thelossorthreatof lossaremoreimportant.Towhom?Totheimmortalspirit thatyousaidyouare?No, tome.Thesmallmethatseekssecuritytorfulfillmentinthingsthataretransientandgetsanxiousorangrybecauseitfailstofindit.Well,atleastnowyouknowwhoyoureallythinkyouare.

If peace is really what youwant, then youwill choose peace. If pacemattered to youmore thananything else and if you truly knew yourself to be spirit rather than a little me, you would remainnonreactiveandabsolutely

alert when confronted with challenging people or situations. You would immediately accept thesituation and thus becomeonewith it rather than separate yourself from it.Then out of your alertnesswouldcomeaaresponse.Whoyouare(consciousness),notwhoyouthinkyouare(asmallme),wouldberesponding.Itwouldbepowerfulandeffectiveandwouldmakenopersonorsituationintoanenemy.

Theworldalwaysmakessurethatyoucannotfoolyourselfforlongaboutwhoyoureallythinkyouarebyshowingyouwhattrulymatterstoyou.Howyoureacttopeopleandsituations,especiallywhenchallengesarise,isthebestindicatorofhowdeeplyyouknowyourself.

Themorelimited,themorenarrowlyegoictheviewofyourself,themoreyouwillsee,focuson,andreact to theegoic limitations, theunconsciousness inothers.Their faultsorwhatyouperceiveas theirfaultsbecometoyoutheiridentity.Hismeansyouwillseeonlytheegointhemandthusstrengthentheegoinyourself.Insteadoflookingthroughtheegoinothers,youarelookingattheego.Whoislookingattheego?Theegoinyou.

Veryunconsciouspeopleexperiencetheirownegothroughitsreflectioninothers.Whenyourealizethatwhatyoureacttoinothersisalsoinyou(andsometimesonlyinyou),youbegintobecomeawareofyourownego.Atthatstage,youmayalsorealizethatyouweredoingtootherswhatyouthoughtothersweredoingtoyou.Youceaseseeingyourselfasavictim.

Youarenottheego,sowhenyoubecomeawareoftheegoinyou,itdoesnotmeanyouknowwhoyouare it means you knowwho you are not. But it is through knowingwho you are not that the greatestobstacletotrulyknowingyourselfisremoved.

Nobodycantellyouwhoyouare.Itwouldjustbeanotherconcept,soitwouldnotchangeyou.Whoyouarerequiresnobelief.Infact,everybeliefisanobstacle.Itdoesnotevenrequireyourrealization,sinceyoualreadyarewhoyouare.Butwithout realization,whoyouaredoesnot shine forth into thisworld.Itremainsintheunmanifestedwhichis,ofcourseyourtruehome.Youarethenlikeanapparentlypoorpersonwhodoesnotknowhehasabankaccountwith$100millioninitandsohiswealthremainsanunexpressedpotential.

ANewEarthABUNDANCE

Whoyouthinkyouareisalsointimatelyconnectedwithhowyouseeyourselftreatedbyothers.Manypeoplecomplainthatothersdonottreatthemwellenough.Idon'tgetanyrespect,attention,recognition,acknowledgment, they say. I'm being taken for granted. When people are kind, they suspect hiddenmotives.Otherswanttomanipulateme,takeadvantageofme.Nobodylovesme.

Who they think theyare is this: Iamaneedy 'littleme'whoseneedsarenotbeingmet.This basicmisperception of who they are creates dysfunction in all their relationships. They believe they havenothingtogiveandthattheworldorotherpeoplearewithholdingfromthemwhattheyneed.Theirentirerealityisbasedonanillusorysenseofwhotheyare.Itsabotagessituations,marallrelationships.Ifthethoughtoflackwhetheritbemoney,recognition,orlovehasbecomepartofwhoyouthinkyouare,youwillalwaysexperiencelack.Ratherthanacknowledgethegoodthatisalreadyinyourlife,allyouseeislack.Acknowledgingthegoodthatisalreadyinyourlifeisthefoundationforallabundance.Thefactis:Whatever you think theworld iswithholding from you, you arewithholding from the world. You arewithholdingitbecausedeepdownyouthinkyouaresmallandthatyouhavenothingtogive.

Try this foracoupleofweeksandseehowitchangesyour reality:Whateveryou thinkpeoplearewithholdingfromyou?praise,appreciation,assistance,lovingcare,andsoongiveittothem.Youdon'thave it? Just act as if you had it, and it will come. Then, soon after you start giving, you will startreceiving.Youcannot receivewhatyoudon'tgive.Outflowdetermines inflow.Whateveryou think theworld iswithholding fromyou,youalreadyhave, but unless you allow it to flowout, youwon't evenknowthatyouhaveit.Thisincludesabundance.ThelawthatoutflowdeterminesinflowisexpressedbyJesus in this powerful image:Give and itwill be given to you.Goodmeasure, presseddown, shakentogether,runningover,willbeputintoyourlap.

The source of all abundance is not outside you. It is part of who you are. However, start byacknowledgingandrecognizingabundancewithout.Seethefullnessoflifeallaroundyou.Thewarmthofthesunonyourskin,thedisplayofmagnificentflowersoutsideaflorist'sshop,bitingintoa

succulentfruit,orgettingsoakedinanabundanceofwaterfallingfromthesky.Thefullnessoflifeisthereateverystep.Theacknowledgmentof thatabundance that isallaroundyouawakens thedormantabundancewithin.Thenletitflowout.Whenyousmileataastranger,thereisalreadyaminuteoutflowofenergy.Youbecomeagiver.Askyourselfoften:WhatcanIgivehere;howcanIbeofservicetothisperson, this situation. You don't need to own anything to feel abundant, although if you feel abundantconsistentlythingswillalmostcertainlycometoyou.Abundancecomesonlytothosewhoalreadyhaveit. It soundsalmostunfair,butofcourse it isn't. It isauniversal law.Bothabundanceand scarcity areinner states thatmanifest as your reality. Jesus puts it like this: For to the onewhohas,morewill begiven,andfromtheonewhohasnot,evenwhathehaswillbetakenaway.

ANewEarthKNOWINGYOURSELFANDKNOWINGABOUTYOURSELF

Youmaynotwant toknowyourselfbecauseyouareafraidofwhatyoumayfindout.Manypeoplehaveasecretfearthattheyarebad.Butnothingyoucanfindoutaboutyourselfisyou.Nothingyoucanknowaboutyouisyou.

While some people do not want to know who they are because of fear, others have a insatiablecuriosityaboutthemselvesandwanttofindoutmoreandmore.Youmaybesofascinatedwithyourselfthatyouspendyearsinpsychoanalysis,delveintoeveryaspectofyourchildhood,uncoversecretfearsanddesires,andfindlayersuponlayersofcomplexityinthemakeupofyourpersonalityandcharacter.After tenyears, thetherapistmayget tiredofyouandyourstoryand tellyou thatyouranalysis isnowcomplete.Perhapshesendsyouawaywithafive?thousand?pagedossier.This isallaboutyou.This iswhoyouare.Asyoucarrytheheavyfilehome,theinitialsatisfactionofatlastknowingyourselfgiveswayquicklytoafeelingofincompletenessandalurkingsuspicionthattheremustbemoretowhoyouarethanthis.Andindeedthereismorenotperhapsinquantitativetermsofmorefactsbutinthequalitativedimensionofdepth.

Thereisnothingwrongwithpsychoanalysisorfindingoutaboutyourpastaslongasyoudon'tconfuseknowing about yourself with knowing yourself. The five?thousand?page dossier is about yourself: thecontentofyourmindwhichisconditionedbythepast.Whateveryoulearnthroughpsychoanalysisorself?observationisaboutyou.Itisnotyou.Itiscontent,

not essence.Goingbeyondego is steppingout of content.Knowingyourself is beingyourself, andbeingyourselfisceasingtoidentifywithcontent.

Mostpeopledefinethemselvesthroughthecontentoftheirlives.Whateveryouperceive,experience,do,think,orfeeliscontent.Contentiswhatabsorbsmostpeople'sattentionentirely,anditiswhattheyidentifywith.Whenyouthinkorsay,mylife,youarenotreferringtothelifethatyouarebutwiththelifethatyouhave,orseemtohave.Youarereferringtocontentyourage,health,relationships,finances,workand livingsituation,aswellasyourmental?emotionalstate.The innerandoutercircumstancesofyourlife,yourpastandyourfuture,allbelongtotherealmofcontentasdoevents,thatistosay,anythingthathappens.

What is there other than content? That which enables the content to be the inner space ofconsciousness.

ANewEarthCHAOSANDHIGHERORDER

Whenyouknowyourselfonlythroughcontent,youwillalsothinkyouknowwhatisgoodorbadforyou.Youdifferentiatebetweeneventsthataregoodformeandthosethatarebad.This isa fragmentedperceptionof thewholenessof life inwhicheverything is interconnected, inwhicheveryeventhas itsnecessaryplaceandfunctionwithinthetotality.Thetotality,whoever,ismorethanthesurfaceappearanceofthings,morethanthesumtotalofitsparts,morethanwhateveryourlifeortheworldcontains.

Behindthesometimesseeminglyrandomorevenchaoticsuccessionofeventsinourlivesaswellasintheworldliesconcealedtheunfoldingofahigherorderandpurpose.ThisisbeautifullyexpressedintheZensayingThesnowfalls,eachflakeinitsappropriateplace.Wecanneverunderstandthishigherorder through thinking about it becausewhateverwe think about is content;whereas, the higher orderemanatesfromtheformlessrealmofconsciousness,fromuniversal intelligence.Butwecanglimpseit,andmorethanthat,alignourselveswithit,whichmeansbeconsciousparticipantsintheunfoldingofthathigherpurpose.

Whenwegointoaforest thathasnotbeeninterferedwithbyman,our thinkingmindwillseeonlydisorder and chaos all aroundus. Itwon't evenbe able to differentiate between life (good) and death(bad)anymoresinceeverywherenewlifegrowsoutofrottinganddecayingmatter.Onlyifweare

still enough inside and the noise of thinking subsides canwebecome aware that there is a hiddenharmonyhere, a sacredness, ahigherorder inwhicheverythinghas its perfectplace and couldnot beotherthanwhatitisandthewayitis.

Themindiscomfortableinalandscapedparkbecauseithasbeenplannedthroughthought;ithasnotgrown organically. There is an order here that the mind can understand. In the forest, there is anincomprehensibleorderthattothemindlookslikechaos.It isbeyondthementalcategoriesofgodandbad.Youcannotunderstandit throughthought,butyoucansense itwhenyou letgoof thought,becomestillandalert,anddon'ttrytounderstandorexplain.Onlythencanyoubeawareofhesacrednessoftheforest.Assoonasyousensethathiddenharmony,thatsacredness,yourealizeyouarenotseparatefromit,andwhen you realize that, you become a conscious participant in it. In thisway, nature can help youbecomerealignedwiththewholenessoflife.

ANewEarthGOODANDBAD

Atsomepointintheirlives,mostpeoplebecomeawarethatthereisnotonlybirth,growth,success,good health, pleasure, and winning, but also loss, failure, sickness, old age, decay, pain and death.Conventionally these are labeled good and bad, order and disorder. Themeaning of people's lives isusually associated with what they term the good, but the good is continually threatened by collapse,breakdown,disorder;threatenedbymeaninglessnessandthebad,whenexplanationsfailandlifeceasestomakesense.Sooneror later,disorderwill irrupt intoeveryone's lifenomatterhowmany insurancepoliciesheorshehas.Itmaycomeintheformoflossoraccident,sickness,disability,oldage,death.However, the irruptionofdisorder intoaperson's life,and theresultantcollapseofamentallydefinedmeaning,canbecometheopeningintoahigherorder.

ThewisdomofthisworldisfollywithGod,saystheBible.Whatisthewisdomofthisworld?Themovementofthought,andmeaningthatisdefinedexclusivelybythought.

Thinking isolates a situation or event and calls it good or bad, as if it had a separate existence.Throughexcessiverelianceonthinking,realitybecomesfragmented.Thisfragmentationisanillusion,butitseemsveryreal

while you are trapped in it. And yet the universe is an indivisible whole in which all things areinterconnected,inwhichnothingexistsinisolation.

Thedeeperinterconnectednessofallthingsandeventsimpliesthatthementallabelsofgoodandbadare ultimately illusory. They always imply a limited perspective and so are true only relatively andtemporarily.This is illustrated in the storyof awisemanwhowon an expensive car in a lottery.Hisfamilyand friendswereveryhappyforhimandcame tocelebrate. Isn't itgreat! theysaid.Youaresolucky.Theman smiled and saidMaybe.For a fewweeks he enjoyed driving the car.Then one day adrunkendrivercrashedintohisnewcaratanintersectionandheendedupinthehospital,withmultipleinjuries.His family and friends came to seehimand said,Thatwas reallyunfortunate.Again themansmiledandsaid,Maybe.Whilehewasstillinthehospital,onenighttherewasalandslideandhishousefell into thesea.Againhis friendscame thenextdayandsaid,Weren'tyou lucky tohavebeenhere inhospital.Againhesaid,Maybe.

Thewiseman'smaybesignifiesarefusaltojudgeanythingthathappens.Insteadofjudgingwhatis,heaccepts it and so enters into conscious alignment with the higher order. He knows that often it isimpossibleforthemindtounderstandwhatplaceorpurposeaseeminglyrandomeventhasinthetapestryof the whole. But there are no random events, nor are there events or things that exist by and forthemselves,inisolation.Theatomsthatmakeupyourbodywereonceforgedinsidestars,andthecausesofeventhesmallesteventarevirtuallyinfiniteandconnectedwiththewholeinincomprehensibleways.Ifyouwantedtotracebackthecauseofanyevent,youwouldhavetogobackallthewaytothebeginningofcreation.Thecosmosisnotchaotic.Theverywordcosmosmeansorder.Butthisisnotanorderthehumanmindcanevercomprehend,althoughitcansometimesglimpseit.

ANewEarthNOTMINDINGWHATHAPPENS

J. Krishnamurti, the great Indian philosopher and spiritual teacher, spoke and traveled almostcontinuouslyallovertheworldformorethanfiftyyearsattemptingtoconveythroughwords?whicharecontent thatwhich isbeyondwords,beyondcontent.Atoneofhis talks in the laterpartofhis life,hesurprisedhisaudiencebyasking,Doyouwant toknowmysecret?Everyonebecameveryalert.Manypeopleintheaudiencehadbeencoming

tolistentohimfortwentyorthirtyyearsandstillfailedtograsptheessenceofhisteaching.Finally,afterall theseyears, themasterwouldgivethemthekeytounderstanding.This ismysecret,hesaid. Idon'tmindwhathappens.

Hedidnotelaborate,andsoIsuspectmostofhisaudiencewereevenmoreperplexedthanbefore.Theimplicationsofthissimplestatement,however,areprofound.

WhenIdon'tmindwhathappens,whatdoes that imply? It implies that internally Iam inalignmentwithwhathappens.Whathappens,ofcourse,referstothesuchnessofthismoment,whichalwaysalreadyisas it is. It refers tocontent, the form that thismoment theonlymoment there ever is takes.Tobe inalignmentwithwhatismeanstobeinarelationshipofinnernonresistancewithwhathappens.Itmeannottolabelitmentallyasgoodorbad,buttoletitbe.Doesthismeanyoucannolongertakeactiontobringabutchange in your life?On the contrary.when the basis for your actions is inner alignmentwith thepresentmoment,youractionsbecomeempoweredbytheintelligenceofLifeitself.

ANewEarthISTHATSO?

TheZenMasterHakuinlivedinatowninJapan.Hewasheldinhighregardandmanypeoplecametohimforspiritualteaching.Thenithappenedthattheteenagedaughterofhisnext?doorneighborbecamepregnant.Whenbeingquestionedbyherangryandscoldingparents as to the identityof the father, shefinallytoldthemthathewasHakuin,theZenMaster.IngreatangertheparentsrushedovertoHakuinandtoldhimwithmuchshoutingandaccusingthattheirdaughterhadconfessedthathewasthefather.Allherepliedwas,Isthatso?

Newsofthescandalspreadthroughoutthetownandbeyond.TheMasterlosthisreputation.Thisdidnottroublehim.Nobodycametoseehimanymore.Heremainedunmoved.Whenthechildwasborn,theparentsbroughtthebabytoHakuin.Youarethefather,soyoulookafterhim.TheMastertooklovingcareofthechild.Ayearlater,themotherremorsefullyconfessedtoherparentsthattherealfatherofthechildwastheyoungmanwhoworkedatthebutchershop.IngreatdistresstheywenttoseeHakuintoapologizeandaskforforgiveness.Wearereallysorry.Wehavecometo

takethebabyback.Ourdaughterconfessedthatyouarenotthefather.Isthatso?isallhewouldmayashehandedthebabyovertothem.

TheMasterrespondstofalsehoodandtruth,badnewsandgoodnews,inexactlythesameway:Isthatso?Heallowstheformofthemoment,goodorbad,tobeasitisandsodoesnotbecomeaparticipantinhumandrama.Tohimthereisonlythismoment,andthismomentisasitis.Eventsarenotpersonalized.He isnobody'svictim.He issocompletelyatonewithwhathappens thatwhathappenshasnopoweroverhimanymore.Onlyifyouresistwhathappensareyouatthemercyofwhathappens,andtheworldwilldetermineyourhappinessandunhappiness.

Thebaby is lookedafterwith lovingcare.Bad turns intogoodthroughthepowerofnonresistance.Alwaysrespondingtowhatthepresentmomentrequires,heletsgoofthebabywhenitistimetodoso.

Imaginebrieflyhowtheegowouldhavereactedduring thevariousstagesof theunfoldingof theseevents.

ANewEarthTHEEGOANDTHEPRESENTMOMENT

Themost important, the primordial relationship in your life is your relationshipwith theNow, orratherwithwhateverformtheNowtakes,thatistosay,whatisorwhathappens.IfyourrelationshipwiththeNowisdysfunctional,thatdysfunctionwillbereflectedineveryrelationshipandeverysituationyouencounter. The ego could be defined simply in thisway: a dysfunctional relationshipwith the presentmoment. It is at thismoment that you can decidewhat kind of relationship youwant to havewith thepresentmoment.

Once you have reached a certain level of consciousness, (and if you are reading this, you almostcertainly have), you are able to decidewhat kind of a relationship youwant to havewith the presentmoment.DoIwantthepresentmomenttobemyfriendormyenemy?Thepresentmomentisinseparablefromlife,soyouarereallydecidingwhatkindofarelationshipyouwanttohavewithlife.Onceyouhavedecidedyouwant thepresentmoment tobeyourfriend, it isuptoyoutomakethefirstmove:becomefriendlytowardit,welcomeitnomatterinwhatdisguiseitcomes,andsoonyouwillseetheresults.Lifebecomesfriendlytowardyou;peoplebecomehelpful,circumstancescooperative.Onedecisionchangesyourentirereality.

Butthatonedecisionyouhavetomakeagainandagainandagainuntilitbecomesnaturaltoliveinsuchaway.

Thedecisiontomakethepresentmomentintoyourfriendistheendoftheego.Theegocanneverbeinalignmentwiththepresentmoment,whichistosay,alignedwithlife,sinceitsverynaturecompelsittoignore, resist,ordevalue theNow.Time iswhat theego liveson.Thestronger theego, themore timetakesoveryourlife.Almosteverythoughtyouthinkisthenconcernedwithpastorfuture,andyousenseofselfdependsonthepastforyouridentityandonthefutureforitsfulfillment.Fear,anxiety,expectation,regret,guilt,angerarethedysfunctionsofthetime?boundstateofconsciousness.

Thereare threeways inwhich theegowill treat thepresentmoment:asameans toandend,asanobstacle,orasanenemy.Letuslookattheminturn,sothatwhenthispatternoperatesinyou,youcanrecognizeitanddecideagain.

Totheego,thepresentmomentis,atbest,onlyusefulasameanstoanend.Itgetsyoutosomefuturemoment that is considered more important, even though the future never comes except as the presentmomentandisthereforenevermorethanathoughtinyourhead.Inotherwords,youaren'teverfullyherebecauseyouarealwaysbusytryingtogetelsewhere.

