Stop
forcing it and life will have more joy and freedom
Is
Eckhart Tolle Right? Can Life Flow With Ease?
by Saleem Rana
Can you really
create the life that you want? Furthermore, can you create it in an
easy and relaxed way, unfolding gracefully? Is it possible to offer
no resistance to life, to be in a state of elegance, effortlessness,
and buoyancy while still getting what you really want? Can you move
beyond being dependent on things being a certain way, good or ill,
and gently move toward the life that makes you feel content, safe,
and successful?
I think the
best answer to this question can come from someone who has done it.
Here is what
Eckhart Tolle, in The Power Of Now, says about experiencing a
life that is worth living, where there is enough joy and freedom in
each day to express your unique and authentic self:
"It seems
almost paradoxical, yet when your inner dependency on form is gone,
the general conditions of your life, the outer forms, tend to
improve greatly. Things, people, or conditions that you thought you
needed for happiness now come to you with no effort or struggle on
your part, and you are free to enjoy and appreciate them--while they
last. All those things, of course, will still pass away, cycles will
come and go, but with dependency gone there is no fear of loss
anymore. Life flows with ease. The happiness that is derived from
some secondary source is never very deep. It is only a pale
reflection of the joy of Being, the vibrant peace that you find
within as you enter the state of nonresistance."
Yes, life can
be wonderful, if you let it. And that is the trick: letting it be
the way it is. In that space of allowing, new opportunities that you
had not dreamed of come your way, and a new and splendid life comes
to you of its own accord.
How does this
happen? When you stop pushing, forcing, and trying to make things go
a certain way; when you stop beating yourself up; when you stop
berating the world for its obvious shortcomings; and when you stop
using other people to be part of your internal script, then life
itself begins to unfold the way that is best for you.
Your
resistance to life is the cause of all your suffering. This
resistance is expressed though struggle. This struggle, in turn,
becomes increasingly more complex, exhausting you, and the harder
you try to figure things out, the more confused you get.
We aren't
talking about becoming a sluggard, or not thinking, or not acting.
We're talking about creating sufficient inner mental quiet to
observe what is actually happening so that you can effortlessly act
intelligently in any situation. Our tension creates confusion, which
then creates unintelligent living.
Allowing your
life to flow with ease, then, is not about abandoning your goals and
drifting or hoping something better shows up soon. Instead, it is
about deciding what is best for you and allowing it to unfold in a
very natural way, without coercion, second-guessing, or getting in
your own way. Once you lower your resistance to events, your mind
becomes sharper and your energy is more expansive. All sorts of
wonderful things then happen. Some of them are quite logical and
make perfect sense. Others border on the mystical. Serendipidity and
synchronicity start to show up more often.
Another way of
describing this entire process is learning how to dance. Instead of
grimly marching from one event to another, believing you are making
some small progress and feeling unbelievably frustrated in the
process, dance with life as it unfolds for you. Set your intention,
release it, do what comes to mind as the best course of action, but
stay mindful, stay open, and allow grace, ease, and lightness to
inform your experiences.
Saleem Rana
would love to share his inspiring ideas His book Never Ever Give Up
tells you how. It is offered at no cost as a way to help YOU
succeed.
The Empowered Soul
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