Mixed messages?

[kj7697]

lately I've been in search for truth and trying to become more conscious and it seemed to be going good...until I realized a problem. The problem of synergy, or trying to combine various teachings into one simple, fundamental truth. I've been reading Erkhart Tolle's books lately and ever since I read The Power of Now, everything I've learned about in Steve's blogs and all those books that talk about LoA and success and wealth just seemed to *ffffffft* go out the window. In Tolle's books, the main point is about becoming free from the ego, that is the part of you that attaches to secular things in order to gain an identity. When I started reading A New Earth, it hit me. How can I not go after success (because after all who doesn't want to be successful) and not be too attached to those things? It almost seems as if those things "out there" don't matter anymore. They aren't important because the real you, not the ego, does not need them. If they don't matter than why bother? Should I go live in a cave and be happy with who I am and live a simple life? How does this work?? Can anyone help or figure out where I've gone wrong with this picture?

[Anagogy]

Originally Posted by kj7697

lately I've been in search for truth and trying to become more conscious and it seemed to be going good...until I realized a problem. The problem of synergy, or trying to combine various teachings into one simple, fundamental truth. I've been reading Erkhart Tolle's books lately and ever since I read The Power of Now, everything I've learned about in Steve's blogs and all those books that talk about LoA and success and wealth just seemed to *ffffffft* go out the window. In Tolle's books, the main point is about becoming free from the ego, that is the part of you that attaches to secular things in order to gain an identity. When I started reading A New Earth, it hit me. How can I not go after success (because after all who doesn't want to be successful) and not be too attached to those things? It almost seems as if those things "out there" don't matter anymore. They aren't important because the real you, not the ego, does not need them. If they don't matter than why bother? Should I go live in a cave and be happy with who I am and live a simple life? How does this work?? Can anyone help or figure out where I've gone wrong with this picture?

You are searching for concrete truth in a world of abstraction. No person, channel, holy writ, guru, or hyper dimensional alien can give you the full and complete truth in this relative world. Such "absolute" description precludes our own inherent existence. All we can ever be offered are signs, or symbols, pointing the way. Forget the word "should". There is no should.

What exactly do you think is the "real you" that is ego free? And furthermore, what makes it better than your current state?

In my humble opinion, there are only a handful of spiritual truths that are worth knowing, for all others can be derived or intuited from the first few:

1. Consciousness is the same thing as existence.
2. It exists, because nothingness can not.
3. Existence is unified, everything is one.
4. Because everything is one, real separation is not possible.
5. In order to experience an opposite to oneness, separation was "simulated".
6. Simulations can be fun or scary.
7. The law of attraction works because all minds are joined.
8. We get to choose our own experiences.

It's true that the world of form involves limitations. But then, limitations empower creativity and ingenuity. A game without rules is not a very fun game.

In short, the answer to your question is: do whatever makes you feel happy and fulfilled. Those emotions are actually indicators you are achieving whatever your desire is -- I don't presume to know what that is. There is no right or wrong here. You are here to self-actualize, to become what it is you feel the need to become. And it will feel good for you to achieve that, because you are following your nature.

You are already joined in eternal oneness. The reality you perceive is like a refraction of light through a prism which separates the colors of the light. The prism could be an analogy for your ego, it makes things appear separated. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It lets you see things in a new way. You may have had all the colors before the prism, but you had no way to distinguish them from one another or appreciate them separately.

It's all about the way you look at things. "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."

Anyway, I've rambled a bit here, and don't know if this helps you in any way, shape, or form.

[Mags]

When you are truly present (a la The Power of Now), you are no longer attached to certain experiences (e.g. worldly success) or material things (car, house etc). In other words, you no longer get your sense of identity from these things.

That absolutely does not mean that you have to give up being successful or having material things. But the intent behind creating such experiences and things is different. When you create from the ego, you are attached to what you create, and it is difficult to let go as your creations all have meaning (the meaning you gave them) and are part of your identity. When you are truly present, however, you have no attachment to anything. You create experiences and things because you can, because you live in a physical world and you are fully entitled to enjoy it while you're here. If you have to let go of something you've created (or choose to let go), you do not suffer - after all, you can create the same thing or something different again tomorrow.

Living from the ego results in statements like "I am a successful businessperson" - that is an identity on to which the ego latches, even though this is a more positive identity than "I am a loser" for example.

Living in pure presence results in the statement that "I am" - just that! This can be taken further if you choose to... "I am, and therefore I choose to create the experience of success in business".

Can you see the difference?