When this pattern becomes more pronounced, and this is very common, the present moment isregardedandtreatedasifitwereanobstacletobeovercome.Thisiswhereimpatience,frustration,andstressarise,andinourculture,itismanypeople'severydayreality,theirnormalstate.Life,whichisnow,isseenasaproblem,andyoucometoinhabitaworldofproblemsthatallneedtobesolvedbeforeyoucanbehappy,fulfilled,orreallystartlivingorsoyouthink.Theproblemis:Foreveryproblemthatissolved,anotheronepopsup.Aslongasthepresentmomentisseenasanobstacle,therecanbenoendtoproblems.I'llbewhateveryouwantmetobe,saysLifeortheNow.I'lltreatyouthewayyoutreatme.Ifyouseemeasaproblem,Iwillbeaproblemtoyou.Ifyoutreatmeasanobstacle,Iwillbeanobstacle.

Atworst,andthisisalsoverycommon,thepresentmomentistreatedasifitwereanenemy.Whenyouhatewhatyouaredoing,complainabout

yoursurroundings,cursethingsthatarehappeningorhavehappened,orwhenyourinternaldialogue

consistsofshouldsandshouldn'ts,ofblamingandaccusing,whenyouarearguingwithwhatis,arguingwiththatwhichisalwaysalreadythecase.youaremakingLifeintoanenemyandLifesays,Wariswhatyouwant,andwariswhatyouget.Externalreality,whichalwaysreflectsbacktoyouyourinnerstate,isthenexperiencedashostile.

Avitalquestiontoaskyourselffrequentlyis:Whatismyrelationshipwiththepresentmoment?Thenbecomealerttofindouttheanswer.AmItreatingtheNowasnomorethanameanstoanend?DoIseeitasanobstacle?AmImakingitintoanenemy?Sincethepresentmomentisallyoueverhave,sinceLifeisinseparable from theNow,what thequestion reallymeans is:What ismy relationshipwithLife?Thisquestion is an excellentway of unmasking the ego in you and bringing you into the state of Presence.Althoughthequestiondoesn'tembodytheabsolutetruth(Ultimately,Iandthepresentmomentareone),itisausefulpointerintherightdirection.Askyourselfitoftenuntilyoudon'tneeditanymore.

Howdo you go beyond a dysfunctional relationshipwith the presentmoment?Themost importantthingistoseeitinyourself,inyourthoughtsandactions.Inthemomentofseeing,ofnoticingthatyourrelationship with the Now is dysfunctional, you are present. The seeing is the arising Presence. Themomentyousee thedysfunction, itbegins todissolve.Somepeople laughout loudwhen theysee this.Withtheseeingcomesthepowerofchoicethechoiceofsayingyes to theNow,ofmaking it intoyourfriend.

ANewEarthTHEPARADOXOFTIME

On the surface, the presentmoment is what happens. Sincewhat happens changes continuously, itseemsthateverydayofyourlifeconsistsofthousandsofmomentsinwhichdifferentthingshappen.Timeisseenastheendlesssuccessionofmoments,somegood,somebad.Yet,ifyoulookmoreclosely,thatistosay,throughyourownimmediateexperience,youfindthattherearenotmanymomentsatall.Youthatthereisonlyeverthismoment.Lifeisalwaysnow.YourentirelifeunfoldsinthisconstantNow.Evenpastorfuturemomentsonlyexistwhenyourememberoranticipatethem,andyoudosobythinkingaboutthemintheonlymomentthereis:thisone.

Whydoes it appear thenas if thereweremanymoments?Because thepresentmoment is confusedwith what happens, confused with content. The space of Now is confused with what happens in thatspace.Theconfusionof thepresentmomentwithcontentgivesrisenotonly to the illusionof time,butalsototheillusionofego.

Thereisaparadoxhere.Ontheonehand,howcanwedenytherealityoftime?Youneedittogofromheretothere,toprepareameal,buildahouse,readthisbook.Youneedtimetogrowup,tolearnnewthings.Whateveryoudoseemstotaketime.everythingissubjecttoitandeventuallythisbloodytyranttime,asShakespearecallsit,isgoingtokillyou.Youcouldcompareittoaragingriverthatdragsyoualongwithit,orafireinwhicheverythingisconsumed.

Irecentlymetsomeoldfriends,afamilyIhadnotseeninalongtime,andIwasshockedwhenIsawthem.Ialmostasked,Areyouill?Whathappened?Whodidthistoyou?Themother,whowalkedwithacane,seemedtohaveshrunkinsize,herfaceshriveledlikeanoldapple.Thedaughter ,whohadbeenfullofenergy,enthusiasm,andtheexpectationsofyouthwhenIlastsawher,seemedwornout,tiredafterbringingupthreechildren.ThenIremembered:Almostthirtyyearshadpassedsincewelastmet.Timehaddonethistothem.AndI'msuretheywerejustasshockedwhentheysawme.

Everythingseemstobesubjecttotime,yetitallhappensintheNow.Thatistheparadox.Whereveryoulook,thereisplentyofcircumstantialevidencefortherealityoftimearottingapple,yourfaceinthebathroommirrorcompared toyour face inaphoto taken thirtyyearsagoyetyounever find anydirectevidence,youneverexperiencetimeitself.Youonlyeverexperiencethepresentmoment,orratherwhathappensinit.Ifyougobydirectevidenceonly,thenthereisnotime,andtheNowisallthereeveris.

ANewEarthELIMINATINGTIME

Youcannotmake the egoless state into a future goal and thenwork toward it.All youget ismoredissatisfaction,moreinnerconflict,becauseitwillalwaysseemthatyouhavenotarrivedyet,havenotattainedthatstateyet.Whenfreedomfromegoisyourgoalforthefuture,yougiveyourself

more time, andmore timemeansmore ego.Look carefully to findout if your spiritual search is adisguisedformofego.Eventryingtogettogetridofyourselfcanbeadisguisedsearchformoreifthegettingridofyourselfismadeintoafuturegoal.Givingyourselfmoretimeispreciselythis:givingyourselfmoretime.Time,thatistosay,pastandfuture,iswhatthefalsemind?madeself,theego,liveson,andtimeisinyourmind.Itisn'tsomethingthathasanobjectiveexistenceoutthere.Itisamindstructureneeded for sensory perception, indispensable for practical purposes, but the greatest hindrance toknowingyourself.Timeisthehorizontaldimensionoflife,thesurfacelayerofreality.Thenthereistheverticaldimensionofdepth,accessibletoyouonlythroughtheportalofthepresentmoment.

Soinsteadofaddingtimetoyourself,removetime.Theeliminationoftimefromyourconsciousnessistheeliminationofego.Itistheonlytruespiritualpractice.

Whenwespeakoftheeliminationoftime,weare,ofcourse,notreferringtoclocktime,whichistheuseoftimeforpracticalpurposes,suchasmakinganappointmentorplanningatrip.Itwouldbealmostimpossible to function in thisworldwithoutclock time.Whatweare speakingof is theeliminationofpsychological time, which is the egoic mind's endless preoccupation with past and future and itsunwillingnesstobeonewithlifebylivinginalignmentwiththeinevitableisnessofthepresentmoment.

Wheneverahabitualnotolife turnsintoayes,wheneveryouallowthismomenttobeasit is,youdissolvetimeaswellasego.Fortheegotosurvive,itmustmaketimepastandfuturemoreimportantthanthepresentmoment.Theegocannottoleratebecomingfriendlywiththepresentmomentexceptbrieflyjustafteritgotwhatitwanted.Butnothingcansatisfytheegoforlong.Aslongasitrunsyourlife,therearetwowaysofbeingunhappy.Notgettingwhatyouwantisone.Gettingwhatyouwantistheother.

WhateverisorhappensistheformthattheNowtakes.Aslongasyouresistitinternally,form,thatistosay,theworld,isanimpenetrablebarrierthatseparatesyoufromwhoyouarebeyondform,separatesyoufromtheformlessoneLifethatyouare.WhenyoubringaninneryestotheformtheNowtakes,thatveryformbecomesadoorwayintotheformless.TheseparationbetweentheworldandGoddissolves.

WhenyoureactagainsttheformthatLifetakesatthismoment,whenyoutreattheNowasameans,anobstacle,oranenemy,youstrengthenyourownformidentity,theego.Hencetheego'sreactivity.Whatisreactivity?Becomingaddicted to reaction.Themore reactiveyouare, themoreentangledyoubecomewithform.Themore identifiedwithform, thestronger theego.YourBeingthendoesnotshine throughformanymoreoronlybarely.

Though nonresistance to form, that in you which is beyond form emerges as an all?encompassingPresence,asilentpowerfargreaterthanyourshort?livedformidentity,theperson.Itismoredeeplywhoyouarethananythingintheworldofform.

ANewEarthTHEDREAMERANDTHEDREAM

Nonresistance is thekey to thegreatestpower in theuniverse.Through it,consciousness (spirit) isfreedformitsimprisonmentinform.Innernonresistancetoformwhateverisorhappensisadenialoftheabsoluterealityofform.Resistancemakestheworldandthethingsoftheworldappearmorereal,moresolid,andmorelastingthantheyare,includingyourownformidentity,theego.Itendowstheworldandthe egowith a heaviness and an absolute importance thatmakes you take yourself and theworld veryseriously. The play of form is then misperceived as a struggle for survival, and when that is yourperception,itbecomesyourreality.

Themanythingsthathappen,themanyformsthatlifetakeson,areofanephemeralnature.Theyareall fleeting. Things, bodies and egos, events, situations, thoughts, emotions, desires, ambitions, fears,drama...theycome,pretendtobeall?important,andbeforeyouknowittheyaregone,dissolvedintotheno?thingnessoutofwhichtheycame.Wheretheyeverreal?Weretheyevermorethanadream,thedreamofform?

Whenwewakeupinthemorning,thenight'sdreamdissolves,andwesay,Oh,itwasonlyadream.Itwasn't real. But something in the dream must have been real otherwise it could not be. When deathapproaches,wemaylookbackonourlifeandwonderifitwasjustanotherdream.Evennowyoumaylookbackonlastyear'svacationoryesterday'sdramaandseethatitisverysimilartolastnight'sdream.

Thereisthedream,andthereisthedreamerofthedream.Thedreamisashort?livedplayofforms.Itistheworldrelativelyrealbutnotabsolutelyreal.Thenthereisthedreamer,theabsoluterealityinwhichtheformscomeandgo.Thedreamerisnottheperson.Thepersonispartofthedream.Thedreameristhesubstratuminwhichthedreamappears,thatwhichmakesthedreampossible.Itistheabsolutebehindtherelative,thetimelessbehind time, theconsciousness inandbehindform.Thedreamer isconsciousnessitselfwhoyouare.

To awakenwithin the dream is our purpose now.Whenwe are awakewithin the dream, the ego?created earth?drama comes to an end and amore benign andwondrous dreamarises.This is the newearth.

ANewEarthGOINGBEYONDLIMITATION

Ineachperson'slifetherecomesatimewhenheorshepursuesgrowthandexpansiononthelevelofform.This iswhen you strive to overcome limitation such as physicalweakness or financial scarcity,whenyou acquire new skills andknowledge, or through creative action bring something new into thisworldthatislife?enhancingforyourselfaswellasothers.Thismaybeapieceofmusicoraworkofart,abook,aserviceyouprovide,afunctionyouperform,abusinessororganizationthatyousetupormakeavitalcontributionto.

When you are Present, when your attention is fully in the Now, that Presence will flow into andtransformwhatyoudo.Therewillbequalityandpowerinit.Youarepresentwhenwhatyouaredoingisnotprimarilyameanstoanend(money,prestige,winning)butfulfillinginitself,whenthereisjoyandaliveness inwhat you do.And, of course, you cannot be present unless you become friendlywith thepresentmoment.Thatisthebasisforeffectiveaction,uncontaminatedbynegativity.

Form means limitation. We are here not only to experience limitation, but also to grow inconsciousnessbygoingbeyondlimitation.Somelimitationscanbeovercomeonanexternallevel.Theremay be other limitations in your life that you have to learn to livewith. They can only be overcomeinternally. Everyonewill encounter them sooner or later. Those limitations either keep you trapped inegoicreaction,whichmeansintenseunhappiness,oryouriseabovetheminternallybyuncompromising

surrendertowhatis.Thatiswhattheyareheretoteach.Thesurrenderedstateofconsciousnessopensuptheverticaldimensioninyourlife,thedimensionofdepth.Somethingwillthencomeforthfromthatdimensionintothisworld,somethingofinfinitevaluethatotherwisewouldhaveremainedunmanifested.Some peoplewho surrendered to severe limitation become healers or spiritual teachers.Othersworkselflesslytolessenhumansufferingorbringsomecreativegiftintothisworld.

In the late seventies, Iwouldhave lunch everydaywithoneor two friends in the cafeteria of thegraduatecenteratCambridgeUniversity,whereIwasstudying.Amaninawheelchairwouldsometimessitatanearbytable,usuallyaccompaniedbythreeorfourpeople.Oneday,whenIwassittingatatabledirectlyoppositeme,Icouldnothelpbutlookathimmoreclosely,andIwasshockedbywhatIsaw.Heseemedalmosttotallyparalyzed.Hisbodywasemaciated,hisheadpermanentlyslumpedforward.Oneofthepeopleaccompanyinghimwascarefullyputtingfoodinhismouthagreatdealofwhichwouldfalloutagain and be caught on a small plate another man was holding under his chin. Occasionally thewheelchair?boundmanwouldproduceunintelligiblecroakingsounds,andsomeonewouldholdanearclosetohismouthandthenamazinglywouldinterpretwhathewastryingtosay.

Later I asked my friend whether he know who he was. Of course, he said, He is a professor ofmathematics, and the people with him are his graduate students. He has motor neuron disease thatprogressivelyparalyzeseverypartofthebody.Hehasbeengivenfiveyearsatthemost.Itmustbethemostdreadfulfatethatcanbefallahumanbeing.

Afewweekslater,asIwasleavingthebuilding,hewascomingin,andwhenIheldthedooropenforhiselectricwheelchairtocometrough,oureyesmet.WithsurpriseIsawthathiseyeswereclear.Therewasnotraceinthemofunhappiness.Iknowimmediatelyhehadrelinquishedresistance;hewaslivinginsurrender.

Anumberofyears laterwhenbuyinganewspaperatakiosk,Iwasamazedtoseehimonthefrontpageofapopularinternationalnewsmagazine.Notonlywashestillalive,buthehadbythenbecomethe

world'smostfamoustheoreticalphysicist,StephenHawking.TherewasabeautifullineinthearticlethatconfirmedwhatIhadsensedwhenIhadlookedinto

his eyes many years earlier. Commenting upon his life, he said (now with the help of the voicesynthesizer),Whocouldhavewishedformore?

ANewEarthTHEJOYOFBEING

Unhappinessornegativityisadiseaseonourplanet.Whatpollutionisontheouterlevelisnegativityontheinner.Itiseverywhere,notjustinplaceswherepeopledon'thaveenough,butevenmoresowheretheyhavemore than enough. Is that surprising?No.The affluentworld is evenmoredeeply identifiedwithform,morelostincontent,moretrappedinego.

People believe themselves to be dependent on what happens for their happiness, that is to saydependent on form. They don't realize thatwhat happens is themost unstable thing in the universe. Itchangesconstantly.Theylookuponthepresentmomentaseithermarredbysomethingthathashappenedandshouldn'thaveorasdeficientbecauseofsomethingthathasnothappenedbutshouldhave.Adsotheymissthedeeperperfectionthatisinherentinlifeitself,aperfectionthatisalwaysalreadythere,thatliesbeyond what is happening or not happening, beyond form. Accept the present moment and find theperfectionthatisdeeperthananyformanduntouchedbytime.

ThejoyofBeing,whichistheonlytruehappiness,cannotcometoyouthroughanyform,possession,achievement, person, or event through anything that happens. That joy cannot come to you ever. Itemanatesformtheformlessdimensionwithinyou,fromconsciousnessitselfandthusisonewithwhoyouare.

ANewEarthALLOWINGTHEDIMINISHMENTOFTHEEGO

The ego is always on guard against any kind of perceived diminishment. Automatic ego?repairmechanismscomeintoeffect torestore themental formofme.Whensomeoneblamesorcriticizesme,thattotheegoisadiminishmentofself,anditwillimmediatelyattempttorepairitsdiminishedsenseofself through self?justification, defense, or blaming. Whether the other person is right or wrong isirrelevant to the ego. It is much more interested in self?preservation than in the truth. This is thepreservationofthepsychologicalformofme.Evensuchanormalthingasshoutingsomethingbackwhenanotherdrivercallsyou idiot isanautomaticandunconsciousego?repairmechanism.Oneof themostcommonego?repair

mechanismsisanger,whichcausesatemporarybuthugeegoinflation.Allrepairmechanismsmakeperfectsensetotheegobutareactuallydysfunctional.Thosethataremostextremeintheirdysfunctionarephysicalviolenceadself?delusionintheformofgrandiosefantasies.

Apowerfulspiritualpracticeisconsciouslytoallowthediminishmentofegowhenithappenswithoutattemptingtorestoreit.Irecommendthatyouexperimentwiththisfromtimetotime.Forexample,whensomeonecriticizesyou,blamesyou,orcallsyounames,insteadofimmediatelyretaliatingordefendingyourselfdonothing.Allowtheself?imagetoremaindiminishedandbecomealerttowhatthatfeelslikedeepinsideyou.Forafewseconds,itmayfeeluncomfortable,asifyouhadshrunkinsize.Thenyoumaysenseaninnerspaciousnessthatfeelsintenselyalive.Youhaven'tbeendiminishedatall.Infact,youhaveexpanded.Youmay then come to an amazing realization:Whenyouare seemingly diminished in somewayandremaininabsolutenon?reaction,notjustexternallybutalsointernally,yourealize thatnothingrealhasbeendiminished,thatthroughbecomingless,youbecomemore.Whenyounolongerdefendorattempttostrengthentheformofyourself,youstepoutofidentificationwithform,withmentalself?image.Throughbecoming less (in theego'sperception),you in factundergoanexpansionandmake room forBeing to come forward.True power,who you are beyond form, can then shine through the apparentlyweakenedform.thisiswhatJesusmeanswhenhesays,DenyyourselforTurntheothercheek.

This does notmean, of course, that you invite abuse or turn yourself into a victim of unconsciouspeople. Sometimes a situation may demand that you tell someone to back off in no uncertain terms.Withoutegoicdefensiveness,therewillbepowerbehindyourwords,yetnoreactiveforce.Ifnecessary,youcanalsosaynottosomeonefirmlyandclearly,anditwillbewhatIcallahigh?qualitynothatisfreeofallnegativity.

Ifyouarecontentwithbeingnobodyinparticular,contentnottostandout,youalignyourselfwiththepoweroftheuniverse.Whatlookslikeweaknesstotheegoisinfacttheonlytruestrength.Thisspiritualtruthisdiametricallyopposedtothevaluesofourcontemporarycultureandthewayitconditionspeopletobehave.

Insteadoftryingtobethemountain,teachestheancientTaoTeChing,Bethevalleyoftheuniverse.Inthisway,youarerestoredtowholenessandsoAllthingswillcometoyou.

Similarly,Jesus, inoneofhisparables, teaches thatWhenyouare invited,goandsit in the lowestplacesothatwhenyourhostcomes,hemaysaytoyou,friend,moveuphigher.Thenyouwillbehonoredinthepresenceofallwhositattablewithyou.Foreveryonewhoexaltshimselfwillbehumbled,andhewhohumbleshimselfwillbeexalted.

Another aspect of this practice is to refrain from attempting to strengthen the self by showing off,

wanting tostandout,bespecial,makean impression,ordemandattention. Itmay includeoccasionallyrefrainingfromexpressingyouropinionwheneverybodyisexpressinghisorhers,andseeingwhatthatfeelslike.

