As Z and I were taking the paternoster (weird non-stop elevator-esque contraption on campus) to the 8th floor to submit our final essay today, I kept thinking of the 6 times I had done that before over the past year. I can't believe how much work has gone by so quickly - and we survived it without any computers crashing or work getting lost! Now all that's left is our dissertation, which is still longer than all our essays combined and worth more. But atleast we have nearly 3 months to finish it.
So, what have I been upto other than schoolwork and traveling? Well...two weeks ago I joined a gym in town, I figured it would be a good way to take breaks from my dissertation this summer and keep in shape. A lot of our friends are going back to their homes now because most programs finish at the end of May. So it's going to get really quiet in Leicester. It should make it easier to focus on our dissertations, that's for sure. Z's birthday was two days ago, but since everyone is writing exams and studying right now we couldn't really celebrate. Her and one of our friends are going to have a birthday party after exams on the 29th - so it'll be a nice way to celebrate lots of things!
What I've really been engrossed in over the last 2 weeks is a book (what I see more as a guide really) my mom sent for me with Darin called A New Earth. It's written by a spiritual teacher, Eckhart Tolle, and I suppose it would fall under the "Self-Development" genre, but I have to say it's really beyond labels and classifications. If you're a fan of Oprah, you probably already know what I'm talking about because she featured A New Earth and Eckhart on a 10 week workshop where every Monday night they discussed a chapter from the book and took questions from people across the world. I'm a little behind from all the traveling I did, so I've been reading the book and watching the workshops online at my own pace.
I'm only halfway through so I can't really give a full explanation of what the book is about - but the intention is for it to be a tool towards reaching greater awareness to your life's purpose. Eckhart draws on a lot of religious, spiritual, and philosophical teachings of the past to show how we can become more in tune with the divine consciousness within all of us, ultimately helping us to live a much more fulfilling and enlightening life. What he does explain very early on in the book is that not everyone is ready for this 'shift in consciousness' to take place inside themselves, so for those people the teachings will be of no use to them at this point in their lives. But for others, there is a deep connection that you will feel towards the messages, especially when you try to put them into practice.
Most of the content I find parallels the teachings of Vedanta - which are the philosophical teachings within Hinduism. He does draw on Buddhist and Hindu vocabulary to explain much of what he writes about - but also interprets many of the verses from the Bible through an 'Eastern' lens to help Christians reconcile their faith with the text in A New Earth.
Some of the focal points in the book (which unfortunately I won't do justice to at all) discuss the distinction between the Ego and the true Self. The Ego tries to attach itself to labels - constantly finding its identity through objects or experiences. This is MY blog, MY story, MY life. Looking at the world through the Ego blinds us to our true identity - because we associate ourselves with all these fleeting things. I am a student, I am a doctor, I am beautiful - these are all concepts we think explain who we are. But WHO are we really? That which is nameless, formless - as the Vedic formula would call it - That Thou Art. Eckhart asks this very simple question which helps to explain what the true self is: Am I breathing? If you leave your thoughts and mind for a moment and direct your attention to the effortless function of your breathing - you will feel that there is an aliveness in the body that does not rely on identifications with form. Or if you close your eyes and take the focus to your hands - how do you know they exist if the eyes do not see them? Do you feel the slight tingling? The awareness inside?
Anyways, there is so much more I could say about this book - I have definitely felt a shift within myself ever since I started reading it. I know most of it is lessons that I've come across before...but he explains them in a very contemporary fashion. The workshops are even more helpful because he answers questions that arise from reading the book and gives more examples. I'm not here to try and convince anyone to read this book or push a certain ideology on you. It's such a beautiful, life-changing book, for those who are open to receiving its message. If you are looking for more peace and stillness in your mind, then maybe this is a path to help you achieve that. I think as I read more I will discuss my thoughts in the weeks to come - and I know several of you are reading or have read A New Earth already, so feel free to post comments and share your thoughts and experiences too!
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