Mind Control Alive and Well

Barry and Heather, the folks over at Life Without Limits, recently posted a blog which they titled The Eckhart Effect. Although in it they are talking about a current spiritual guru who has set himself up as fully enlightened and who says that anyone who can't follow his way and do his way are asleep and unenlightened.

Although in this article Barry and Heather were specifically talking about one guy, I believe this applies to any of the so-called enlightened leaders who would have you blindly follow them and tell you that discussion and questioning show your lack of enlightenment.

As far as I can tell, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, Krishna -- the great teachers of the ages of this current earth cycle, all encouraged us to question, test, discuss, search out the Truth for yourself. No one can force feed it to you. You have to find it for yourself. This is the only way to true spiritual awakening.

Historically, when leaders insist that people turn off their questioning and blindly follow the teachings and instructions of the leaders we end up with untenable situations where the rights and personal power of the individual is completely disregarded. When people turn off their discernment and blindly follow leaders we get Ho Chi Men, Hitler, Heaven's Gate, Jim Jones.

I just have this comment on Eckhart Tolle's work - reading, writing, speaking -
When I look at his picture, I see an emotionless, ego-maniac staring from his eyes. Yeah, so that is possibly 'judgment' but as a human with an intact ego, I reserve the right to judge as I choose. And take responsibility for that judgment and accept any fallout.

Honestly, people talk about the coming of the Anti-Christ. I believe that if there is such a being, he would come wearing a false mantle of goodness and light and under that false mantle he would be teaching "A free thinker is the slave of Satan". He would say, "If you can't understand me, you must be still unenlightened. Let me teach you how to turn off your mind and stop thinking..." He would say discussion stimulates the mind, and he would say it such a way as to make a stimulated mind bad. I am not suggesting that this Eckhart Tolle guy is powerful enough to be the Anti-Christ that has been prophesied, I am merely suggesting that such a being would come bringing this type of message.

(this probably dates me)
When I read his books, or hear him speak in that deadpan way, red flags go up, whistles start blowing and my shields instantly become fully active. I keep looking around for the guy with the Kool-aid or the pudding.

The ease with which the masses are hypnotized got us the Hebrews in slavery to Egypt, witch hunts, the US civil war, nazis, communism at its worst, the US GOVERNMENT - we will take care of you from cradle to grave - as it is today and dare I say it -- American income taxes and the Patriot Act; and many other such situations to numerous to enumerate here. I for one, choose to the best of my ability, to disallow such control. And to lock out anyone who attempts to gain such control.

I, a fully realized spirit and light from the Creator, came here to engage fully in the human experience. From the other side, it looked like such fun! The full human experience - with the ego of the Monkey Mind and the Ego of the Spiritual Self fully in tact, in all its duality ups, downs, pains and glories. Love, joy, pleasure, emotion and judgment. I came here to experience it all. Because to fully experience everything that we can (all the parts of me that Eckhart would deny) in this physical reality that we have so generously created with our minds is how we move to higher levels of spiritual advancement, when we choose to move out of the physical reality. We are here to fully experience everything! Because our volunteering to have a physical experience is how the Divine also grows.

There are times, such as prayer and meditation, that you want to turn off the Monkey Mind that stops you from moving forward in your life. I am suggesting that you do not want to turn off your mind in such a way as you give up complete control to some self-styled guru who would have you believe that his way is the only way up the mountain.

My advice? For what it is worth: Think, discuss, disagree, agree, do whatever you have to do to stimulate that mind. Get it moving. Enjoy life to the fullest. Have fun, experience pleasure, joy, grief, pain, in other words, every emotional level that you can think of to experience it. Choose love and forgiveness. Do whatever it takes to keep that mind of yours (a terrible thing to waste) active and healthy.
In doing so, you forward the growth of all. Remember, it only takes one. If you don't believe that, then just take a look at the huge changes that Eckhart has wrought. Whether I agree or not, whether I like it or not, he has brought change to the spiritual landscape. It is up to you to decide whether or not this change is one you choose to participate in.

Until next time,
Live, Learn, Laugh

Sybil