ANewEarthASWITHOUT,SOWITHIN

Whenyoulookupattheclearskyatnight,youmayeasilyrealizeatruthatonceutterlysimpleandextraordinarilyprofound.Whatisthatyousee?Themoon,planets,starts,theluminousbandoftheMilkyWay,perhapsacometoreventheneighboringAndromedaGalaxytwomillionlightyearsaway.Yes,butifyousimplifyevenmore,whatdoyousee?Objectsfloatinginspace.Sowhatdoestheuniverseconsistof?Objectsandspace.

If you don't become speechless when looking out into space on a clear night, you are not reallylooking, no awareof the totalityofwhat is there.You areprobablyonly looking at at theobjects andperhaps seeking toname them. If youhave ever experienced a senseof awewhen looking into space,perhapsevenfeltadeepreverenceinthefaceofthisincomprehensiblemystery,itmeansyoumusthaverelinquishedforamomentyourdesiretoexplainandlabelandhavebecomeawarenotonlyoftheobjectsinspacebutoftheinfinitedepthofspaceitself.Youmusthavebecomestillenoughinsidetonoticethevastnessinwhichthesecountlessworldsexist.Thefeelingofaweisnotderivedfromthefactthattherearebillionsofworldsoutthere,butthedepththatcontainsthemall.

Youcannotseespace,ofcourse,norcanyouhear,touch,taste,orsmellit,sohowdoyouevenknowitexists?This logical?soundingquestionalreadycontainsa fundamentalerror.Theessenceofspace isno?thingness,

soitdoesn'texistinthenormalsenseoftheword.Onlythingsformsexist.Evencallingitspacecanbemisleadingbecausebynamingit,youmakeitintoanobject.

Letusputitlikethis:Thereissomethingwithinyouthathasanaffinitywithspace;thatiswhyyoucanbeawareofit.Awareofit?That'snottotallytrueeitherbecausehowcanyoubeawareofspaceifthereisnothingtheretobeawareof?

Theanswerisbothsimpleandprofound.Whenyouareawareofspace,youarenotreallyawareofanything,exceptawarenessitselftheinnerspaceofconsciousness.Throughyou,theuniverseisbecomingawareofitself!

Whentheeyefindsnothingtosee,thatno?thingnessisperceivedasspace.Whentheearfindsnothingtohear,thatno?thingnessisperceivedasstillness.Whenthesenses,whicharedesignedtoperceiveform,meetanabsenceofform,theformlessconsciousnessthatliesbehindperceptionandmakesallperception,allexperience,possible,isnotlongerobscuredbyform.Whenyoucontemplatetheunfathomabledepthofspaceorlistentothesilenceintheearlyhoursjustbeforesunrise,somethingwithinyouresonateswithitasifinrecognition.Youthensensethevastdepthofspaceasyourowndepth,andyouknowthatpreciousstillnessthathasnoformtobemoredeeplywhoyouarethananyofthethingsthatmakeupthecontentoyourlife.

TheUpanishads,theancientscripturesofIndia,pointtothesametruthwiththesewords:Whatcannotbeseenwiththeeye,butthatwherebytheeyecansee:knowthatalonetobeBrahmanthe

Spiritandnotwhatpeoplehereadore.Whatcannotbeheardwiththeearbut thatwhereby theearcanhear:knowthatalonetobeBrahmantheSpiritandnotwhatpeoplehereadore....Whatcannotbethoughtwiththemindbutthatwherebythemindcanthink:knowthatalonetobeBrahmantheSpiritandnotwhatpeoplehereadore.

God, thescripture is saying, is formlessconsciousnessand theessenceofwhoyouare.Everythingelseisform,iswhatpeoplehereadore.

Thetwofoldrealityoftheuniverse,whichconsistsofthingsandspacethingnessandno?thingness isalsoyourown.Asane,balanced,andfruitfulhumanlifeisadancebetweenthetwodimensionsthatmakeup reality: form and space. Most people are so identified with the dimension of form, with senseperceptions, thoughts, and emotion, that the vital hidden half is missing from their lives. Theiridentificationwithformkeepsthemtrappedinego.

Whatyousee,hear,feel,touch,orthinkaboutisonlyonehalfofreality,sotospeak.Itisform.Intheteaching of Jesus, it is simply called theworld, and the other dimension is the kingdom of heaven oreternallife.

Justasspaceenablesalltingstoexistandjustaswithoutsilencetherecouldbenosound,youwouldnotexistwithoutthevitalformlessdimensionthatistheessenceofwhoyouare.WecouldsayGodifthewordhadnotbeensomisused. Iprefer tocall itBeing.Being isprior toexistence.Existence is form,content,whathappens.Existenceistheforegroundoflife;Beingisthebackground,asitwere.

Thecollectivediseaseofhumanityisthatpeoplearesoengrossedinwhathappens,sohypnotizedbytheworldoffluctuatingforms,soabsorbedinthecontentoftheirlives,theyhaveforgottentheessence,thatwhichisbeyondcontent,beyondform,beyondthought.Theyaresoconsumedbytimethattheyhaveforgotteneternity,whichistheirorigin,theirhome,theirdestiny.Eternityisthelivingrealityofwhoyouare.

SomeyearsagowhenvisitingChina,IcameuponastupaonamountaintopnearGuilin.Ithadwritingembossedingoldonit,andIaskedmyChinesehostwhatitmeant.Itmeans'Buddha'hesaid.Whyaretheretwocharactersratherthanone?Iasked.One,heexplained,means'man.'Theothermeans'no.'Andthe two togethermeans 'Buddha'. I stood there in awe.The character ofBuddha already contained thewholeteachingof theBuddha,andfor thosewhohaveeyes tosee, thesecretof life.Hereare the twodimensions thatmakeup reality, thingness andno?thingness, formand thedenial of form,which is therecognitionthatformisnotwhoyouare.

ANewEarth

CHAPTEREIGHTTHEDISCOVERYOFINNERSPACE

According to an ancient Sufi story, there lived a king in some Middle Eastern land who wascontinuouslytornbetweenhappinessanddespondency.Theslightestthingwouldcausehimgreatupsetorprovoke an intense reaction, and his happinesswould quickly turn into disappointment and despair.Atimecamewhenthekingfinallygottiredofhimselfandoflife,andhebegantoseekawayout.Hesentforawisemanwho lived inhiskingdomandwhowas reputed tobeenlightened.When thewisemancame, theking said tohim, Iwant tobe likeyou.Canyougiveme something thatwill bringbalance,serenity,andwisdomintomylife?Iwillpayanypriceyouask.

Thewisemansaid,Imaybeabletohelpyou.Butthepriceissogreatthatyourentirekingdomwouldnotbesufficientpaymentforit.Thereforeitwillbeagifttoyouifyouwillhonorit.Thekinggavehisassurances,andthewisemanleft.

Afewweekslater,hereturnedandhandedthekinganornateboxcarvedinjade.Thekingopenedtheboxandfoundasimplegoldringinside.Someletterswereinscribedonthering.Theinscriptionread:This, too,will pass.What is themeaning of this? asked the king. Thewiseman said,Wear this ringalways.Whateverhappens,beforeyoucall itgoodorbad, touchthisringandreadtheinscription. thatway,youwillalwaysbeatpeace.

This,too,willpass.Whatisitaboutthesesimplewordsthatmakesthemsopowerful?Lookingatitsuperficially,itwouldseemwhilethosewordsmayprovidesomecomfortinabadsituation,theywouldalsodiminishtheenjoymentofthegoodthingsnlife.Don'tbetoohappy,becauseitwon'tlast.Thisseemstobewhattheyaresayingwhenappliedinasituationthatisperceivedasgood.

The full import of thesewords becomes clearwhenwe consider them in the context of two otherstoriesthatweencounteredearlier.ThestoryoftheZenMasterwhoseonlyresponsewasalwaysIsthatso?showsthegoodthatcomesthroughinnernonresistancetoevents,thatistosay,beingat

one with what happens. The story of the man whose comment was invariably a laconic Maybeillustratesthewisdomofnon?judgment,andthestoryoftheringpointstothefactofimpermanencewhich,when recognized, leads to non?attachment. Non?resistance, non?judgment, and non?attachment are thethreeaspectsoftruefreedomandenlightenedliving.

Thosewordsinscribedontheringarenottellingyouthatyoushouldnotenjoythegoodinyourlife,noraretheymerelymeanttoprovidesomecomfortintimesofsuffering.Theyhaveadeeperpurpose:tomakeyouawareofthefleetingnessofeverysituation,whichisduetothetransienceofallformsgoodorbad.Whenyoubecomeawareof the transienceof all forms,your attachment to them lessens, andyoudisidentifyfromthemtosomeextent.Beingdetacheddoesnotmeanthatyoucannotenjoythegoodthattheworldhastooffer.Infact,youenjoyitmore.Onceyouseeandacceptthetransienceofallthingsandtheinevitabilityofchange,youcanenjoythepleasuresoftheworldwhiletheylastwithoutfearof lossoranxietyaboutthefuture.Whenyouaredetached,yougainahighervantagepointfromwhichtoviewtheeventsinyourlifeinsteadofbeingtrappedinsidethem.YoubecomelikeanastronautwhoseestheplanetEarthsurroundedbythevastnessofspaceandrealizesaparadoxicaltruth:Theearthispreciousandatthe same time insignificant. The recognition that This, too will pass brings detachment and withdetachment another dimension comes into your lie inner space. Through detachment, as well as non?judgmentandinnernonresistance,yougainaccesstothatdimension.

Whenyouarenolongertotallyidentifiedwithforms,consciousnesswhoyouarebecomesfreedformitsimprisonmentinform.Thisfreedomisthearisingofinnerspace.Itcomesasastillness,asubtlepeacedeepwithinyou, even in the faceof something seeminglybad.This, too,will pass.Suddenly, there isspacearoundtheevent.Thereisalsospacearoundtheemotionalhighsandlows,evenaroundpain.And

aboveall,thereisspacebetweenyourthoughts.Andfromthatspaceemanatesapeacethatisnotofthisworld,becausethisworldisform,andthepeaceisspace.ThisisthepeaceofGod.

Now you can enjoy and honor the things of this world without giving them an importance andsignificancetheydon'thave.Youcanparticipateinthedanceofcreationandbeactivewithoutattachmenttooutcomeandwithoutplacingunreasonabledemandsupontheworld:Fulfillme,makeme

happy,makemefeelsafe,tellmewhoIam.Theworldcannotgiveyouthosethings,andwhenyounolongerhavesuchexpectations,allself?createdsufferingcomestoanend.Allsuchsufferingisduetoanover?valuation of form and an unawareness of the dimension of inner space.When that dimension ispresent in your life, you can enjoy things, experiences, and the pleasures of the sense without losingyourselfinthem,withoutinnerattachmenttothem,thatistosay,withoutbecomingaddictedtotheworld.

ThewordsThis, too,will pass are pointers toward reality. In pointing to the impermanenceof allforms, by implication, they are also pointing to the eternal. Only the eternal in you can recognize theimpermanentasimpermanent.

Whenthedimensionofspaceislostorrathernotknown,thethingsoftheworldassumeanabsoluteimportance,aseriousnessandheavinessthatintruththeydonothave.Whentheworldisnotviewedfromtheperspectiveoftheformless,itbecomesathreateningplace,andultimatelyaplaceofdespair.TheOldTestamentprophetmusthavefeltthiswhenhewrote,Allthingsarefullofweariness.Amancannotutterit.

ANewEarthOBJECTCONSCIOUSNESSANDSPACECONSCIOUSNESS

Mostpeople's livesareclutteredupwith things:material things, things todo, things to thinkabout.Their lives are like the history of humanity,whichWinstonChurchill defined as one damn thing afteranother. Their minds are filled up with the clutter of thoughts one thought after another. This is thedimensionofobjectconsciousnessthatismanypeople'spredominantreality,andthatiswhytheirlivesaresooutofbalance.Objectconsciousnessneeds tobebalancedbyspaceconsciousness forsanity toreturntoourplanetandforhumanitytofulfillitsdestiny.Thearisingofspaceconsciousnessisthenextstageintheevolutionofhumanity.

Spaceconsciousnessmansthatinadditiontobeingconsciousofthingswhichalwayscomesdowntosenseperceptions,thoughts,andemotionsthereisanundercurrentofawareness.Awarenessimpliesthatyouarenotonlyconsciousofthings(objects),butyouarealsoconsciousofbeingconscious.Ifyoucansense an alert inner stillness in the background while things happen in the foreground that's it! Thisdimensionistherein

everyone,butmostpeoplearecompletelyunawareofit.SometimesIpointtoitbysaying,CanyoufeelyourownPresence?

Spaceconsciousnessrepresentsnotonlyfreedomfromego,butalsofromdependencyonthethingsofthis world, from materialism and materiality. It is the spiritual dimension which alone can givetranscendentandtruemeaningtothisworld.

Wheneveryouareupsetaboutanevent,aperson,orasituation,therealcauseisnottheevent,person,or situation but a loss of true perspective that only space can provide. You are trapped in objectconsciousness, unaware of the timeless inner space of consciousness itself. ThewordsThis, too,willpasswhenusedasapointercanrestoreawarenessofthatdimensiontoyou.

Anotherpointer to the truth inyou is contained inhe following statement: I amneverupset for thereasonIthink.

ANewEarthFALLINGBELOWANDRISINGABOVETHOUGHT

Whenyouareverytired,youmaybecomemorepeaceful,morerelaxedthaninyourusualstate.thisisbecausethinkingissubsiding,andsoyoucan'trememberyourmind?madeproblematicselfanymore.Youaremovingtowardsleep.Whenyoudrinkalcoholortakecertaindrugs(providedtheydon'ttriggeryourpain?body),youmayalsofeelmorerelaxed,morecarefree,andperhapsmorealiveaforawhile.Youmaystartsinginganddancing,whichsinceancienttimesareexpressionsofthejoyoflife.Becauseyouarelessburdenedbyyourmind,youcanglimpsethejoyofBeing.Perhapsthisisthereasonalcohol isalsocalledspirit.Butthereisahighpricetopay:unconsciousness.Insteadofrisingabovethought,youhavefallenbelowit.Afewmoredrinks,andyouwillhaveregressedtothevegetablerealm.

Spaceconsciousnesshaslittletodowithbeingspacedout.Bothstatesarebeyondthought.Thistheyhaveincommon.Thefundamentaldifference,however,isthatintheformer,youriseabovethought;inthelatter, you fall below it. One is the next step in the evolution of human consciousness, the other aregressiontoastageweleftbehindeonsago.

ANewEarthTELEVISION

Watching television is the favorite leisure activity or rather non? activity for millions of peoplearoundtheworld.TheaverageAmerican,bythetimeheissixtyyearsold,willhavespentfifteenyearsstaringattheTVscreen.Inmanyothercountriesthefiguresaresimilar.

ManypeoplefindwatchingTVrelaxing.Observeyourselfcloselyandyouwillfindthatthelongerthescreenremainsthefocusofyourattention,themoreyourthoughtactivitybecomessuspended,andforlongperiodsyouarewatchingthetalkshow,gameshow,sitcom,orevencommercialswithalmostnothoughtbeinggeneratedbyyourmind.Notonlydoyounot rememberyourproblemsanymore,butyoubecometemporarilyfreeofyourselfandwhatcouldbemorerelaxingthanthat?

SodosTVwatchingcreateinnerspace?Doesitcauseyoutobepresent?Unfortunately,itdoesnot.Although for longperiodsyourmindmaynot begenerating any thoughts, it has linked into the thoughtactivityofthetelevisionshow.IthaslinkedupwiththeTVversionofthecollectivemind,andisthinkingits thoughts. Yourmind is inactive only in the sense that it is not producing thoughts. It is, however,continuouslyabsorbing thoughtsand images thatcome through theTVscreen.This inducesa trancelikepassivestateofheightenedsusceptibility,notunlikehypnosis.Thatiswhyitlendsitselftomanipulationofpublicopinion,aspoliticiansandspecial?interestgroupsaswellasadvertisers knowandwill paymillionsofdollarstocatchyouinthatstateofreceptiveunawareness.Theywanttheirthoughtstobecomeyourthoughts,andusuallytheysucceed.

So when watching television, the tendency is for you to fall below thought, not rise above it.Televisionhasthisincommonwithalcoholandcertainotherdrugs.Whileitprovidessomerelieffromyour mind, you again pay a high price: loss of consciousness. Like those drugs, it too has a strongaddictivequality.Youreachfortheremotecontroltoswitchoffandinsteadfindyourselfgoingthroughallthechannels.Halfanhouroranhourlater,youarestillwatching,stillgoingthroughthechannels.Theoffbuttonistheonlyoneyourfingerseemsunabletopress.Youarestillwatching,usuallynotbecauseanythingofinteresthascaughtyourattention,butpreciselybecausethereisnothingofinteresttowatch.Onceyouarehooked, themoretrivial, themoremeaningless, it is, themoreaddictive itbecomes. If itwere

interesting, thought provoking, itwould stimulate yourmind into thinking for itself again,which ismore conscious and therefore preferable to aTV? induced trance.Your attentionwould, therefore, nolongerbetotallyheldcaptivebytheimagesonthescreen.

The content of the program, if there is a certain quality to it, can to some extent counteract andsometimesevenundothehypnotic,mind?numbingeffectofthemediumofTV.Therearesomeprogramsthat have been extremely helpful tomanypeople; have changed their lives for the better, opened theirheart, made themmore conscious. Even some comedy shows, although they may be about nothing inparticular, canbeunintentionally spiritualbyshowingacaricatureversionofhuman follyand theego.Theyteachusnottotakeanythingtooseriously,toapproachlifeinalightheartedway,andaboveall,theyteachbymakingus laugh.Laughter is extraordinarily liberatingaswell ashealing.Mostof television,however, is asyetcontrolledbypeoplewhoare totallycontrolledby theego,and so theTV's hiddenagendabecomescontrolofyoubyputtingyoutosleep,thatistosay,makingyouunconscious.Yetthereisenormousandstilllargelyunexploredpotentialinthemediumoftelevision.

Avoidwatchingprogramsandcommercials that assault youwith a rapid successionof images that

changeeverytwoorthreesecondsorless.ExcessiveTVwatchingandthoseprogramsinparticulararelargelyresponsibleforattentiondeficitdisorder,amentaldysfunctionnowaffectingmillionsofchildrenworldwide.Ashortattentionspanmakesallyourperceptionsandrelationshipsshallowandunsatisfying.Whatever you do, whatever action you perform in that state, lacks quality, because quality requiresattention.

FrequentandprolongedTVwatchingnotonlymakesyouunconscious,italsoinducespassivityanddrainsyouofenergy.Therefore, rather thanwatchingat random,choose theprogramsyouwant to see.Wheneveryou remember todo so, feel the aliveness insideyourbodyasyouwatch.Alternatively, beawareofyourbreathingfromtimetotime.Lookawayfromthescreenatregularintervalssothatitdoesnotcompletelytakepossessionofyourvisualsense.Don'tturnupthevolumeanyhigherthannecessarysothattheTVdoesn'toverwhelmyouontheauditorylevel.Usethemutebuttonduringcommercials.Makesureyoudon'tgotosleep

immediatelyafterswitchingoffthesetor,evenworse,fallasleepwiththesetstillon.

ANewEarthRECOGNIZINGINNERSPACE

Spacebetweenthoughtsisprobablyalreadyarisingsporadicallyinyourlife,andyoumaynotevenknowit.Aconsciousnessmesmerizedbyexperiencesandconditionedtoidentifyexclusivelywithform,that is tosay,objectconsciousness, finds itat firstalmost impossible tobecomeawareof space.Thisultimatelymeanthatyoucannotbecomeawareofyourself,becauseyouarealwaysawareofsomethingelse.Youarecontinuouslydistractedby form.Evenwhenyouseem tobeawareofyourself,youhavemadeyourselfintoanobject,athoughtform,andsowhatyouareawareofisathought,notyourself.

