Learning about Love: Day 4

photo credit: Joe Miller, Flickr.com

I had a visit with a good friend the other day. We listened to a talk given by my favourite mentor, Eckhart Tolle.

During the talk, Eckhart mentioned that we live from a place of conditioned mind patterns where mental conceptualizations are the focus of our attention. We have a conceptualized sense of self and other humans are concepts in our mind that we apply judgements to. We have lost our empathy and compassion for ourselves and for others because of our mental conceptualizations.

Eckhart stated that in the 20th century alone we humans killed a staggering 180 million humans. This is very sad indeed.

We live from the head where mental concepts exist instead of the heart where empathy and compassion exist.

Kay Lindahl, in her book, “Practicing the Sacred Art of Listening,” states “Resolving differences frequently involves physical or verbal violence.”

“Think of the difference it would make if each of us really felt listened to when we spoke.”

“Envision a conversation in which each person is listened to with respect, even those whose views are different from ours.”

How often do we find ourselves not really listening to others and instead passing judgements about what we think (believe) is true?

It happens to me regularly when I communicate with my son. I have preconceived beliefs based on my judgements about who I think he is as a personality. This mental conceptualization gets in the way of deeply listening and connecting with who he is at his core essence.

It no longer interests me to live this way. I don’t want to live life from the focal-point of mental conceptualizations. I’d prefer to live life from the focal-point of who we truly are.

Let’s contemplate together:  Are we the sum total of what we and others believe about our self or is there another aspect to our self that begs for greater awareness?

Exercise:  Find a quiet place to sit or lie down. Close your eyes. Notice your breath. Feel the rise and fall of your chest.

Who or what is breathing you?

Related articles

• The Awakening of Eckhart Tolle – Interview (jhaines6.wordpress.com)