I haven’t read this particular book, but yes, change from a state of anxiety towards the being he describes is possible. I’m not there, but I’m way closer than I used to be.

Stay the course, continue your practice. Read, meet people, keep catching yourself, keep being kind to yourself. It is possible. And I wish it for you, and me, and everyone.

@throck

Heyyyyy Little Buddha

You asked for my story so here it is – straight from my heart to yours. Don’t freak out mate…

There are 2 broad kinds of people in my mind. One who is seeking inner peace and meaning to exist in balance with the nature and second, who just wants to get on with their lives with the least hurdles.

I have always sought for “calm” as I call it. I didn’t know what peace was. I would just say all the time in my mind – I don’t want chaos. I want things to be calm. Home / school / college / Uni / work were always calm so I am not sure where the chaos feeling was coming into my mind.

So my first teacher who taught me the meaning of calm was our first dog in my late twenties (instead of kids, my and my husband decided to adopt a dog few years into our marriage).

I enjoy reading and self-help was my pet read. I came across Eckhart Tolle’s book in a second hand book shop and he defined peace for me just the way I had experienced it with my dog. The calm that I was looking for in literal terms. After this, I read many other stories, biographies of people who have found peace, trialled with different religions etc. It was great for a while.

And in 09/10, something changed. I was like what next ? I felt so near to my inner peace goal and yet so far. I had achieved a lot of materialistic things at a young age and done a lot of things, which not many get to do. Life was still boring and I had enough of everything. In this quest, I came across work of Indian spiritual teachers like Osho, Isha, Anandmoorti, Sai Baba, Niluma etc. They were saying similar things to Buddha / Eckhart but had a different twist to it. So it took my fancy and I dwelled more into it and came across BK Shivani’s lectures and that was another turning point. Suddenly, I could understand things in a simple manner and I started to incorporate her teachings into my life.

I would discuss her teachings with my husband and family members and suddenly they became my teachers. We all started to grow together.

I learnt during this process that we do not have to look for teachers. Teachers find us when we are ready for the next step and teachers do not have to be physically there with you. Everyone has the potential to become our teacher if we are open to self growth and WANT self development. I came across my current teacher couple of years ago unexpectedly during an Asian retreat. The clarity that I felt during this week long process was like I had never felt before. All my questions stopped and I felt so good. I learnt the meditation he taught during this week long retreat and in every session after wards, I would feel his presence in the room (it was freaky for some time he he he). That was then and here I am now. Happy and content majority of the time 🙂

I didn’t find him. He found me and I have never met him again since physically but can feel his presence when I need help. I learn everyday and I feel the blessing in every moment.

As you can see, it was a stepped process. Nothing happened all at once. It was a gradual and slow process and kept pace with my learning and desire.

My dogs, husband, family members, colleagues, clients are all my teachers along with him. Everyone on here is also my teacher in some form or other. But when I need help, I know I can count on him for guidance and his teachings are: selfless service, share your knowledge, offer unconditional love and acceptance, meditate and put yourself before everyone else as then you will be able to accept everyone as they are and be there for them in a true sense.

Hope this helps

J

Little Buddha,

The Power of Now is a great starting point for a better understanding of presence and consciousness (state of Being).

Tolle simply means to say that most (if not all) irrational thoughts stem from fear, usually fear of loss or failure. Think back to any time you felt this fear and you will agree that, at the bottom of everything, the thought of loss or failure orchestrated the whole episode. Fear can exist only as a memory (in the past) or as a possibility (in the future). We cannot be afraid of the present moment. We can only react to it.

When a bear attacks you, you react. The thought of death activates certain neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, which instruct your body to produce certain hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. That is a rational, mental and physical reaction to an event. Fear is a mental, man-made construct that can live, as I said, only in the Then and Then, never in the Now. Becoming present therefore destroys fear by design. When you’re on a roller coaster at an amusement park, in the moment you are simply reacting. Think back to the actual ride itself. You didn’t have time to be afraid. Time didn’t exist. You just were. Only once you’re off the ride (or before it) do you “think” fearfully.

Remember, fear leads to confusion, confusion to frustration, frustration to anger, anger to suffering, and suffering to the Dark Side.

May the Force be with you.