Whenyouhearofinnerspace,youmaystartseekingit,andbecauseyouareseekingitasifyouwerelookingforanobjectorforanexperience,youcannotfindit.Thisis thedilemmaofall thosewhoareseekingspiritualrealizationorenlightenment.Hence,Jesussaid,ThekingdomofGodisnotcomingwithsignstobeobserved;norwilltheysay,'Lo,hereitis!'or'There!'forbehold,thekingdomofGodisinthemidstofyou.

Ifyouarenotspendingallofyourwakinglifeindiscontent,worry,anxiety,depression,despair,orconsumedbyothernegativestates;ifyouareabletoenjoysimplethingslikelisteningtohesoundoftherainorthewind;ifyoucanseethebeautyofcloudsmovingacrosstheskyorbealoneattimeswithoutfeeling lonely or needing themental stimulus of entertainment; if you find yourself treating a completestrangerwith heartfelt kindnesswithoutwanting anything from him or her... itmeans that a space hasopenedup,nomatterhowbriefly, in theotherwise incessantstreamof thinking that is thehumanmind.When this happens there is a sense ofwell? being, of alive peace, even though itmay be subtle. TheintensitywillvaryfromaperhapsbarelynoticeablebackgroundsenseofcontentmenttowhattheancientsagesofIndiacalledanandatheblissofBeing.Becauseyouhavebeenconditionedtopayattentiononlytoform,youareprobablynotawareofitexceptindirectly.Forexample,thereisacommonelementintheabilitytoseebeauty,toappreciatesimplethings,toenjoyyourowncompany,ortorelatetootherpeoplewithlovingkindness.Thiscommon

elementisasenseofcontentment,peace,andalivenessthatistheinvisiblebackgroundwithoutwhichtheseexperienceswouldnotbepossible.

Wheneverthereisbeauty,kindness,therecognitionofthegoodnessofsimplethingsinyourlife,lookfor the background to that experiencewithin yourself.But don't look for it as if youwere looking forsomething.Youcannotpinitdownandsay,NowIhaveit,orgraspitmentallyanddefineitinsomeway.Itislikethecloudlesssky.Ithasnoform.Itisspace;itisstillness,thesweetnessofBeingandinfinitelymorethanthesewords,whichareonlypointers.Whenyouareabletosenseitdirectlywithinyourself,itdeepens.Sowhenyouappreciatesomethingsimpleasound,asight,atouchwhenyouseebeauty,whenyoufeellovingkindnesstowardanother,sensetheinnerspaciousnessthatisthesourceandbackgroundtothatexperience.

ManypoetsandsagesthroughouttheageshaveobservedthattruehappinessIcallitthejoyofBeingis found in simple, seeminglyunremarkable things.Most people, in their restless search for somethingsignificant tohappen to them,continuouslymiss the insignificant,whichmaynotbe insignificantatall.ThephilosopherNietzsche,inararemomentofdeepstillness,rote,Forhappiness,howlittlesufficesforhappiness!.... the least tingprecisely, thegentlest thing, the lightest thing,a lizard's rustling,abreath, awisk,aneyeglancelittlemakethupthebesthappiness.Bestill.

Whyisittheleastthingthatmakesupthebesthappiness?Becausetruehappinessisnotcausedbythe

thingorevent,althoughthisishowitfirstappears.Thethingoreventissosubtle,sounobtrusive,thatittakes up only a small part of your consciousness and the rest is inner space, consciousness itselfunobstructedbyform.Innerspaceconsciousnessandwhoyouareinyouressenceareoneandthesame.In otherwords, the form of little things leaves room for inner space. And it is from inner space, theunconditionedconsciousnessitself,thattruehappiness,thejoyofBeing,emanates.Tobeawareoflittle,quietthings,however,youneedtobequietinside.Ahighdegreeofalertnessisrequired.Bestill.Look.Listen.Bepresent.

Hereisantherwayoffindinginnerspace:Becomeconsciousofbeingconscious.SayorthinkIAmandaddnothingtoit.Beawareofthe

stillness that followstheIAm.Senseyourpresence, thenaked,unveiled,unclothedbeingness. It isuntouchedbyyoungorold,richorpoor,goodorbad,oranyotherattributes.Itisthespaciouswombofallcreation,allform.

ANewEarthCANYOUHEARTHEMOUNTAINSTREAM?

AZenMasterwaswalkinginsilencewithoneofhisdisciplesalongamountaintrail.Whentheycametoanancientcedartree,theysatdownunderitforasimplemealofsomericeandvegetables.Afterthemeal,thedisciple,ayoungmonkwhohadnotyetfoundthekeytothemysteryofZen,brokethesilencebyaskingtheMaster,Master,howdoIenterZen?

Hewas,ofcourse,inquiringhowtoenterthestateofconsciousnesswhichisZen.TheMasterremainedsilent.Almostfiveminutespassedwhile thediscipleanxiouslywaitedforan

answer.HewasabouttoaskanotherquestionwhentheMastersuddenlyspoke.Doyouhearthesoundofthatmountainstream?

Thedisciplehadnotbeenawareof anymountain stream.Hehadbeen toobusy thinkingabout themeaning of Zen.Now as he began to listen for the sound, his noisymind subsided. At first he heardnothing. Then, his thinking gave way to heightened alertness, and suddenly he did hear the hardlyperceptiblemurmurofasmallstreaminthefardistance.

Yes,Icanhearitnow,hesaid.Themasterraisedhisfingerand,withalookinhiseyesthatinsomewaywasbothfierceandgentle,

said,EnterZenfromthere.The disciplewas stunned. Itwas his first satori a flash of enlightenment.He knewwhat Zenwas

withoutknowingwhatitwasthatheknew!Theycontinuedon their journey in silence.Thedisciplewasamazedat thealivenessof theworld

around him.He experienced everything as if for the first time.Gradually, however, he stated thinkingagain. The alert stillness became covered up again by mental noise, and before long he had anotherquestion.Master,hesaid,Ihavebeenthinking.Whatwouldyou

havesaidifIhadn'tbeenabletohearthemountainstream?Themasterstopped,lookedathim,raisedhisfingerandsaid,EnterZenfromthere.

ANewEarthRIGHTACTION

Theegoasks,HowcanImakethissituationfulfillmyneedsorhowcanIgettosomeothersituationthatwillfulfillmyneeds.Presence isastateof innerspaciousness.Whenyouarepresent,youask:HowdoI respond to the

needsofthissituation,ofthismoment?Infact,youdon'tevenneedtoaskthequestion.Youarestill,alert,opentowhatis.Youbringanewdimensionintothesituation:Space.Thenyoulookandyoulisten.Thusyoubecomeonewith thesituation.When insteadof reactingagainst a situation,youmergewith it, thesolutionarisesoutothesituationitself.Actually,itisnotyou,theperson,whoislookingandlistening,butthealertstillnessitself.Then,ifactionispossibleornecessary,youtakeactionorratherrightactionhappens through you. Right action is action that is appropriate to the whole. When the action isaccomplished,thealert,spaciousstillnessremains.ThereisnobodywhoraiseshisarmsinagestureoftriumphshoutingadefiantYeah!Thereisnoonehosays,Look,Ididthat.

All creativity comesout of inner spaciousness.Once the creationhashappened and something hascomeintoform,youhavetobevigilantsothatthenotionofmeorminedoesnotarise.Ifyoutakecreditforwhatyouaccomplished,theegohasreturned,andthespaciousnesshasbecomeobscured.

ANewEarthPERCEIVINGWITHOUTNAMING

Most people are only peripherally aware of the world that surrounds them, especially if theirsurroundingsarefamiliar.Thevoiceintheheadabsorbsthegreaterpartoftheirattention.Somepeoplefeelmorealivewhentheytravelandvisitunfamiliarplacesorforeigncountriesbecauseat thosetimessense perception experiencing takes up more of heir consciousness than thinking. They become morepresent.Othersremaincompletelypossessedby thevoice in theheadeventhen.Theirperceptionsandexperiences are distorted by instant judgments. They haven't really gone anywhere.Only their body istraveling,whiletheyremainwheretheyhavealwaysbeen:intheirhead.

Thisismostpeople'sreality:Assoonassomethingisperceived,itisnamed,interpreted,comparedwith something else, liked, disliked, or called good or bad by the phantom self, the ego. They areimprisonedinthoughtforms,inobjectconsciousness.

Youdonotawakenspirituallyuntil thecompulsiveandunconsciousnamingceases,orat least youbecomeawareofitandthusareabletoobserveitasithappens.Itisthroughthisconstantnamingthattheegoremainsinplaceastheunobservedmind.Wheneveritceasesandevenwhenyoujustbecomeawareofit,thereisinnerspace,andyouarenotpossessedbythemindanymore.

Chooseanobjectclosetoyouapen,achair,acup,aplantandexploreitvisually,thatistosay,lookatitwithgreatinterest,almostcuriosity.Avoidanyobjectswithstrongpersonalassociationsthatremindyouofthepast,suchaswhereyouboughtit,whogaveittoyou,andsoon.Alsoavoidanythingthathaswritingonitsuchasabookorabottle.Itwouldstimulatethought.Withoutstraining,relaxedbutalert,giveyourcompleteattentiontotheobject,everydetailofit.Ifthoughtsarise,don'tgetinvolvedinthem.Itisnotthethoughtsyouareinterestedin,buttheactofperceptionitself.Canyoutakethethinkingoutoftheperceiving?Canyoulookwithoutthevoiceinyourheadcommenting,drawingconclusions,comparing,ortryingtofiguresomethingout?Afteracoupleofminutesorso,letyourgazewanderaroundtheroomorwhereveryouare,youralertattentionlightingupeachthingthatitrestsupon.

Then,listentoanysoundsthatmaybepresent.Listentotheminthesamewayasyoulookedat thethingsaroundyou.Somesoundsmaybenaturalwater,wind,birdswhileothersareman?made.Somemaybepleasant,othersunpleasant.Howeverdon'tdifferentiatebetweengoodandbad.Alloweachsoundtobeasitis,withoutinterpretation.Heretoo,relaxedbutalertattentionisthekey.

Whenyoulookandlistentinthisway,youmaybecomeawareofasubtleandatfirstperhapsahardlynoticeablesenseofcalm.Somepeoplefeelitasastillnessinthebackground.Otherscallitpeace.Whenconsciousnessisnolongertotallyabsorbedbythinking,someofitremainsinitsformless,unconditioned,originalstate.Thisisinnerspace.

ANewEarthWHOISTHEEXPERIENCER?

What you see and hear, taste, touch, and smell are, of course, sense objects. They are what youexperience.Butwhoisthesubject,theexperiencer?Ifyounowsay,forexample,Well,ofcourse,I,JaneSmith, senior accountant, forty?fiveyears old, divorced,mother of two,American, am the subject, theexperiencer,youaremistaken.JaneSmithandwhateverelsebecomesidentifiedwiththementalconceptofJaneSmithareallobjectsofexperience,nottheexperiencingsubject.

Everyexperiencehas threepossible ingredients: senseperceptions, thoughtsormental images, andemotions.JaneSmith,senioraccountant, forty?fiveyearsold,motherof two,divorced,American theseareallthoughtsandthereforepartofwhatyouexperiencethemomentyouthinkthesethoughts.Theyandwhateverelseyoucansayandthinkaboutyourselfareobjects,notthesubject.Theyareexperience,nottheexperiencer.Youcanaddathousandmoredefinitions(thoughts)ofwhoyouareandbydoingsowillcertainlyincreasethecomplexityoftheexperienceofyourself(aswellasyourpsychiatrist'sincome)but,in this way, youwill not end upwith the subject, the experiencer who is prior to all experience butwithoutwhomtherewouldbenoexperience.

Sowhoistheexperiencer?Youare.Andwhoareyou?Consciousness.Andwhatisconsciousness?Thisquestioncannotbeanswered.Themomentyouanswerit,youhavefalsifiedit,madeitintoanotherobject.Consciousness,thetraditionalwordforwhichisspirit,cannotbeknowninthenormalsenseoftheword,andseeingitisfutile.Allknowingiswithintherealmofdualitysubjectandobject,theknowerandtheknown.thesubject, theI, theknowerwithoutwhichnothingcouldbeknown,perceived, thought,orfelt,mustremainforeverunknowable.ThisisbecausetheIhasnoform.Onlyformscanbeknown,andyetwithouttheformlessdimension,theworldofformcouldnotbe.Itistheluminousspaceinwhichtheworldarisesandsubsides.Thatspaceis thelife thatIAm.It is timeless. IAmtimeless,eternal.Whathappensinthatspaceisrelativeandtemporary:pleasureandpain,gainandloss,birthanddeath.

The greatest impediment to the discovery of inner space, the greatest impediment to finding theexperiencer, is to become so enthralled by the experience that you lose yourself in it. It meansconsciousnessislostinits

owndream.Yougettakeninbyeverythought,everyemotion,andeveryexperiencetosuchadegreethatyouareinfactinadreamlikestate.Thishasbeenthenormalstateofhumanityforthousandsofyears.

Althoughyoucannotknowconsciousness,youcanbecomeconsciousofitasyourself.Youcansenseitdirectlyinanysituation,nomatterwhereyouare.YoucansenseithereandnowasyourveryPresence,theinnerspaceinwhichthewordsonthispageareperceivedandbecomethoughts.ItistheunderlyingIAm. The word you are reading and thinking are the foreground, and the I Am is the substratum, theunderlyingbackgroundtoeveryexperience,thought,feeling.

ANewEarthTHEBREATH

Discover inner space by creating gaps in the stream of thinking.Without those gaps, your thinkingbecomesrepetitive,uninspired,devoidoranycreativespark,whichishowitstillisformostpeopleontheplanet.Youdon'tneedtobeconcernedwiththedurationofthosegaps.Afewsecondsisgoodenough.Gradually, theywill lengthenby themselves,withoutanyeffortonyourpart.More important than theirlength is to bring them in frequently so that your daily activities and your stream of thinking becomeinterspersedwithspace.

Someonerecentlyshowedmetheannualprospectusofalargespiritualorganization.WhenIlookedthroughit,Iwasimpressedbythewidechoiceofinterestingseminarsandworkshops.Itremindedmeofa smorgasbord, onof thoseScandinavianbuffetswhereyoucan take your pick froma huge variety ofenticingdishes.Theperson askedmewhether I could recommendoneor two courses. I don't know, Isaid.Theyalllooksointeresting.ButIdoknowthis,Iadded.Beawareofyourbreathingasoftenasyouareable,wheneveryouremember.Do that foroneyear,and itwillbemorepowerfully transformativethanattendingallofthesecourses.Andit'sfree.

Beingawareofyourbreathingtakesattentionawayfromthinkingandcreatesspace.Itisonewayofgeneratingconsciousness.Althoughthefullnessofconsciousnessisalreadythereastheunmanifested,weareheretobringconsciousnessintothisdimension.

Beawareofyourbreathing.Noticethesensationofthebreath.Feeltheairmovinginandoutofyourbody.Noticehow the chest and abdomenexpand and contract slightlywith the in and out breath.Oneconsciousbreathisenoughtomakesomespacewherebeforetherewastheuninterruptedsuccessionofonethoughtafteranother.Oneconsciousbreath(twoorthreewouldbeevenbetter),takenmanytimesaday,isanexcellentwayofbringingspaceintoyourlife.Evenifyoumeditatedonyourbreathingfortwohoursormore,whichsomepeopledo,onebreathisallyoueverneedtobeawareof,indeedevercanbeawareof.Therestismemoryoranticipation,whichistosay,thought.Breathingisn'treallysomethingthatyoudobutsomethingthatyouwitnessasithappens.Breathinghappensbyitself.Theintelligencewithinthebodyisdoingit.Allyouhavetodoiswatchithappening.Thereisnostrainoreffortinvolved.Also,noticethebriefcessationofthebreath,particularlythestillpointattheendoftheout?breath,beforeyoustartbreathinginagain.

Many people's breath is unnaturally shallow. Themore you are aware of the breath, themore itsnaturaldepthwillreestablishitself.

Becausebreathhasnoformassuch,ithassinceancienttimesbeenequatedwithspirit?theformlessoneLife.Godformedmanofdustfromthegroundandbreathedintohisnostrilsthebreathoflifeandthemanbecamealivingcreature.TheGermanwordforbreathingatmenisderivedfromtheancientIndian(Sanskrit)wordAtman,meaningtheindwellingdivinespiritorGodwithin.

Thefactthatbreathhasnoformisoneofthereasonswhybreathawarenessisanextremelyeffectiveway of bringing space into your life, of generating consciousness. It is an excellentmeditation objectpreciselybecauseitisnotanobject;hasnoshapeorform.Theotherreasonisthatbreathisoneofthemostsubtleandseeminglyinsignificantphenomena,theleastthingthataccordingtoNietzschemakesupthebesthappiness.Whetherornotyoupracticebreathawarenessasanactualformalmeditationisuptoyou.Formalmeditation,however,isnosubstituteforbringingspaceconsciousnessintoeverydaylife.

Beingawareofyourbreath forcesyou into thepresentmoment thekey to all inner transformation.

Whenever you are conscious of the breath , you are absolutely present.Youmay also notice that youcannotthinkandbe

awareofyourbreathing.Consciousbreathingstopsyourmind.Butfarfrombeinginatranceorhalfasleep,youarefullyawakeandhighlyalert.Youarenotfallingbelowthinking,butrisingaboveit.Andifyou lookmore closely, you will find that those two things coming fully into the present moment andceasing thinking without loss of consciousness are actually one and the same: the arising of spaceconsciousness.

ANewEarthADDICTIONS

A long?standing compulsive behavior pattern may be called an addiction, and an addiction livesinside you as a quasi?entity or sub? personality, an energy field that periodically takes you overcompletely. Iteven takesoveryourmind, thevoice inyourhead,which thenbecomes thevoiceof theaddiction. Itmaybe saying,You've had a roughday.Youdeserve a treat.Why deny yourself the onlypleasure that is left in your life? And so, if you are identified with the internal voice due to lack ofawareness, you find yourselfwalking to the fridge and reaching for that rich chocolate cake.At othertimes,theaddictionmaybypassthethinkingmindcompletelyandyousuddenlyfindyourselfpuffingonacigaretteorholdingadrink.Howdid thatget intomyhand?Taking thecigaretteoutof thepacket andlightingit,orpouringyourselfadrinkwereactionsperformedincompleteunconsciousness.

If you have a compulsive behavior pattern such as smoking, overeating, drinking, TV watching,Internetaddiction,orwhateveritmaybe,thisiswhatyoucando:Whenyounoticethecompulsiveneedarisinginyou,stopandtakethreeconsciousbreaths.Thisgeneratesawareness.Thenforafewminutesbeawareofthecompulsiveurgeitselfasanenergyfieldinsideyou.Consciouslyfeelthatneedtophysicallyor mentally ingest or consume a certain substance or the desire to act out some form of compulsivebehavior.Thentakeafewmoreconsciousbreaths.Afterthatyoumayfindthatthecompulsiveurgehasdisappeared?for the timebeing.oryoumayfindthat itstilloverpowersyou,andyoucannothelpbutindulge or act it out again. Don'tmake it into a problem.Make the addiction part of your awarenesspracticeinthewaydescribedabove.Asawarenessgrows,addictivepatternswillweakenandeventuallydissolve.Remember,however, tocatchanythoughts that justify theaddictivebehavior,sometimeswithcleverarguments,astheyariseinyoumind.Askyourself,Whoistalkinghere?Andyouwillrealizetheaddictionistalking.Aslongasyouknowthat,

aslongasyouarepresentastheobserverofyourmind,itislesslikelytotrickyouintodoingwhatitwants.

ANewEarthINNERBODYAWARENESS

Anothersimplebuthighlyeffectivewayoffindingspace inyou life isclosely linked to thebreath.Youwillfindthatbyfeelingthesubtleflowofairinandoutofthebodyaswellastheriseandfallofyourchestandabdomen,youarealsobecomingawareof the innerbody.Yourattentionmay thenshiftfromthebreathtothatfeltalivenesswithinyou,diffusedthroughoutthebody.

