Form and Content and Waves
This week, on my way to and from my weekly yoga class - I listened to the last web cast on A New Earth - a concluding two hour segment.
I have thought often of so many things that Eckhart Tolle wrote and spoke about - especially on how identifying with form and content keeps us tied to the egoic state and causes us suffering.
In my April 13th entry - "The Joy of Being" - I talked about how I always felt I needed to know as much as possible about loved ones - but how I came to the realization that I was focusing on form and content - and not really on the Essence of the person which is not defined by those details and is Eternal and without change.
This morning as I sat in meditation, I read these wise words by Paramahansa Yogananda:
"It is not necessary to go through every kind of human experience in order to attain ultimate wisdom. You should be able to learn by studying the lives of others. Why become helplessly involved in an endless panorama of events in order to discover that nothing in in this world can every make you happy?"
As I meditated, I thought of sitting by the river yesterday and watching the waves undulating downstream. Each wave represented an aspect of form - or content - or detail about my life moving down the river. Another wave immediately followed. But they were only waves - coming and going - just details - reminding me of the impermanence of all things.
I thought of how this is true of all of us. Someday this life form will also move on. And yet, our souls are eternal. We must live in a way which is detached from these details which ultimately come and go - they dissolve - they flow down the river - for they are only impermanent aspects of our lives.
No matter how difficult a situation may be - we need to remind ourselves - as Eckhart Tolle himself reminded us - that this too shall pass.
The river has taught me many lessons which still continue to unfold.
I have thought often of so many things that Eckhart Tolle wrote and spoke about - especially on how identifying with form and content keeps us tied to the egoic state and causes us suffering.
In my April 13th entry - "The Joy of Being" - I talked about how I always felt I needed to know as much as possible about loved ones - but how I came to the realization that I was focusing on form and content - and not really on the Essence of the person which is not defined by those details and is Eternal and without change.
This morning as I sat in meditation, I read these wise words by Paramahansa Yogananda:
"It is not necessary to go through every kind of human experience in order to attain ultimate wisdom. You should be able to learn by studying the lives of others. Why become helplessly involved in an endless panorama of events in order to discover that nothing in in this world can every make you happy?"
As I meditated, I thought of sitting by the river yesterday and watching the waves undulating downstream. Each wave represented an aspect of form - or content - or detail about my life moving down the river. Another wave immediately followed. But they were only waves - coming and going - just details - reminding me of the impermanence of all things.
I thought of how this is true of all of us. Someday this life form will also move on. And yet, our souls are eternal. We must live in a way which is detached from these details which ultimately come and go - they dissolve - they flow down the river - for they are only impermanent aspects of our lives.
No matter how difficult a situation may be - we need to remind ourselves - as Eckhart Tolle himself reminded us - that this too shall pass.
The river has taught me many lessons which still continue to unfold.
Comments
I ordered A New Earth after you mentioned it earlier this month, and I just finished it this morning. I look forward to re-reading it...thanks for sharing your take on it. I wouldn't have picked it up otherwise because the title didn't resonate with me, but the book itself sure did!
Best always,
Lavonne