Letting go of the past is an important part of awakening. Why? Because what you are exists ONLY here, now, in/as this present moment. And so, it’s important in awakening to be aware of attachments we may still be holding on to from the past. For me, as I have come upon my own way of speaking about that which never comes or goes, it is clear it is time to let go of the Santa Monica Eckhart Tolle meetup.
To expand on this for a moment, while I have thoroughly enjoyed being the organizer for the past 9 years, I feel now is the time to officially break away from under Eckhart’s teaching and just share what I have come to discover:
That happiness is NOT available in the world, but is in fact WHAT YOU ALREADY ARE! Hence the expression, “You are what you seek.”
Satsang is about seeing this for yourself, in your own direct experience. And so that is what the West LA Satsang is all about… taking a look at what beliefs are blocking us from seeing our already whole, ever-present and intrinsically at peace nature, despite what may be happening or not happening in the waking dream.
And while I love Eckhart and much of his teaching, for me his language was sometimes a bit dualistic. For example, when he would say, “Make friends with the now,” that sounded great on the surface, but there was always a “me” trying to befriend “the now.” 2 things. Separation. And so, I never felt, as good as it was, that Eckhart’s teaching could actually awaken me as long as that sense of separation was there. Just to be clear, this was not so much a problem with Eckhart or the material, but rather how it hit me. (Each of is unique and thus you must find the teaching that resonates best for you.)
And so, I began to realize that the one thing all my problems had in common was “me”! Utilizing non-duality, deconstruction, and self-inquiry, I discovered that I couldn’t actually find or locate the “me” that I had always imagined myself to be! And without a me, there is only THIS, only what’s presently happening. Eureka!! I had found what I was looking for. It turns out that you don’t need an imaginary “me” to exist, but on the contrary, the sense of being a “me” is actually what spoils the party. As Paul Hedderman says, “The party doesn’t get good until after you leave!”
Another reason for this announcement is so that those that prefer Eckhart’s teaching can leave this meetup and join one that focuses on Eckhart’s material. Just because I don’t feel Eckhart’s material goes deep enough to get to the root of separation, doesn’t mean that others won’t find tremendous value from it. So, if you choose to move on, I wish you the best in your spiritual awakening. Just go to our meetup and click on your account and then “leave this group.” Here’s the link:
http://www.meetup.com/westlasatsang
And for those that wish to attend the West LA Satsang, we currently meet at 3 locations every month:
Every Weds., night at my apt. in West LA from 7:00-9:15pm (by donation)
First Sun. night of the month at The Gateway in West LA from 7-9pm (10.00)
The middle Sat. of the month at The Sunset Park Church in Santa Monica from 1-3pm (check our calendar for the exact date; by donation)
-Michael
P.S. I look forward to seeing those of you that are coming to tomorrow night’s West LA Satsang with myself and Daniel. If you haven’t already RSVP’d, you can do so here: http://www.meetup.com/westlasatsang/
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