Mostpeoplearesodistractedbytheirthoughts,soidentifiedwiththevoicesintheirheads,theycannolongerfeelthealivenesswithinthem.Tobeunabletofeelthelifethatanimatesthephysicalbody,theverylifethatyouare,isthegreatestdeprivationthatcanhappentoyou.Youthenbegintolooknotonlyforsubstitutesforthatnaturalstateofwell?beingwithin,butalsoforsomethingtocoverupthecontinuousunease that you feel when you are not in touch with the aliveness that is always there but usuallyoverlooked.Someofthesubstitutespeopleseekoutaredrug?inducedhighs,sensoryoverstimulationsuchas excessively loud music, thrills or dangerous activities, or an obsession with sex. Even drama inrelationshipsisusedasasubstituteforthatgenuinesenseofaliveness.Themostsought?aftercover?upforthecontinuousbackgrounduneaseareintimaterelationships:amanorawomanwhoisgoingtomakemehappy.Itis,ofcourse,alsooneofthemostfrequentlyexperiencedofalltheletdowns.Andwhentheuneasesurfacesagain,peoplewillusuallyblametheirpartnerforit.

Take two or three conscious breaths. Now see if you can detect a subtle sense of aliveness thatpervadesyourentireinnerbody.Canyoufeelyourbodyfromwithin,sotospeak?Sensebrieflyspecificpartsofyourbody.Feelyourhands,thenyourarmsfeet,andlegs.Canyoufeelyourabdomen,chest,neckandhead?Whataboutyourlips?Istherelifeinthem?Thenbecomeawareagainoftheinnerbodyasawhole.Youmaywanttocloseyoureyesinitiallyforthispractice,andonceyoucanfeelyourbody,openyoureyes,lookaround,andcontinuetofeelyourbodyatthesametime.Somereadersmayfindthereisnoneedtoclosetheireyes;theycaninfactfeeltheirinnerbodyastheyreadthis.

ANewEarthINNERANDOUTERSPACE

Your innerbody isnotsolidbutspacious. It isnotyourphysical formbut the life thatanimates thephysical form. It is the intelligence that created and sustains the body, simultaneously coordinatinghundredsofdifferentfunctionsofsuchextraordinarycomplexitythatthehumanmindcanonlyunderstanda tiny fractionof it.Whenyoubecomeawareof it,what is reallyhappening is that the intelligence isbecomingawareofitself.Itistheelusivelifethatnoscientisthaseverfoundbecausetheconsciousnessthatislookingforitisit.

Physicistshavediscovered that theapparentsolidityofmatter isan illusioncreatedbyour senses.thisincludesthephysicalbody,whichweperceiveandthinkofasform,but99.99%ofwhichisactuallyemptyspace.Thisishowvastthespaceisbetweentheatomscomparedtotheirsize,andthereisasmuchspaceagainwithineachatom.Thephysicalbodyisnomorethanamisperceptionofwhoyouare.Inmanyways,itisamicrocosmicversionofouterspace.Togiveyouanideaofhowvastthespaceinsbetweencelestialbodies,considerthis:lighttravelingataconstantspeedof186,000miles(300,000kilometers)persecondtakesjustoveronesecondtotravelbetweentheearthandthemoon;lightfromthesuntakesabouteightminutes to reach theearth.Light fromournearest neighbor in space, a star calledProximaCentauri,whichisthesunthatisclosesttoourownsun,travelsfor4.5yearsbeforeitreachestheearth.Thisishowvastthespaceisthatsurroundsus.Andthenthereistheintergalacticspace,whosevastnessdefies all comprehension. Light from the galaxy closest to our own, theAndromedaGalaxy, takes 2.4millionyearstoreachus.Isn'titamazingthatyourbodyisjustasspaciousastheuniverse?

Soyourphysicalbody,whichisformrevealsitselfasessentiallyformlesswhenyougodeeperintoit.Itbecomesadoorwayintoinnerspace.Althoughinnerspacehasnoform,itisintenselyalive.Thatemptyspaceislifeinitsfullness,theunmanifestedSourceoutofwhichallmanifestationflows.ThetraditionalwordforthatSourceisGod.

Thoughtsandwordsbelongtotheworldofform;theycannotexpresstheformless.Sowhenyousay,Ican feelmy inner body that is amisperception createdby thought.What is really happening is hat theconsciousnessthatappearsasthebodytheconsciousnessthatIAmis

becomingconsciousofitself.WhenInolongerconfusewhoIamwithatemporaryformofme, thenthedimensionofthelimitlessandtheeternalGodcanexpressitselfthroughmeandguideme.italsofeesmefromdependencyonform.However,apurelyintellectualrecognitionorbeliefIamnotthisformdoesnothelp.Theall?importantquestionis:Atthismoment,canIsense thepresenceof innerspace,whichreallymeans,canIsensemyownPresence,orrather,thePresencethatIAm?

Orweanapproachthis truthsingadifferentpointer.Askyourself,AmIawarenotonlyofwhat ishappeningatthismoment,butalsooftheNowitselfasthelivingtimelessinnerspaceinwhicheverythinghappens?Althoughthisquestionseemstohavenothingtodowiththeinnerbody,yomaybesurprisedthatbybecomingawareofthespaceofNow,yousuddenlyfeelmorealiveinside.YoarefeelingthealivenessoftheinnerboythealivenessthatisanintrinsicpartofthjoyofBeing.Wehavetoenterthebodytogobeyonditandfindoutthatwearenotthat.

Asmuchaspossibleineverydaylife,useawarenessoftheinnerbodytocreatespace.Whenwaiting,whenlisteningtosomeone,whenpausingtolookatthesky,atree,aflower,yourpartner,orchild,feelthe aliveness within at the same time. This means part of your attention or consciousness remainsformless,antherestisavailablefortheouterworldofform.Wheneveryouinhabityourbodyinthisway,

itservesasananchorforstayingpresentintheNow.Itpreventsyoufromlosingyourselfinthinking,inemotions,orinexternalsituations.

Whenyouthink,feel,perceive,andexperience,consciousnessisbornintoform.Itisreincarnating?intoathought,afeeling,asenseperception,anexperience.ThecycleofrebirthsthatBuddhistshopetogetoutofeventuallyishappeningcontinuously,anditisonlyatthismomentthroughthepowerofNowthatyoucangetoutofit.ThroughcompleteacceptanceoftheformofNow,youbecomeinternallyalignedwithspace,whichistheessenceofNow.Throughacceptance,youbecomespaciousinside.Alignedwithspaceinsteadofform:Thatbringstrueperspectiveandbalanceintoyourlife.

ANewEarthNOTICINGTHEGAPS

Throughouttheday,thereisacontinuouslychangingsuccessionofthingsthatyouseeandhear.Inthefirstmomentofseeingsomethingorhearingasoundandmoresoifitisunfamiliarbeforethemindnamesorinterpretswhatyourseeorhear,thereisusuallyagapofalertattentioninwhichtheperceptionoccurs.That is the inner space. Its duration differs fromperson to person. It is easy tomiss because inmanypeoplethosespacesareextremelyshort,perhapsonlyasecondorless.

Thisiswhathappens:Anewsightorsoundarises,andinthefirstmomentofperception,there isabriefcessationinthehabitualstreamofthinking.Consciousnessisdivertedawayformthoughtbecauseitisrequiredforsenseperception.Averyunusualsightorsoundmayleaveyouspeechless?eveninside,thatistosay,bringaboutalongergap.

The frequency and duration of those spaces determine your ability to enjoy life, to feel an innerconnectednesswithotherhumanbeingsaswellasnature.Italsodeterminesthedegreetowhichyouarefreeofegobecauseegoimpliescompleteunawarenessofthedimensionofspace.

Whenyoubecomeconsciousof thesebriefspaces theyhappennaturally, theywill lengthen,and astheydo,youwillexperiencewithincreasingfrequencythejoyofperceivingwithlittleornointerferenceofthinking.Theworldaroundyouthenfeelsfresh,new,andalive.Themoreyouperceivelifethroughamental screen of abstraction and conceptualization, the more lifeless and flat the world around youbecomes.

ANewEarthLOSEYOURSELFTOFINDYOURSELF

Innerspacealsoariseswheneveryouletgooftheneedtoemphasizeyourform?identity.Thatneedisoftheego.Itisnotatrueneed.Wehavealreadytouchedbrieflyuponthis.Wheneveryourelinquishoneofthesebehaviorpatterns,innerspaceemerges.Youbecomemoretrulyyourself.Totheegoitwillseemas if youwere losingyourself, but theopposite is the case. Jesus already taught that youneed to loseyourselftofindyourself.Wheneveryouletgoofoneofthesepatterns,youde?emphasizewhoyouareonthelevelofformandwhoyouarebeyondformemergesmorefully.Youbecomeless,soyoucanbemore.

Herearesomeways inwhichpeopleunconsciously try toemphasize their form?identity. Ifyouarealert enough, youmay be be to detect some of these unconscious patternswithin yourself: demandingrecognitionforsomethingyoudidandgettingangryorupsetifyoudon'tgetit;tryingtogetattentionbytalking about your problems, the story of your illnesses, ormaking a scene; giving your opinionwhennobodyhasaskedforitanditmakesnodifferencetothesituation;beingmoreconcernedwithhowtheotherpersonseesyouthanwiththeotherperson,whichistosay,usingotherpeopleforegoicreflectionor as as ego enhancers; trying tomake an impressionon others throughpossessions, knowledge, goodlooks,status,physicalstrength,andsoon;bringingabout temporaryegoinflation throughangryreactionagainstsomethingtosomeone;takingthingspersonally,feelingoffended;makingyourselfrightandotherswrongthroughfutilementalorverbalcomplaining;wantingtobeseen,ortoappearimportant.

Onceyouhavedetectedsuchapatternwithinyourself,Isuggestthatyouconductanexperiment.Findoutwhatitfeelslikeandwhathappensifyouletgoofthatpattern.Justdropitandseewhathappens.

De?emphasizing who you are on the level of form is another way of generating consciousness.Discovertheenormouspowerhatflowsthroughyouintotheworldwhenyousotemphasizingyourform?identity.

ANewEarthSTILLNESS

It has been said:Stillness is the language God speaks, and everything else is a bad translation.Stillnessisreallyanotherwordforspace.Becomingconsciousofstillnesswheneverweencounteritinourliveswillconnectuswiththeformlessandtimelessdimensionwithinourselves,thatwhichisbeyondthought,beyondego.Itmaybethestillnessthatpervadestheworldofnature,orthestillnessinyourroomintheearlyhoursofthemorning,orthesilentgapsinbetweensounds.Stillnesshasnoformthatiswhythrough thinkingwecannotbecomeawareof it.Thought is form.Beingawareofstillnessmeans tobestill.Tobestillistobeconsciouswithoutthought.Youarenevermoreessentially,moredeeply,yourself,thanwhenyouarestill.Whenyouarestill,youarewhoyouwerebeforeyoutemporarilyassumedthisphysicalandmentalformcalledaperson.Youarealsowhoyouwillbewhentheformdissolves.Whenyouarestill,youare

whoyouarebeyondyourtemporalexistence:consciousnessunconditioned,formless,eternal.

ANewEarth

CHAPTERNINEYOURINNERPURPOSE

Assoonasyouriseabovemeresurvival,thequestionofmeaningandpurposebecomesofparamountimportanceinyourlife.Manypeoplefeelcaughtupintheroutinesofdailyliving thatseemtodeprivetheirlifeofsignificance.Somebelievelifeispassingthembyorhaspassedthembyalready.Othersfeelseverely restricted by the demands of their job an supporting a family or by their financial or livingsituation.Someareconsumedbyacutestress,othersbyacuteboredom.Someare lost in franticdoing;othersarelostinstagnation.Manypeoplelongforthefreedomandexpansionthatprosperitypromises.Othersalreadyenjoy therelativefreedomthatcomeswithprosperityanddiscover thateven that isnotenoughtoendowtheirliveswithmeaning.Thereisnosubstituteforfindingtruepurpose.Butthetrueorprimarypurposeofyourlifecannotbefoundontheouterlevel.Itdoesnotconcernwhatyoudobutwhatyouarethatistosay,yourstateofconsciousness.

So themost important thing to realize is this:Your lifehasan innerpurposeandanouter purpose.InnerpurposeconcernsBeingandisprimary.Outerpurposeconcernsdoingandissecondary.Whilethisbookspeaksmainlyofyourinnerpurpose,thischapterandthenextwillalsoaddressthequestionofhowtoalignouterpurposeandinnerpurposeinyourlife.Innerandouter,however,aresointertwinedthatisalmostimpossibletospeakofonewithoutreferringtotheother.

Your inner purpose is to awaken. It is as simple as that.You share that purposewith every otherpersonontheplanetbecauseitisthepurposeofhumanity.Yourinnerpurposeisanessentialpartofthepurpose of thewhole, the universe and its emerging intelligence.Your outer purpose can change overtime.Itvariesgreatlyfrompersontoperson.Findingandlivinginalignmentwiththeinnerpurposeisthefoundationforfulfillingyourouterpurpose.Itisthebasisfortruesuccess.Withoutthatalignment,youcanstill

achieve certain things through effort, struggle, determination, and sheer hardwork or cunning. Butthereisnojoyinsuchendeavor,anditinvariablyendsinsomeformofsuffering.

ANewEarthAWAKENING

Awakeningisashiftinconsciousnessinwhichthinkingandawarenessseparate.Formostpeopleitisnotaneventbutaprocesstheyundergo.Eventhoserarebeingswhoexperienceasudden,dramatic,andseeminglyirreversiblewakeningwillstillgothroughaprocessinwhichthenewstateofconsciousnessgraduallyflowsintoandtransformseverythingtheydoandsobecomesintegratedintotheirlives.

Insteadofbeinglost inyourthinking,whenyouareawakeyourecognizeyourselfastheawarenessbehindit.Thinkingthenceasestobeaself?servingautonomousactivitythattakespossessionofyouandruns your life. Awareness takes over from thinking. Instead of being in charge or your life, thinkingbecomes the servant of awareness. Awareness is conscious connection with universal intelligence.AnotherwordforitisPresence:consciousnesswithoutthought.

The initiationof theawakeningprocess is anactofgrace.Youcannotmake ithappennorcan youprepareyourself for itoraccumulatecredits toward it.There isn'ta tidysequenceof logicalsteps thatleadstowardit,althoughthemindwouldlovethat.Youdon'thavetobecomeworthyfirst.Itmaycometothesinnerbeforeitcomestothesaint,butnotnecessarily.That'swhyJesusassociatedwithallkindsofpeople,notjusttherespectableones.Thereisnothingyoucandoaboutawakening.Whateveryoudowillbetheego trying toaddawakeningorenlightenment to itselfas itsmostprizedpossessionand therebymakingitselfmoreimportantandbigger.Insteadofawakening,youaddtheconceptofawakeningtoyourmind,orthementalimageofwhatanawakenedorenlightenedpersonislike,andthentrytoliveuptothatimage.Livinguptoanimagethatyouhaveofyourselforthatotherpeoplehaveofyouisinauthenticlivinganotherunconsciousroletheegoplays.

So if there is nothing you can do about wakening, if it has either already happened or not yethappened, how can it be the primary purpose of your life? Does not purpose imply that you can dosomethingaboutit?

Only the first awakening, the first glimpse of consciousness without thought, happens by grace,without any doing on your part. If you find this book incomprehensible ormeaningless, it has not yethappenedtoyou.Ifsomethingwithinyourespondstoit,however,ifyousomehowrecognizethetruthinit,itmeanstheprocessofawakeninghasbegun.Onceithasdoneso,itcannotbereversed,althoughitcanbedelayedbytheego.Forsomepeople,thereadingofthisbookwillinitiatetheawakeningprocess.Forothers,thefunctionofthisbookistohelpthemrecognizethattheyhavealreadybeguntoawakenand tointensifyandaccelerate theprocess.Another functionof thisbook is tohelppeople recognize the egowithinthemwheneverittriestoregaincontrolandobscurethearisingawareness.

For some, the awakening happens as they suddenly become aware of the kinds of thoughts theyhabituallythink,especiallypersistentnegativethoughtsthattheymayhavebeenidentifiedwithalloftheirlives.Suddenlythereisanawarenessthatisawareofthoughtbutisnotpartofit.

Whatistherelationshipbetweenawarenessandthinking?Awarenessisthespaceinwhichthoughtsexistwhenthatspacehasbecomeconsciousofitself.

OnceyouhavehadaglimpseofawarenessorPresence,youknowitfirsthand.Itisnolongerjustaconceptinyourmind.Youcanthenmakeaconsciouschoicetobepresentratherthantoindulgeinuselessthinking.YoucaninvitePresenceintoyourlife,thatistosay,makespace.Withthegraceofawakeningcomes responsibility. You can either try to go on as if nothing has happened, or you can see itssignificanceandrecognize thearisingofawarenessas themost important thing thatcanhappen toyou.

Openingyourselftotheemergingconsciousnessandbringingthislightintothisworldthenbecomestheprimarypurposeofyourlife.

I want to know the mind of God, Einstein said. The rest are details. What is the mind of God?Consciousness.WhatdoesitmeantoknowthemindofGod?Tobeaware.Whatare thedetails?Yourouterpurpose,andwhateverhappensoutwardly.

Sowhileyouareperhapsstillwaitingforsomethingsignificanttohappeninyourlife,youmaynotrealizethatthemostsignificantthingthat

canhappentoahumanbeinghasalreadyhappenedwithinyou:thebeginningoftheseparationprocessofthinkingandawareness.

Manypeoplewhoaregoingthroughtheearlystagesoftheawakeningprocessarenolongercertainwhat their outer purpose is.What drives theworld no longer drives them. Seeing themadness of ourcivilizationsoclearly,theymayfeelsomewhatalienatedfromtheculturearoundthem.Somefeelthattheyinhabitano?man'slandbetweentwoworlds.Theyarenolongerrunbytheego,yetthearisingawarenesshasnotyetbecomefullyintegratedintotheirlives.Innerandouterpurposehavenotmerged.

ANewEarthADIALOGUEONINNERPURPOSE

ThefollowingdialoguecondensesnumerousconversationsIhavehadwithpeoplewhowerelookingfortheirtruelifepurpose.SomethingistruewhenitresonateswithandexpressesyourinnermostBeing,whenitisalignmentwithyourinnerpurpose.ThisiswhyIamdirectingtheirattentiontotheirinnerandprimarypurposefirst.

Idon'tknowexactlywhatitis,butIwantsomechangeinmylife.Iwantexpansion;Iwanttobedoingsomething meaningful and, yes, I want prosperity and the freedom that comes with it. I want to dosomethingsignificant,somethingthatmakesadifferencetintheworld.ButifyouaskedmewhatexactlyIwant,IwouldhavetosaythatIdon'tknow.Canyouhelpmefindmylifepurpose?

Yourpurposeistosithereandtalktome,becausethat'swhereyouareandthat'swhatyouaredoing.Untilyougetupanddosomethingelse.Then,thatbecomesyourpurpose.

SomypurposeistositinmyofficeforthenextthirtyyearsuntilIretireorgetlaidoff?You are not in your office now, so that's not your purpose.Whenyoudo sit in your office and do

whateveryoudo,thenthatisyourpurpose.Notforthenextthirtyyears,butfornow.Ithinkhereissomemisunderstandinghere.Foryou,purposemeanswhatyouaredoingnow;formeit

meanshavinganoverallaiminlife,something big and significant that givesmeaning to what I do, something thatmakes a difference.

