There is no death, and Life can be Joyful much of the time

St. Francis: "It is in dying to the self, that we are born to eternal life."
via Ra, Will Melies by ShamanTube -thanks!

 

Death is not the opposite of life. Life has no opposite. The opposite of death is birth. Life is eternal. Death is a stripping away of all that is not you. The secret of life is to "die before you die" and find that there is no death. Aware...ness is the power that is concealed within the present moment. … The ultimate purpose of human existence, which is to say, your purpose, is to bring that power into this world."
-Eckhart Tolle

 Art by Anne Romby

 

 

 

Ron Alexander "...Awareness is the power that is concealed within the present moment. … The ultimate purpose of human existence, which is to say, your purpose, is to bring that power into this world."

 

Ra Divakar "that power" is ????

 

Ron Alexander "That power is" that in "dying to the self, we are born to eternal life." And I think one would need be ready to die to their body also?

 

Ron Alexander I think I may be ready for this...call it "self", "ego" or "reptilian brain. How? Devote one's life to meditation and helping others get to that Peace of Mind also!

 

Richard Kent Matthews Sometimes St. Francis got it wrong. This is one of those times. Accepting self and the flaws one has is the best way to understand the weakness in others.

Ra Divakar Again Richard Kent Matthews, I think both of you are right. Ron is speaking in Absolute Terms, while you are speaking of being here in the body and on the earth right here and now. Since I am not ready to leave my body, as Ron (and St. Francis) may be, I go along with your accepting the self (which many equate with the demonized ego).

Richard Kent Matthews St. Francis was an ascetic. He was all into denying the body, even to the point of self flagellation and starvation. All based on the idea that we were so tinged with Original Sin as to be unsaveable without self harshness. Not me. I like the things of this world, especially food!!

 

Ra Divakar Buddha turned away from that self-flagellating path also.

Ron Alexander Yea, Rev. Richard Kent Matthews and Ra Divakar, I was feeling pretty depressed this AM when I wrote this - living in a new smaller space with unopened boxes and too much stuff. I took care of some anxiety-producing legal business then went to Mindful Meditation at the VA Hospital (big reason I moved here). Afterwards, I went to local healthfood store and brought a lot of juicing vegies especially a big batch of carrots. I brought them home and a friendly neighbor inquired about my health, and I ask her if she liked carrot juice and she smiled and answered affirmatively. I took a siesta and then got up and got busy mindfully preparing the vegies for juicing (lots of washing and scrubbing. Now, I am sitting here listening to beautiful classical music on a new AOL free radio, drinking my delicious POWER juice and responding to you'll affirmatively. I AM ENJOYING LIFE AND have decided not to be a renunciate mendicate Monk - hurray!