[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by The Coronet

Dear Forum,

Im really confused on some concepts that seem to make sense, yet sort of contradict each other! I would love some help on this if anyone has a suggestion.

Ah, certainly.

Ive read a few books by Eckhart Tolley, the power of now, a new earth etc.

He says that to end suffering we have to live in the now, be fully present and egoless (which you are when you are so involved in the present.)

You have to understand that Eckhart Tolle is teaching a higher kind of spiritual truth. He's attempting to lay down a path to enlightenment.

Whereas Rhonda's "The Secret" is teaching you how to get that job; quit that smoking habit; earn more money; attract your lover; manifest your parking lot etc.

The above isn't meant to exalt Eckhart and diss Rhonda. They simply don't share the same purposes.

Secondly according to the secret

To manifest something we have to feel like we have whatever we want now first of all, then it will be drawn to us.

However the very process of manifesting requires us to be considering a future goal. All goal setting requires us to not be fully present cause I am thinking about how I want my future to be. If I truely follow the power of now, I will never set any goals.

This is an incorrect understanding. Tolle himself does not say that you need not plan for the future ("calendar time" - IIRC, that's the term he uses). What he says is that when you sit down to plan for the future, focus fully on your planning - that's how to be in the now.

In fact I would probably stop doing anything because i would just stare into space observing without any judgement quite happily , peacefully observing my body rotting away and i eventually dieing of starvation. It is only future desires and listening to the demands of my body that cause me to move.

It may be helpful for you to consider Deepak Chopra's phraseology. He talks about intention and attention. The attention should be in the now, but the intention goes to the future.

To put it less abstractly, suppose your intention is to win a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics. Your attention, however, should be in the now. For example, what can you do, now, to fulfil your intention? If you are training, now, then focus fully on your training. Be in the now.

I thought about manifesting 'peace in my now' Surely the best thing I could manifest! If I really do this, I will not care to manifest anything because I will be at peace regardles of what I have and dont have. (and in a way isnt the secret saying you have to have this first before you can manifest anything?)

Actually, analytical meditation in the Buddhist tradition is all about manifesting peace, love etc in the now. You may wish to google to find out more about this.

However according to manifesting rules, I should be more specific, (chose what will bring me this peace?) and also chose a date for this to occur.

You may be getting up mixed here.

Conventional goal-setting advice (ie no LOA) always tell you to fix a deadline, choose a date etc.

LOA/IM philosophies, however, differ on this point. For example, Abraham-Hicks, AFAIK, does not say that it's important to attach a deadline.

BUt nothing can really occur anytime other than NOW so that in itself is an illusion.

Then think of it as you manipulating the NOW into a form that you want.

Lastly if Im to be honest what drives me to all these goals is it really ego?

That depends on your goal.

For example Id like to be a great breakdancer, but a large part of that is for the element of how cool it would look in front of other people. Does this desire ultimately cause me suffering because....

1. its assuimng that there is an objective reality, or at least that there is separation 2. I am my ego, 3 attention will bring me happiness I dont already have? 4. im doing something for myself????

Consider two different philosophies.

In the Buddhist scheme of things, desire leads to suffering. This is because of the inherent tendency of the human mind to attach. We attach to the objects of our desire, failing to see that everything is impermanent, and everything we have must inevitably change and fall away in time.

In the Abraham-Hicks scheme of thing, desire leads to creation. We desire things, we think about them, and by the LOA, we create them. Furthermore we will always have new desires, therefore creation never stops. The meaning of it all is ultimately creation for its own sake, and creation is joyous.

Choose your preferred philosophy.

I suppose what Im asking is this, should i give up on all my goals, forget about all future commitments and just fully commit to being present, or should I keep striving for all my dreams basically meaning that I am not fully present at all and being driven by an ego that wants things!

Refer to earlier comment about intention and attention.

In practical terms, this is what you can do. Set your goals. Eg goals to be achieved in 5 years time, 1 year's time, in six months' time, by next month. Having set your goals, work towards them. When you work, focus on being present in the here & now.

Eg you wish to be a millionaire by 2010. Having set that goal, be in the now. What can you do now, to make that intention come true? Whatever it is, focus on that task fully, now.

If you have set goals in every major area of your life, eg family; career; finances; health; personal development; social contribution; hobbies; spiritual growth; relationships; etc, then in every moment of your waking life, there's probably something you can do towards one of these goals. Focus on that something. Be fully present in the now, when you do it.

Good luck.