Shufflingpapersintheofficeisnotit.Iknowthat.AslongasyourareunawareofBeing,youwillseekmeaningonlywithinthedimensionofdoingand

offuture,thatistosay,thedimensionoftime.Andwhatevermeaningorfulfillmentyoufindwilldissolveorturnouttohavebeenadeception.Invariably,itwillbedestroyedbytime.Anymeaningwefindonthatlevel is trueonlyrelativelyand temporarily.Forexample, ifcaring foryourchildrengivesmeaning toyour life,whathappens to thatmeaningwhen theydon'tneedyouandperhapsdon't even listen toyouanymore?Ifhelpingothersgivesmeaningtoyourlife,youdependonothersbeingworseoffthanyourselfsothatyourlifecancontinuetobemeaningfulandyoucanfeelgoodaboutyourself.Ifthedesiretoexcel,win,orsucceedatthisorthatactivityprovidesyouwithmeaning,whatifyouneverwinoryourwinningstreakcomestoanendoneday,asitwill?Youwouldthenhavetolooktoyourimaginationormemoriesaveryunsatisfactoryplacetobringsomemeagermeaningintoyourlife.Makingit inwhateverfield isonlymeaningfulaslongastherearethousandsormillionsofotherswhodon'tmakeit,soyouneedotherhumanbeingstofailsothatyourlifecanhavemeaning.

Iamnotsayingherethathelpingothers,caringforyouchildren,orstrivingforexcellenceinwhateverfieldarenotworthwhilethingstodo.Formanypeople,theyareanimportantpartoftheirouterpurpose,butouterpurposealoneisalwaysrelative,unstable,andimpermanent.Thisdoesnotmeanthatyoushouldnotbeengagedinthoseactivities.Itmeansyoushouldconnect themtoyour inner,primarypurpose,sothatadeepermeaningflowsintowhatyoudo.

Withoutlivinginalignmentwithyourprimarypurpose,whateverpurposeyoucomeupwith,evenifitistocreateheavenonearth,willbeoftheegoorbecomedestroyedbytime.Soonerorlater,itwillleadtosuffering.Ifyouignoreyourinnerpurpose,nomatterwhatyoudo,evenif it looksspiritual, theegowillcreepintohowyoudoit,andsothemeanswillcorrupttheend.ThecommonsayingTheroadtohellis pavedwith good intentions points to this book or walking across the room. Themain purpose forturningthepagesistoturnthepages;thesecondarypurposeistofindaphonenumber.Themainpurpose

forwalkingacrosstheroomistowalkacrosstheroom;thesecondarypurposeistopickupabookattheotherend,adthemomentyoupickupthebook,thatbecomesyourmainpurpose.Youmayremembertheparadoxoftimewementionedearlier:Whateveryoudotakestime,andyetit

isalwaysnow.Sowhileyour innerpurpose is tonegate time,yourouterpurposenecessarily involvesfutureandsocouldnotexistwithouttime.Butitisalwayssecondary.Wheneveryoubecomeanxiousorstressed,outerpurposehastakenover,andyoulostsightofyourinnerpurpose.Youhaveforgottenthatyourstateofconsciousnessisprimary,allelsesecondary.

Would living like this not stopme form looking to achieve somethinggreat?My fear is that Iwillremainstuckwithdoinglittlethingsfortherestofmylife,thingsthatareofnoconsequence.I'mafraidofneverrisingabovemediocrity,neverdaringtoachieveanythinggreat,notfulfillingmypotential.

Thegreatarisesoutofsmallthingsthatarehonoredandcaredfor.Everybody'slifereallyconsistsofsmallthings.Greatnessisamentalabstractionandafavoritefantasyoftheego.Theparadoxisthatthefoundationforgreatnessishonoringthesmallthingsofthepresentmomentinsteadofpursuingtheideaofgreatness.Thepresentmomentisalwaysallinthesensethatitisalwayssimple,butconcealedwithinitliesthegreatestpower.Liketheatom,itisoneofthesmallestthingsyetcontainsenormouspower.Onlywhenyoualignyourselfwiththepresentmomentdoyouhaveaccesstothatpower.Oritmaybemoretruetosaythatitthenhasaccesstoyouandthroughyoutotisworld.Jesuswasreferringtothispowerwhen he said, It is not I but theFatherwithinmewho does theworks.And I can ofmy own self donothing.Anxiety,stress,andnegativitycutyouofffromthatpower.Theillusionthatyouareseparateformthepowerthatrunstheuniversereturns.Youfeelyourselftobealoneagain,strugglingagainstsomethingortryingtoachievethisorthat.Butwhydidanxiety,stress,ornegativityarise?Becauseyouturnedawayfromthepresentmoment.Andwhydidyoudothat?Youthoughtsomethingelsewasmoreimportant.Youforgotyourmainpurpose.Onesmallerror,onemisperception,createsaworldofsuffering.

Throughthepresentmomentyouhaveaccesstothepoweroflifeitself, thatwhichhastraditionallybeencalledGod.Assoonasyouturn

away form it, God ceases to be a reality in your life, and and all you are leftwith is the mentalconcept of God, which some people believe in and others deny. Even belief in God is only a poorsubstituteforthelivingrealityofGodmanifestingeverymomentofyourlife.

Wouldcompleteharmonywiththepresentmomentnotimplythecessationofallmovement?Doesn'tthe existence of any goal imply that there is a temporary disruption in that harmony with the presentmomentandperhapsareestablishmentofharmonyatahigherormorecomplexleveloncethegoalhasbeenattained?Iimaginethatthesaplingthatpushesitswaythroughthesoilcan'tbeintotalharmonywiththepresentmomenteitherbecauseithasagoal:Itwantstobecomeabigtree.Maybeonceithasreachedmaturityitwilllieinharmonywiththepresentmoment.

Thesaplingdoesn'twantanythingbecauseitisatonewiththetotality,andthetotalityactsthroughit.Lookat the liliesof the field, how theygrowsaid Jesus,They toil not, neitherdo they spin.Yet evenSolomoninallhisglorywasnotarrayedlikeoneofthese.WecouldsaythatthetotalityLifewants thesaplingtobecomeatree,butthesaplingdoesn'tseeitselfasseparatefromlifeandsowantsnothingforitself. It is one with what Life wants. That's why it isn't worried or stressed. And if it has to dieprematurely, it dies with ease. It is as surrendered in death as it is in life. It senses, no matter howobscurely,itsrootednessinBeing,theformlessandeternaloneLife.

LiketheTaoistsagesofancientChina,Jesuslikestodrawyourattentiontonaturebecauseheseesapoweratworkinitthathumanshavelosttouchwith.Itisthecreativepoweroftheuniverse.JesusgoesontosaythatifGodclothessimpleflowersinsuchbeauty,howmuchmorewillGodclotheyou.Thatisto say, that while nature is a beautiful expression of the evolutionary impulse of the universe, whenhumansbecomealignedwith the intelligencethatunderlies it, theywillexpress thatsameimpulseonahigher,morewondrouslevel.

Sobetruetolifebybeingtruetoyourinnerpurpose.Asyoubecomepresentandtherebytotalinwhatyoudo,youractionsbecomechargedwithspiritualpower.Atfirsttheremaybenonoticeablechangeinwhatyoudoonly thehowchanges.yourprimarypurpose isnow to enable consciousness to flow intowhatyoudo.Thesecondarypurposeiswhateveryouwantto

achievethroughthedoing.Whereasthenotionofpurposebeforewasalwaysassociatedwithfuture,thereisnowadeeperpurposehatcanonlybefoundinthepresent,throughthedenialoftime.

Whenyoumeetwithpeople,atworkorwhereveritmybe,givethemyourfullestattention.Youarenolongerthereprimarilyasaperson,butasafieldofawareness,ofalertPresence.Theoriginalreasonforinteractingwiththeotherpersonbuyingorsellingsomething,requestingorgivinginformation,andsoonnowbecomessecondary.Thefieldofawareness thatarisesbetweenyoubecomes theprimarypurposefortheinteraction.Thatspaceofawarenessbecomesmoreimportantthanwhatyoumaybetalkingabout,moreimportantthanphysicalorthoughtobjects.ThehumanBeingbecomesmoreimportantthanthethingsof thisworld.Itdoesnotmeanyouneglectwhateverneedstobedoneonapractical level. In fact, thedoingunfoldsnoonlymoreeasily,butmorepowerfullywhenthedimensionofBeing isacknowledgedandsobecomesprimary.Thearisingofthatunifyingfieldofawarenessbetweenhumanbeingsisthemostessentialfactorinrelationshipsonthenewearth.

Isthenotionofsuccessjustanegoicillusion?Howdowemeasuretruesuccess?Theworldwilltellyouthatsuccessisachievingwhatyousetouttodo.Itwilltellyouthatsuccessis

winning,thatfindingrecognitionand/orprosperityareessentialingredientsinanysuccess.Allorsomeoftheaboveareusuallyby?productsofsuccess,buttheyarenotsuccess.Theconventionalnotionofsuccessisconcernedwith theoutcomeofwhatyoudo.Somesay thatsuccess is theresultofacombinationofhardworkandluck,ordeterminationandtalent,orbeingintherightplaceattherighttime.Whileanyofthesemaybedeterminantsofsuccess,theyarenotitsessence.Whattheworlddoesn'ttellyoubecauseitdoesn'tknowisthatyoucannotbecomesuccessful.Youcanonlybesuccessful.Don'tletamadworldtellyouthatsuccessisanythingotherthanasuccessfulpresentmoment.Andwhatisthat?Thereisasenseofqualityinwhatyoudo,eventhemostsimpleaction.Qualityimpliescareandattention,whichcomeswithawareness.QualityrequiresyourPresence.

Let's say that you are a businessperson and after twoyears of intense stress and strain you finallymanagetocomeoutwithaproductorservice

thatsellswellandmakesmoney.Success?Inconventionalterms,yes.Inreality,youspenttwoyearspolluting your body as well as the earth with negative energy, made yourself and those around youmiserable, and affectedmany others you never evenmet. The unconscious assumption behind all suchactionisthatsuccessisafutureevent,andthattheneedjustifiesthemeans.Buttheendandhemeansareone.Andifthemeansdidnotcontributetohumanhappiness,neitherwilltheend.Theoutcome,whichisinseparable from theactions that led to it, is alreadycontaminatedby thoseactionsand sowill createfurtherunhappiness.Thisiskarmicaction,whichistheunconsciousperpetuationofunhappiness.

Asyoualreadyknow,yoursecondaryorouterpurposelieswithinthedimensionoftime,whileyourmain purpose is inseparable from theNow and therefore requires the negation of time.How are theyreconciled?Byrealizingthatyourentirelifejourneyultimatelyconsistsofthestepyouaretakingatthismoment.Thereisalwaysonlythisonestep,ansoyougiveityourfullestattention.Thisdoesn'tmeanyoudon'tknowwhereyouaregoing;it justmeansthisstepisprimary,thedestinationsecondary.Andwhatyouencounteratyourdestinationonceyougettheredependsonthequalityofthisonestep.Anotherwayofputtingit:Whatthefutureholdsforyoudependsonyourstateofconsciousnessnow.

WhendoingbecomesinfusedwiththetimelessqualityofBeing,thatissuccess.UnlessBeingflowsinto doing, unless you are present, you lose yourself in whatever you do. You also lose yourself inthinking,aswellasinyourreactionstowhathappensexternally.

Whatexactlydoyoumeanwhenyousay,Youloseyourself?

The essence of who you are is consciousness. When consciousness (you) becomes completelyidentifiedwith thinkingand thus forgets its essentialnature, it loses itself in thought.When it becomesidentifiedwithmental?emotionalformationssuchaswantingandfearingtheprimarymotivatingforcesoftheegoit loses itself in thoseformations.Consciousnessalso loses itselfwhenit identifieswithactingandreactingtowhathappens.Everythought,everydesireorfear,everyactionorreaction,istheninfusedwithafalsesenseofselfthatisincapableofsensingthesimplejoyofBeingandsoseekspleasure,andsometimesevenpain,assubstitutesforit.ThisislivinginforgetfulnessofBing.Inthatstateof

forgetfulness of who you are, every success is no more than a passing delusion. Whatever youachieve,soonyouwillbeunhappyagain,orsomenewproblemordilemmawilldrawyourattention incompletely.

HowdoIgofromrealizingwhatmyinnerpurposeistofindingoutwhatIamsupposedtodoontheouterlevel?

The outer purpose varies greatly form person to person, and no outer purpose lasts forever. It issubject to time and then replaced by some other purpose. The extent towhich dedication to the innerpurpose of awakening changes the external circumstances of your life also varies greatly. For somepeople, there is a sudden or gradual break with their past: their work, living situation, relationshipeverythingundergoesprofoundchange.Someofthechangemaybeinitiatedbythemselves,notthroughanagonizingdecision?makingprocessbutbyasuddenrealizationorrecognition:ThisiswhatIhavetodo.The decision arrives ready?made, so to speak. It comes through awareness, not through thinking. Youwakeuponemorningandyouknowwhattodo.Somepeoplefindthemselveswalkingoutofaninsaneworkenvironmentorlivingsituation.Sobeforeyoudiscoverwhatisrightforyouontheexternallevel,beforeyoudiscoverwhatworks,whatiscompatiblewiththeawakeningconsciousness,youmayhavetofindoutwhatisnotright,whatnolongerworks,whatisincompatiblewithyourinnerpurpose.

Other kinds of change may suddenly come to you from without. A chance meeting brings newopportunity and expansion into your life.A long?standing obstacle or conflict dissolves.Your friendseithergothroughthisinnertransformationwithyouordriftoutofyourlife.Somerelationshipsdissolve,othersdeepen.Youmayget laidofffromyour job,oryoubecomeanagentforpositivechangeatyourworkplace. Your spouse leaves you, or you reach a new level of intimacy. Some changes may looknegativeonthesurfacebutyouwillsoonrealizethatspaceisbeingcreatedinyourlifeforsomethingnewtoemerge.

Theremaybeaperiodofinsecurityanduncertainty.WhatshouldIdo?Astheegoisnolongerrunningyourlife,thepsychologicalneedforexternalsecurity,whichisillusoryanyway,lessens.Youareabletolivewithuncertainty,evenenjoyit.Whenyoubecomecomfortablewithuncertainty,infinitepossibilitiesopenupinyourlife.Itmeansfearisnolongeradominantfactorinwhatyoudoandnolongerpreventsyoufromtaking

action to initiatechange.TheRomanphilosopherTacitus rightlyobserved that thedesire for safetystandsagainsteverygreatandnobleenterprise.Ifuncertaintyisunacceptabletoyou,itturnsintofear.Ifitisperfectlyacceptable,itturnsintoincreasedaliveness,alertness,andcreativity.

Manyyearsago, as a resultof a strong inner impulse, Iwalkedoutof anacademiccareer that theworldwould have called promising, stepping into complete uncertainty; and out of that, after severalyears,emergedmynewincarnationasaspiritualteacher.Muchlater,somethingsimilarhappenedagain.TheimpulsecametogiveupmyhomeinEnglandandmovetotheWestCoastofNorthAmerica.Iobeyedthatimpulse,althoughIdidn'tknowthereasonforit.OutofthatmoveintouncertaintycameThePowerofNow,mostofwhichwaswritten inCaliforniaandBritishColumbiawhile Ididn'thaveahomeofmyown. I had virtually no income and lived on my savings, which were quickly running out. In fact,everythingfellintoplacebeautifully.IranoutofmoneyjustwhenIasgettingclosetofinishingwriting.Iboughtalotteryticketandwon$1,000,whichkeptmegoingforanothermonth.

Noteverybody,whoever,willhavetogothroughdrasticchangeintheirexternalcircumstances.Attheotherendofthespectrumyouhavepeoplewhostayexactlywheretheyareandkeepdoingwhatevertheyaredoing.Forthem,onlythehowchanges,notthewhat.Thisisnotduetofearorinertia.Whattheyaredoingalreadyisaperfectvehicleforconsciousnesstocomeintothisworld,anditneedsnoother.Theytoobringintomanifestationthenewearth.

Shouldn't this be the case for everybody? If fulfilling your inner purpose is being at onewith thepresent moment, why should anybody feel the need to remove themselves from their current work orlivingsituation?

Beingatonewithwhatisdoesn'tmeanyounolongerinitiatechangeorbecomeincapableof takingaction.Butthemotivationtotakeactioncomesfromadeeperlevel,notfromegoicwantingor fearing.Inneralignmentwiththepresentmomentopensyourconsciousnessandbringsit intoalignmentwiththewhole,ofwhichthepresentmomentisanintegralpart.Thehole,thetotalityoflife,thenactsthroughyou.

Whatdoyoumeanbythewhole?Ontheonehand,thewholecomprisesallthatexists.Itistheworldorthecosmos.Butallthingsin

existence,frommicrobestohumanbeingstogalaxies,arenotreallyseparatethingsorentities,butformpartofawebofinterconnectedmultidimensionalprocesses.

Therearetworeasonswhywedon'tseethisunity,whyweseethingsasseparate.Oneisperception,whichreducesrealitytowhatisaccessibletousthroughthesmallrangeofoursenses:whatwecansee,hear,smell,taste,andtouch.Butwhenweperceivewithoutinterpretingormentallabeling,whichmeanswithout adding thought to our perceptions, we can actually still sense the deeper connectednessunderneathourperceptionofseeminglyseparatethings.

Theothermoreseriousreasonfortheillusionofseparatenessiscompulsivethinking.Itiswhenwearetrappedinincessantstreamsofcompulsivethinkingthattheuniversereallydisintegratesforus,andwelosetheabilitytosensetheinterconnectednessofallthatexists.Thinkingcutsrealityupintolifelessfragments.Extremelyunintelligentanddestructiveactionarisesoutofsuchafragmentedviewofreality.

However, there is an even deeper level to the hole than the interconnectedness of everything inexistence.At thatdeeper level, all things areone. it is theSource, theunmanifestedoneLife. It is thetimelessintelligencethatmanifestsasauniverseunfoldingintime.

Thewhole ismadeupof existenceandBeing, themanifestedand theunmanifested, theworld andGod.Sowhenyoubecomealignedwiththewhole,youbecomeaconsciouspartoftheinterconnectednessof thewholeanditspurpose: theemergenceofconsciousnessintothisworld.Asa result, spontaneoushelpful occurrences, chance encounters, coincidences, and synchronistic events happen much morefrequently.CarlJungcalledsynchronicityanacausalconnectingprinciple.Thismeansthereisnocausalconnectionbetweensynchronisticeventsonoursurfacelevelofreality.Itisanoutermanifestationofanunderlyingintelligencebehindtheworldofappearancesandadeeperconnectednessthatourmindcannotunderstand. But we can be conscious participants in the unfolding of that intelligence, the floweringconsciousness.

Natureexistsinastateofunconsciousonenesswiththewhole.This,forexample,iswhynovirtuallynowildanimalswerekilledin the tsunamidisasterof2004.Beingmorein touchwith the totality thanhumans,theycouldsensethetsunami'sapproachlongbeforeitcouldbeseenorheardandsohadtimetowithdrawtohigher terrain.Perhapseventhat is lookingat it fromahumanperspective.Theyprobablyjustfoundthemselvesmovingtohigherterrain.Doingthisbecauseofthatisthemind'swayofcuttingupreality;whereasnatureliesinunconsciousonenesswiththewhole.Itisourpurposeanddestinytobringanewdimensionintothisworldbylivinginconsciousonenesswiththetotalityandconsciousalignmentwithuniversalintelligence.

Canthewholeusethehumanmindtocreatethingsorbringaboutsituationsthatareinalignmentwithitspurpose?

Yes,wheneverthereisinspiration,whichtranslatesasinspirit,andenthusiasm,whichmeansInGod,thereisacreativeempowermenthatgoesfarbeyondwhatamerepersoniscapableof.

ANewEarth

CHAPTERTENANEWEARTH

Astronomershavediscoveredevidencetosuggestthattheuniversecameintoexistencefifteenbillionyearsagoinagiganticexplosionandhasbeenexpandingeversince.Notonlyhasitbeenexpanding,butit is also growing in complexity and becoming more and more differentiated. Some scientists alsopostulate that thismovement fromunity tomultiplicitywill eventually become reversed. The universewill then stop expanding and begin to contract again and finally return to the unmanifested, theinconceivable nothingness out of which it came and perhaps repeat the cycles of birth, expansion,contraction,anddeathagainandagain.Forwhatpurpose?Whydoestheuniversegotoallthebotherofexisting?asksphysicistStephenHawking, realizingat thesame time thatnomathematicalmodel couldeversupplytheanswer.

Ifyoulookwithinratherthanonlywithout,however,youdiscoverthatyouhaveaninnerandanouterpurpose,andsinceyouareamicrocosmicreflectionof themacrocosm,it follows that theuniverse toohasaninnerandouterpurposeinseparablefromyours.Theouterpurposeoftheuniverseistocreateformandexperiencetheinteractionofformstheplay,thedream,thedrama,orwhateveryouchoosetocallit.Itsinnerpurposeistoawakentoitsformlessessence.Thencomesthereconciliationofouterandinnerpurpose:tobringthatessenceconsciousnessintotheworldofformandtherebytransformtheworld.Theultimate purpose of that transformation goes far beyond anything the human mind can imagine orcomprehend.Andyet, on thisplanet at this time, that transformation is the task allottedus.That is thereconciliationofouterandinnerpurpose,thereconciliationoftheworldandGod.

Beforewelookatwhatrelevancetheexpansionandcontractionoftheuniversehastoyourownlife,weneedtobearinmindherethatnothingwesayaboutthenatureoftheuniverseshouldbetakenasanabsolute truth. Neither concepts nor mathematical formulae can explain the infinite. No thought canencapsulatethevastnessofthetotality.Realityisaunifiedwhole,but thoughtcuts itup intofragments.Thisgivesrisetofundamentalmisperceptions.,forexample,thatthereareseparatethingsandevents,orthat this is the cause of that. Every thought implies a perspective, and every perspective, by its verynature,implieslimitation,whichultimatelymeansthatitisnottrue,atleastnotabsolutely.Onlythewholeis true, but the whole cannot be spoken or thought. Seen from beyond the limitations of thinking andtherefore incomprehensible to thehumanmind, everything ishappeningnow.All that everhasbeenorwillbeisnow,outsideoftime,whichisamentalconstruct.

Asanillustrationofrelativeandabsolutetruth,considerthesunriseandsunset.whenwesaythesunrisesinthemorningandsetsintheevening,thatistruebutonlyrelatively.Inabsoluteterms,itisfalse.Onlyfromthelimitedperspectiveofanobserveronorneartheplanet'ssurfacedoesthesunriseandset.If you were far out in space, you would see that the sun neither rises nor sets, but that it shinescontinuously.Andyet,evenafterrealizingthat,wecancontinuetospeakofthesunriseorsunset,stillseeits beauty paint it,write poems about it, even thoughwenowknow that it is a relative rather than anabsolutetruth.

Soletuscontinuetospeakforamomentofanotherrelativetruth:thecomingintoformoftheuniverseanditsreturntotheformless,whichimpliesthelimitedperspectiveoftime,andseewhatrelevancethishas to your own life. The notion ofmy own life is, of course, another limited perspective created bythought,another relative truth.There isultimatelynosuch thingasyour life, sinceyouand lifearenottwo,butone.

ANewEarthABRIEFHISTORYOFYOURLIFE

Thecomingintomanifestationoftheworldaswellasitsreturntotheunmanifesteditsexpansionandcontractionaretwouniversalmovementsthatwecouldcalltheoutgoingandthereturnhome.Thosetwomovements are reflected through the universe in many ways, such as in the incessant expansion andcontraction of your heart, as well as in the inhalation and exhalation of your breath. They are alsoreflected in the cycles of sleep and wakefulness. Each night, without knowing it, you return to theunmanifestedSourceof all lifewhen you enter the stage of deep, dreamless sleep, and then reemergeagaininthemorning,replenished.

Thosetwomovements,theoutgoingandthereturnarealsoreflectedineachperson'slifecycles.Outofnowhere,sotospeak,yousuddenlyappearinthisworld.Birthisfollowedbyexpansion.Thereisnotonlyphysicalgrowth,butalsogrowthofknowledge,activities,possessions,experiences.Yoursphereofinfluenceexpandsandlifebecomesincreasinglycomplex.Thisisatimewhenyouaremainlyconcernedwith finding or pursuing your outer purpose.Usually there is also a corresponding growth of the ego,which is identification with all the above things, and so your form identity becomes more and moredefined.This is also the timewhen outer purpose growth tends to become usurped by the ego,whichunlikenature does not knowwhen to stop in its pursuit of expansion andhas a voracious appetite formore.

And then justwhen you thought youmade it or that you belong here, the returnmovement begins.Perhapspeopleclosetoyoubegintodie,peoplewhowereapartofyourworld.Thenyourphysicalformweakens;yoursphereofinfluenceshrinks.Insteadofbecomingmore,younowbecomeless,andtheegoreactstothiswithincreasinganxietyordepression.Yourworldisbeginningtocontract,adyoumayfindyouarenotincontrolanymore.Insteadofactinguponlife,lifenowactsuponyoubyslowly

reducingyourworld.Theconsciousnessthatidentifiedwithformisnowexperiencingthesunset,thedissolutionofform.Andthenoneday,youtoodisappear.Yourarmchairisstillthere.Butinsteadofyousittinginit,thereisjustanemptyspace.Youwentbacktowhereyoucamefromjustafewyearsago.

Each person's life each life?form, in fact represents aworld, a uniqueway inwhich the universeexperiencesitself.Andwhenyourformdissolves,aworldcomestoanendoneofcountlessworlds.

ANewEarthAWAKENINGANDTHERETURNMOVEMENT

Thereturnmovementinaperson'slife,theweakeningordissolutionofform,whetherthrougholdage,illness,disability,loss,orsomekindofpersonaltragedy,carriesgreatpotentialforspiritualawakeningthe dis? identification of consciousness from form. Since there is very little spiritual truth in ourcontemporaryculture,notmanypeoplerecognizethisasanopportunity,andsowhenithappenstothemortosomeoneclose to them, they think there is somethingdreadfullywrong,something thatshouldnotbehappening.

There is in our civilization a great deal of ignorance about the human condition, and the morespiritually ignorantyouare, themoreyousuffer.Formanypeople,particularly in theWest,death isnomore than an abstract concept, and so they have no idea what happens to the human form when itapproaches dissolution.Most decrepit and old people are shut away in nursing homes. Dead bodies,whichinsomeolderculturesareonopendisplayforalltosee,arehiddenaway.Trytoseeadeadbody,andyouwillfindthatit isvirtually illegal,except if thedeceasedisaclosefamilymember.Infuneralhomes,theyevenapplymakeuptotheface.Youareonlyallowedtoseeasanitizedversionofdeath.

Sincedeathisonlyanabstractconcepttothem,mostpeoplearetotallyunpreparedforthedissolutionof formthatawaits them.when itapproaches, there isshock, incomprehension,despair, andgreat fear.Nothingmakessenseanymore,becauseallthemeaningandpurposethatlifehadforthemwasassociatedwithaccumulating, succeeding,building, protecting, and sense gratification. Itwas associatedwith theoutwardmovementandidentificationwithform,thatistosay,ego.Mostpeople

cannotconceiveofanymeaningwhentheirlife,theirworld,isbeingdemolished.Andyet,potentially,thereisevendeepermeaningherethanintheoutwardmovement.

It is precisely though the onset of old age, through loss or personal tragedy, that the spiritualdimensionwouldtraditionallycomeintopeople'slives.Thisistosay,theirinnerpurposewouldemergeonlyas theirouterpurposecollapsedand the shellof theegowouldbegin to crackopen.Sucheventsrepresentthebeginningofthereturnmovementtowardthedissolutionofform.Inmostancientcultures,theremusthavebeenanintuitiveunderstandingofthisprocess,whichiswhyoldpeoplewererespectedandrevered.Theyweretherepositoriesofwisdomandprovidedthedimensionofdepthwithoutwhichno civilization can survive for long. In our civilization,which is totally identified with the outer andignorantoftheinnerdimensionofspirit,thewordoldhasmainlynegativeconnotations.Itequalsuselessandsoweregarditasalmostaninsulttorefertosomeoneasold.Toavoidtheword,weuseeuphemismssuchaselderlyandsenior.TheFirstNation'sgrandmotherisafigureofgreatdignity.Today'sgrannyisatbestcute.Whyisoldconsidereduseless?Becauseinoldage, theemphasisshiftsfromdoingtoBeing,andourcivilization,whichislostindoing,knowsnothingofBeing.Itasks:being?Whatdoyoudowithit?

In some people, the outward movement of growth and expansion gets severely disrupted by aseeminglyprematureonsetofthereturnmovement,thedissolvingofform.Insomecases,itisatemporarydisruption;inothersapermanentone.Webelievethatayoungchildshouldnothavetofacedeath,butthefactisthatsomechildrendohavetofacethedeathofoneorbothparentsthroughillnessoraccidentoreventhepossibilityoftheirowndeath.Somechildrenarebornwithdisabilitiesthatseverelyrestrictthenaturalexpansionoftheirlives.Orsomeseverelimitationcomesintoaperson'slifeatarelativelyyoungage.

The disruption of the outwardmovement at a timewhen it is notmeant to be happening can alsopotentially bring forth an early spiritual awakening n a person.Ultimately, nothing happens that is notmeant tohappen,whichis tosay,nothinghappensthat isnotpartof thegreaterwholeand itspurpose.Thus,destructionordisruptionofouterpurposecanleadtofindingyourinnerpurposeandsubsequentlythearisingofadeeper

outerpurposethatisalignedwiththeinner.Childrenwhohavesufferedgreatlyoftengrowintoyoungadultswhoarematurebeyondtheiryears.

Whatislostonthelevelofformisgainedonthelevelofessence.Inthetraditionalfigureoftheblindseerorthewoundedhealerofancientculturesandlegend,somegreatlossordisabilityonthelevelofformhasbecomeanopeningintospirit.Whenyouhavehadadirectexperienceoftheunstablenatureofall forms, youwill likely never overvalue form again and thus lose yourself by blindly pursuing it orattachingyourselftoit.

The opportunity that the dissolution of form, and in particular, old age, represents is only justbeginningtoberecognizedinourcontemporaryculture.Inthemajorityofpeople,thatopportunityisstiletragically missed, because the ego identifies with the return movement just as it identified with theoutwardmovement.This results inahardeningof theegoicshell,acontraction rather thananopening.Thediminishedego then spends the restof itsdayswhiningorcomplaining , trapped in fearor anger,self?pity, guilt, blame, or other negative mental?emotional states or avoidance strategies, such asattachmenttomemoriesandthinkingandtalkingaboutthepast.

When the ego is no longer identified with the return movement in a person's life, old age orapproachingdeathbecomeswhat it ismeant tobe: anopening into the realmof spirit. I havemet oldpeoplewhowerelivingembodimentsofthisprocess.Theyhadbecomeradiant.Theirweakeningformshadbecometransparenttothelightofconsciousness.

Onthenewearth,oldagewillbeuniversallyrecognizedandhighlyvaluedasatimeforthefloweringofconsciousness.Forthosewhoarestilllostintheoutercircumstancesoftheirlies,itwillbeatimeofalate homecoming when they awaken to their inner purpose. For many others, it will represent anintensificationandaculminationoftheawakeningprocess.

ANewEarthAWAKENINGANDTHEOUTGOINGMOVEMENT

The natural expansion of one's life that comes with the outward movement has traditionally beenusurpedbytheegoandusedforitsownexpansion.LookwhatIcando.Ibetyoucan'tdothat,saysthesmallchildtoanotherashediscoverstheincreasingstrengthandabilitiesofhisbody.Thatisoneoftheego'sfirstattemptstoenhanceitselfthroughidentificationwiththeoutwardmovementandtheconceptofmorethanyouandto

strengthen itself by diminishing others. It is, of course, only the beginning of the ego's manymisperceptions.

However,asyourawarenessincreasesandtheegoisnolongerrunningyourlife,youdon'thave towaitforyourworldtoshrinkorcollapsetrougholdageorpersonaltragedyinorderforyoutoawakentoyourinnerpurpose.

As thenewconsciousness isbeginning to emergeon theplanet an increasingnumberofpeople nolongerneed tobeshaken tohaveanawakening.Theyembrace theawakeningprocess voluntarily evenwhilestillengagedintheoutwardcycleofgrowthandexpansion.Whenthatcycleisnolongerusurpedby the ego, the spiritual dimensionwill come into this world through the outwardmovement thought,speech,action,creationaspowerfullyasthroughthereturnmovementstillness,Being,anddissolutionofform.

Untilnow,human intelligence,which isnomore thanaminuteaspectofuniversal intelligence, hasbeendistortedandmisusedbytheego.Icallthatintelligencentheserviceofmadness.Splittingtheatomrequiresgreatintelligence.Usingthatintelligenceforbuildingandstockpilingatombombsisinsaneoratbestextremelyunintelligent.Stupidityisrelativelyharmless,butintelligentstupidityishighlydangerous.Thisintelligentstupidity,forwhichonecouldfindcountlessobviousexamples,isthreateningoursurvivalasaspecies.

Without he impairment of egoic dysfunction, our intelligence comes into full alignment with theoutgoingcycleofuniversal intelligenceand its impulse tocreate.Webecomeconsciousparticipants inthecreationofform.Itisnotwewhocreate,butuniversalintelligencethatcreatesthroughus.Wedon'tidentifywithwhatwecreateandsodon'tloseourselvesinwhatwedo.Wearelearningthattheactofcreationmay involveenergyof thehighest intensity, but that is not hardworkor stressful.Weneed tounderstandthedifferencebetweenstressandintensity,asweshallsee.Struggleorstressisasignthatheegohasreturned,asarenegativereactionswhenweencounterobstacles.

Theforcebehindtheego'swantingcreatesenemies,thatistosay,reactionintheformofanopposingforceequalinintensity.Thestrongertheego,thestrongerthesenseofseparatenessbetweenpeople.Theonlyactions

thatdonotcauseopposingreactionsarethosethatareaimedatthegoodofall.Theyareinclusive,notexclusive.Theyjoin;theydon'tseparate.Theyarenotformycountrybutforallofhumanity,notformyreligionbut theemergenceofconsciousnessinallhumanbeings,notformyspeciesbutforallsentientbeingsandallofnature.

We are also learning that action, although necessary, is only a secondary factor inmanifesting ourexternalreality.Theprimaryfactorincreationisconsciousness.Nomatterhowactiveweare,howmucheffortwemake,ourstateofconsciousnesscreatesourworld,andifthereisnochangeonthatinnerlevel,noamountofactionwillmakeanydifference.Wewouldonlyre?createmodifiedversionsof thesame

worldagainandagain,aworldthatisanexternalreflectionoftheego.

ANewEarthCONSCIOUSNESS

Consciousnessisalreadyconscious.Itistheunmanifested,theeternal.theuniverse,however,isonlygradually becoming conscious. Consciousness itself is timeless and therefore does not evolve. It wasnever born and does not die.When consciousness becomes themanifested universe, it appears to besubjecttotimeandtoundergoanevolutionaryprocess.Nohumanmindiscapableofcomprehendingfullythereasonforthisprocess.Butwecanglimpseitwithinourselvesandbecomeaconsciousparticipantinit.

Consciousnessistheintelligence,theorganizingprinciplebehindthearisingofform.Consciousnesshasbeenpreparingformsformillionsofyearssothatitcanexpressitselfthroughtheminthemanifested.

Althoughtheunmanifestedrealmofpureconsciousnesscouldbeconsideredanotherdimension,itisnotseparatefromthisdimensionofform.Formandformlessnessinterpenetrate.theunmanifestedflowsintothisdimensionasawareness, innerspace,presence.Howdoesitdothat?Throughthehumanformthatbecomesconsciousandthusfulfillsitsdestiny.Thehumanformwascreatedforthishigherpurpose,andmillionsofotherformspreparedthegroundforit.

Consciousnessincarnatesintothemanifesteddimension,thatistosay,itbecomesform.Whenitdoesso, itentersadreamlikestate. Intelligencedreams,butconsciousnessbecomesunconsciousof itself. Itlosesitselfinform,becomesidentifiedwithform.Thiscouldbedescribeasthedescentof

thedivineintomatter.Atthatstageintheevolutionoftheuniverse,theentireoutgoingmovementtakesplace in thatdreamlikestate.Glimpsesofawakeningcomeonlyat themomentof thedissolutionofanindividual form, that is to say, death.And thenbegins the next incarnation, the next identificationwithform,thenextindividualdreamthatispartofthecollectivedream.Whentheliontearsapartthebodyofthezebra,theconsciousnessthatincarnatedintothezebra?formdetachesitselffromthedissolvingformandforabriefmomentawakenstoitsessentialimmortalnatureasconsciousness;andthenimmediatelyfalls back into sleep and reincarnates into another form.When the lion becomes old and cannot huntanymore,asitdrawsitslastbreath,thereisagainthebriefestofglimpsesofanawakening,followedbyanotherdreamofform.

On our planet, the human ego represents the final stage of universal sleep, the identification ofconsciousnesswithform.Itwasanecessarystageintheevolutionofconsciousness.

Thehumanbrainisahighlydifferentiatedformthroughwhichconsciousnessentersthisdimension.Itcontainsapproximatelyonehundredbillionnervecells(calledneurons),aboutthesamenumberasthereare stars in our galaxy, which could be seen as a macrocosmic brain. The brain does not createconsciousness, but consciousness created the brain, the most complex physical form on earth, for itsexpression. When the brain gets damaged, it does not mean you lose consciousness. It meansconsciousnesscannolongerusethatformtoenterthisdimension.Youcannotloseconsciousnessbecauseitis,inessence,whoyouare.Youcanonlylosesomethingthatyouhave,butyoucannotlosesomethingthatyouare.

ANewEarthAWAKENEDDOING

Awakeneddoingistheouteraspectofthenextstageintheevolutionofconsciousnessonourplanet.Thecloserwegettotheendofourpresentevolutionarystage,themoredysfunctionaltheegobecomes,inthesameway thatacaterpillarbecomesdysfunctional justbefore it transforms intoabutterfly.But thenewconsciousnessisarisingevenastheolddissolves.

Weareinthemidstofamomentouseventintheevolutionofhumanconsciousness,buttheywon'tbetalkingaboutitinthenewstonight.Onourplanet,andperhapssimultaneouslyinmanypartsofourgalaxyandbeyond,

consciousness isawakening from thedreamof form.Thisdoesnotmeanall forms (theworld) aregoing todissolve,althoughquitea fewalmostcertainlywill. Itmeansconsciousnesscannowbegin tocreate form without losing itself in it. It can remain conscious of itself, even while it creates andexperiencesform.Whyshoulditcontinuetocreateandexperienceform?For theenjoymentof it.Howdoes consciousness do that? Through awakened humans who have learned the meaning of awakeneddoing.

Awakened doing is the alignment of your outer purpose? what you do with your inner purposeawakeningandstayingawake.Throughawakeneddoing,youbecomeonewiththeoutgoingpurposeoftheuniverse.Consciousnessflowsthroughyouintothisworld.Itflowsintoyourthoughtsandinspiresthem.Itflowsintowhatyoudoandguidesandempowersit.

Notwhatyoudo,buthowyoudowhatyoudodetermineswhetheryouarefulfillingyourdestiny.Andhowyoudowhatyoudoisdeterminedbyyourstateofconsciousness.

Areversalofyourprioritiescomesaboutwhenthemainpurposefordoingwhatyoudobecomesthedoing itself, or rather, the current of consciousness that flows into what you do. That current ofconsciousnessiswhatdeterminesquality.Anotherwayofputtingit:Inanysituationandinwhateveryoudo,yourstateofconsciousnessistheprimaryfactor;thesituationandwhatyoudoissecondary.Futuresuccessisdependentuponandinseparablefromtheconsciousnessoutofwhichtheactionsemanate.Thatcan be either the reactive force of the ego or the alert attention of awakened consciousness.All trulysuccessful action comes out of that field of alert attention, rather than from ego and conditioned,unconsciousthinking.

ANewEarthTHETHREEMODALITIESOFAWAKENEDDOING

Therearethreewaysinwhichconsciousnesscanflowintowhatyoudoandthusthroughyouintothisworld,threemodalitiesinwhichyoucanalignyourlifewiththecreativepoweroftheuniverse.Modalitymeans theunderlyingenergy?frequency that flows intowhatyoudoandconnectsyour actionswith theawakenedconsciousnesshat isemerging into thisworld.Whatyoudowillbedysfunctionalandof theegounlessitarisesoutofoneofthesethreemodalities.Theymaychangeduringthecourseofaday,

althoughoneofthemmaybedominantduringacertainstageinyourlife.Eachmodalityisappropriatetocertainsituations.

Themodalitiesofawakeneddoingareacceptance,enjoyment,andenthusiasm.Eachonerepresentsacertain vibrational frequency of consciousness.You need to be vigilant tomake sure that one of themoperates whenever you are engaged in doing anything at all from the most simple task to the mostcomplex.Ifyouarenotinthestateofeitheracceptance,enjoyment,orenthusiasm,lookcloselyandyouwillfindthatyouarecreatingsufferingforyourselfandothers.

ANewEarthACCEPTANCE

Whateveryoucannotenjoydoing,youcanatleastacceptthatthisiswhatyouhavetodo.Acceptancemeans:Fornow,thisiswhatthissituation,thismoment,requiresmetodo,andsoIdoitwillingly.Wealreadyspokeatlengthabouttheimportanceofinneracceptanceofwhathappens,andacceptanceofwhatyouhavetodoisjustanotheraspectofit.Forexample,youprobablywon'tbeabletoenjoychangingtheflattireonyourcaratnightinthemiddleofnowhereandinpouringrain,letalonebeenthusiasticaboutit,butyoucanbringacceptance to it.Performinganaction in thestateofacceptancemeansyou are atpeacewhileyoudoit.Thatpeaceisasubtleenergyvibrationwhichthenflowsintowhatyoudo.Onthesurface, acceptance looks like apassive state, but in reality it is active and creativebecause it bringssomethingentirelynewintothisworld.Thatpeace,thatsubtleenergyvibration,isconsciousness,andoneofthewaysinwhichtientersthisworldisthroughsurrenderedaction,oneaspectofwhichisacceptance.

If you can neither enjoy or bring acceptance to what you do stop. Otherwise, you are not takingresponsibilityfortheonlythingyoucanreallytakeresponsibilityfor,whichalsohappenstobeonethingthatreallymatters:yourstateofconsciousness.Andifyouarenottakingresponsibilityforyourstateofconsciousness,youarenottakingresponsibilityforlife.

ANewEarthENJOYMENT

Thepeacethatcomeswithsurrenderedactionturnstoasenseofalivenesswhenyouactuallyenjoywhatyouaredoing.Enjoymentisthesecondmodalityofawakeneddoing.Onthenewearth,enjoymentwill

replace wanting as the motivating power behind people's actions. Wanting arises from the ego'sdelusionthatyouareaseparatefragmentthatisdisconnectedfromthepowerthatliesbehindallcreation.Throughenjoyment,youlinkintothatuniversalcreativepoweritself.

Whenyoumakethepresentmoment,insteadofpastandfuture,thefocalpointofyourlife,yourabilitytoenjoywhatyoudoandwithitthequalityofyourlifeincreasesdramatically.JoyisthedynamicaspectofBeing.Whenthecreativepoweroftheuniversebecomesconsciousofitself,itmanifestsasjoy.Youdon'thavetowaitforsomethingmeaningfultocomeintoyourlifesothatyoucanfinallyenjoywhatyoudo.Thereismoremeaninginjoythanyouwilleverneed.Thewaitingtostartlivingsyndromeisoneofthemostcommondelusionsoftheunconsciousstate.Expansionandpositivechangeontheouterlevelismuchmorelikelytocomeintoyourlifeifyoucanenjoywhatyouaredoingalready,insteadofwaitingforsomechangesothatyoucanstartenjoyingwhatyoudo.

Don'taskyourmindforpermissiontoenjoywhatyoudo.Allyouwillgetisplentyofreasonswhyyoucan'tenjoyit.Notnow,themindwillsay.Can'tyouseeI'mbusy?There'snotime.Maybetomorrowyoucanstartenjoying....Thattomorrowwillnevercomeunlessyoubeginenjoyingwhatyouaredoingnow.

Whenyousay,Ienjoydoingthisorthat,it isreallyamisperception.Itmakesitappearthat the joycomesfromwhatyoudo,butthatisnotthecase.Joydoesnotcomefromwhatyoudo,itflowsintowhatyoudoandthusintothisworldfromdeepwithinyou.Themisperceptionthatjoycomesfromwhatyoudoisnormal,anditisalsodangerous,becauseitcreatesthebeliefthatjoyissomethingthatcanbederivedformsomethingelse,suchasanactivityorthing.Youthenlooktotheworldtobringyoujoy,happiness.Butitcannotdothat.Thisiswhymanypeopleliveinconstantfrustration.Theworldisnotgiving themwhattheythinktheyneed.

Thenwhatistherelationshipbetweensomethingthatyoudoandthestateofjoy?Youwillenjoyanyactivityinwhichyouarefullypresent,anyactivitythatisnotjustameanstoanend.Itisn'ttheactionyouperformthatyoureallyenjoy,butthedeepsenseofalivenessthatflowsintoit.Thatalivenessisonewithwhoyouare.Thismeans thatwhenyou enjoydoing something, you are really experiencing the joyofBeinginitsdynamic

aspect.That'swhyanythingyouenjoydoingconnectsyouwiththepowerbehindallcreation.Hereisaspiritualpracticethatwillbringempowermentandcreativeexpansionintoyourlife.Makea

listofanumberofeverydayroutineactivitiesthatyouperformfrequently.Includeactivitieshatyoumayconsideruninteresting,boring,tedious,irritating,orstressful.Butdon'tincludeanythingthatyouhateordetest doing. That's a case either for acceptance or for stopping what you do. The list may includetraveling to and fromwork, buying groceries, doing your laundry, or anything that you find tedious orstressfulinyourdailywork.Then,wheneveryouareengagedinthoseactivities,lethembeavehicleforalertness. Be absolutely present in what you do and sense the alert, alive stillness within you in thebackgroundoftheactivity.Youwillsoonfindthatwhatyoudoinsuchastateofheightenedawareness,insteadofbeingstressful,tedious,orirritating,isactuallybecomingenjoyable.Tobemoreprecise,what

youareenjoyingisnotreallytheoutwardactionbuttheinnerdimensionofconsciousnesshatflowsintotheaction.ThisisfindingthejoyofBeinginwhatyouaredoing.Ifyoufeelyourlifelackssignificanceoris too stressful or tedious, it is because you haven't brought that dimension into your life yet. Beingconsciousinwhatyoudohasnotyetbecomeyourmainaim.

Theneweartharisesasmoreandmorepeoplediscoverthattheirmainpurposeinlifeistobringthelightofconsciousnessintothisworldandsousewhatevertheydoasavehicleforconsciousness.

ThejoyofBeingisthejoyofbeingconscious.Awakenedconsciousnessthentakesoverfromegoandbeginstorunyourlife.Youmaythenfindthat

anactivitythatyouhavebeenengagedinforalongtimenaturallybeginstoexpandintosomethingmuchbiggerwhenitbecomesempoweredbyconsciousness.

Someof thosepeoplewho, throughcreativeaction,enrich the livesofmanyotherssimplydowhattheyenjoydoingmostwithoutwantingtoachieveorbecomeanythingthroughthatactivity.Theymaybemusicians, artists, writers, scientists, teachers, or builders, or they may bring into manifestation newsocial or business structures (enlightened businesses). Sometimes for a few years their sphere ofinfluenceremainssmall;andthen

itcanhappenthatsuddenlyorgraduallyawaveofcreativeempowermentflowsintowhat theydo,and their activity expands beyond anything they could have imagined and touches countless others. Inadditiontoenjoyment,anintensityisnowaddedtowhattheydoandwithitcomesacreativitythatgoesbeyondanythinganordinaryhumancouldaccomplish.

Butdon'tletitgotoyourhead,becauseupthereiswherearemnantofegomaybehiding.Youarestillanordinaryhuman.Whatisextraordinaryiswhatcomesthroughyouintothisworld.Butthatessenceyousharewithallbeings.Thefourteenth?centuryPersianpoetandSufimasterHafizexpressesthistruthbeautifully:IamaholeinaflutethattheChrist'sbreathmovesthrough.Listentothismusic.

ANewEarthENTHUSIASM

Thenthereisanotherwayofcreativemanifestationthatmaycometothosewhoremaintrueto theirinnerpurposeofawakening.Suddenlyonedaytheyknowwhattheirouterpurposeis.Theyhaveagreatvision,agoal,andfromthenontheyworktowardimplementingthatgoal.Theirgoalorvisionisusuallyconnectedinsomewaytosomethingthatonasmallerscaletheyaredoingandenjoydoingalready.Thisiswherethethirdmodalityofawakeneddoingarises:enthusiasm.

Enthusiasmmansthereisdeepenjoymentinwhatyoudoplustheaddedelementofagoaloravisionthat you work toward. When you add a goal to the enjoyment of what you do, the energy?field orvibrationalfrequencychanges.Acertaindegreeofwhatwemightcallstructuraltensionisnowaddedtoenjoyment,andsoit turnsintoenthusiasm.Attheheightofcreativeactivityfueledbyenthusiasm, therewillbeenormous intensityandenergybehindwhat youdo.Youwill feel like an arrowhat ismovingtowardthetargetandenjoyingthejourney.

Toanonlooker,itmayappearthatyouareunderstress,buttheintensityofenthusiasmhasnothingtodowithstress.Whenyouwanttoarriveatyourgoalmorethanyouwanttobedoingwhatyouaredoing,you become stressed. The balance between enjoyment and structural tension is lost, and the latter haswon.Whenthereisstress,itisusuallyasignthattheegohasreturned,andyouarecuttingyourselfoffformthecreativepoweroftheuniverse.Instead,thereisonlytheforceandstrainofegoicwanting,and

so you have to struggle and work hard tomake it. Stress always diminishes both the quality andeffectivenessofwhatyoudounderitsinfluence.Thereisalsoastronglinkbetweenstressandnegativeemotions,suchasanxietyandanger.Itistoxictothebodyandisnowbecomingrecognizedasoneofthemaincausesoftheso?calleddegenerativediseasessuchascancerandheartdisease.

Unlikestress,enthusiasmhasahighenergyfrequencyandsoresonateswiththecreativepoweroftheuniverse. This iswhyRalphWaldo Emerson said that, Nothing great has ever been achievedwithoutenthusiasm.ThewordenthusiasmcomesfromancientGreekenandtheosmeaningGod.Andtherelatedwordenthousiazeinmeanstobepossessedbyagod.Withenthusiasmyouwillfindthatyoudon'thavetodo it all by yourself. In fact, there is nothing of significance that you can do by yourself. Sustainedenthusiasmbringsintoexistenceawaveofcreativeenergy,andallyouhavetodothenisridethewave.

Enthusiasm brings an enormous empowerment into what you do, so that all those who have notaccessedthatpowerwouldlookuponyourachievementsinaweandmayequatethemwithwhoyouare.You,however,knowthetruththatJesuspointedtowhenhesaid,Icanofmyownselfdonothing.Unlikeegoicwanting,which creates opposition indirect proportion to the intensity of itswanting, enthusiasmneveropposes. It isnon?confrontational. Itsactivitydoesnotcreatewinners and losers. It isbasedoninclusion,notexclusion,ofothers.Itdoesnotneedtouseandmanipulatepeople,becauseitisthepowerofcreation itself and sodoesnotneed to take energy from some secondary source.The ego'swantingalways tries to take form something or someone; enthusiasm gives out of its own abundance. Whenenthusiasm encounters obstacles in the form of adverse situations or uncooperative people, it neverattacksbutwalksaroundthemorbyyieldingorembracingturnstheopposingenergyintoahelpfulone,thefoeintoafriend.

Enthusiasmandtheegocannotcoexist.oneimpliestheabsenceoftheother.Enthusiasmknowswhereitisgoing,butatthesametime,itisdeeplyatonewiththepresentmoment,thesourceofitsaliveness,itsjoy,anditspower.Enthusiasmwantsnothingbecauseitlacksnothing.Itisatonewithlifeandnomatter

howdynamictheenthusiasm?inspiredactivitiesare,youdon't loseyourself in them.Andthereremainsalwaysastillbut

intenselyalivespaceatthecenterofthewheel,acoreofpeaceinthemidstofactivitythatisboththesourceofallanduntouchedbyitall.

Throughenthusiasmyouenterintofullalignmentwiththeoutgoingcreativeprincipleoftheuniverse,butwithoutidentifyingwithitscreation,thatistosay,withoutego.wherethereisnoidentification,thereis no attachment one of the great sources of suffering. Once a wave of creative energy has passed,structuraltensiondiminishesagainandjoyinwhatyouaredoingremains.Nobodycanliveinenthusiasmallthetime.Anewwaveofcreativeenergymaycomelaterandleadtorenewedenthusiasm.

Whenthereturnmovement toward thedissolutionofformsets in,enthusiasmnolongerservesyou.Enthusiasmbelongstotheoutgoingcycleoflife.Itisonlythroughsurrenderthatyoucanalignyourselfwiththereturnmovementthejourneyhome.

Tosumup:Enjoymentofwhatyouaredoing,combinedwithagoalorvisionthatyouworktoward,becomesenthusiasm.Even thoughyouhaveagoal,whatyouaredoing in thepresentmoment needs toremainthefocalpointofyourattention;otherwise,youwillfalloutofalignmentwithuniversalpurpose.Makesureyourvisionorgoalisnotaninflatedimageofyourselfandthereforeaconcealedformofego,suchaswantingtobecomeamoviestar,afamouswriter,orawealthyentrepreneur.Alsomakesureyourgoalisnotfocusedonhavingthisorthat,suchasamansionbythesea,yourowncompany,ortenmilliondollarsinthebank.Anenlargedimageofyourselforavisionofyourselfhavingthisorthatareallstaticgoalsandthereforedon'tempoweryou.Instead,makesureyourgoalsaredynamic, that is tosay,pointtowardanactivitythatyouareengagedinandthroughwhichyouareconnectedtootherhumanbeingsaswell as to thewhole. Instead of seeing yourself as a famous actor andwriter and so on, see yourselfinspiringcountlesspeoplewithyourworkandenriching their lives.Feelhow that activityenrichesordeepens not only your life but that of countless others. Feel yourself being an opening throughwhichenergyflowsformtheunmanifestedSourceofalllifethroughyouforthebenefitofall.

Allthisimplieshatyourgoalorvisionisthenalreadyarealitywithinyou,onthelevelofmindandoffeeling.Enthusiasmisthepowerthattransfersthementalblueprintintothephysicaldimension.Thatisthecreativeuseofmind,andthatiswhyhereisnowantinginvolve.Youcannot

manifestwhatyouwant;youcanonlymanifestwhatyoualreadyhave.Youmaygetwhatyouwantthroughhardworkandstress,butthatisnotthewayofthenewearth.Jesusgavethekeytothecreativeuseofmindandtotheconsciousmanifestationofformwhenhesaid,'Whateveryouaskinprayer,believethatyouhavereceivedit,anditwillbeyours.

ANewEarthTHEFREQUENCYHOLDERS

Theoutwardmovementintoformdoesnotexpressitselfwithequalintensityinallpeople.Somefeela strong urge to build, create, become involved, achieve,make an impact upon theworld. If they areunconscious, their egowill, of course, take over and use the energy of the outgoing cycle for its ownpurposes. This, however, also greatly reduces the flow of creative energy available to them andincreasingly theyneed to relyonefforting togetwhat theywant. If theyareconscious, thosepeople inwhom theoutwardmovement is strongwill behighly creative.Others, after thenatural expansion thatcomeswithgrowinguphasrunitscourse,leadanoutwardlyunremarkable,seeminglymorepassiveandrelativelyuneventfulexistence.

Theyaremoreinwardlookingbynature,andfor themtheoutwardmovement intoformisminimal.Theywouldratherreturnhomethangoout.Theyhavenodesiretogetstronglyinvolvedinorchangetheworld.Iftheyhaveanyambitions,theyusuallydon'tgobeyondfindingsomethingtodothatgivesthemadegreeofindependence.Someofthemfindithardtofitintothisworld.Someareluckyenoughtofindaprotectivenichewheretheycanleadarelativelyshelteredlife,ajobthatprovidesthemwitharegularincomeorasmallbusinessoftheirown.Somemayfeeldrawntowardlivinginaspiritualcommunityormonastery.Othersmaybecomedropoutsand liveon themarginsofsociety theyfeel theyhave little incommonwith. Some turn to drugs because hey find living in thisworld too painful. Others eventuallybecomehealersorspiritualteachers,thatistosay,teachersofBeing.

In past ages, theywouldprobablyhavebeen called contemplatives.There is noplace for them, itseems,inourcontemporarycivilization.Onthearisingnewearth,however,theirroleisjustasvitalasthat of the creators, the doers, the reformers. Their function is to anchor the frequency of the newconsciousnessonhisplanet.Icallthemthefrequency?holders.

Theyareheretogenerateconsciousnessthroughtheactivitiesofdailylife,throughtheir interactionswithothersaswellasthroughjustbeing.

In thisway, they endow the seemingly insignificantwith profoundmeaning. Their task is to bringspaciousstillnessintothisworldbybeingabsolutelyPresentinwhatevertheydo.Thereisconsciousnessandthereforequalityinwhattheydo,eventhesimplesttask.Theirpurposeistodoeverythinginasacredmanner.Aseachhumanbeing is an integralpart of the collectivehumanconsciousness, theyaffect theworldmuchmoredeeplythanisvisibleonthesurfaceoftheirlives.

ANewEarthTHENEWEARTHISNOUTOPIA

Isthenotionofanewearthnotjustanotherutopianvision?Notatall.Allutopianvisionshavethisincommon:thementalprojectionofafuturetimewhenallwillbewell,wewillbesaved, therewillbepeaceandharmonyandtheendofourproblems.Therehavebeenmanysuchutopianvisions.Someendedindisappointment,othersindisaster.

Atthecoreofallutopianvisionsliesoneofthemainstructuraldysfunctionsoftheoldconsciousness:lookingtothefutureforsalvation.Theonlyexistencethefutureactuallyhasisasathoughtforminyourmind,sowhenyoulooktothefutureforsalvation,youareunconsciouslylookingtoyourownmindforsalvation.Youaretrappedinform,andthatisego.

AndIsawanewheavenandanewearth,writesthebiblicalprophet.thefoundationforanewearthisa newheaven the awakened consciousness. The earth external reality is only its outer reflection. Thearisingofanewheavenandby implicationaneweartharenot futureevents thataregoing tomakeusfree.Nothingisgoingtomakeusfreebecauseonlythepresentmomentcanmakeusfree.Thatrealizationis theawakening.Awakeningasa futureeventhasnomeaningbecauseawakening is the realizationofPresence.Sothenewheaven, theawakenedconsciousness,isnotafuturestatetobeachieved.Anewheavenandaneweartharearisingwithinyouatthismoment,andiftheyarenotarisingatthismoment,they are nomore than a thought in your head and therefore not arising at all.What did Jesus tell hisdisciples?Heavenisrighthereinthemidstofyou.

IntheSermononthMount,Jesusmakesapredictionthattothisdayfewpeoplehaveunderstood.Hesays,Blessedarethemeek,fortheyshall

inherittheearth.InmodernversionsoftheBible,meekistranslatedashumble.Whoarethemeekorthehumble,andwhatdoesitmeanthattheyshallinherittheearth?

The meek are the egoless. They are those who have awakened to their essential true nature asconsciousnessandrecognizethatessenceinallothers,alllife?forms.TheyliveinthesurrenderedstateandsofeeltheironenesswiththewholeandtheSource.Theyembodytheawakenedconsciousnessthatischangingallaspectsoflifeonourplanet,includingnature,becauselifeonearthisinseparablefromthehumanconsciousnessthatperceivesandinteractswithit.Thatisthesenseinwhichthemeekwillinherittheearth.

Anewspeciesisarisingontheplanet.Itisarisingnow,andyouareit!