Your Inner Purpose-As a person in recovery,I have found A new Earth a great tool to deepen my spiritual being. I am grateful for Tolle so often putting in towords what I had in thoughts!

We can only live now, in this very moment. My inner purpose is to be in conscious contact with the spirit of the universe (god) at this given moment. My inner purpose, while connected, is totally different from my outer purpose (work, job, relationships). To be successful truly on the outside, I must realize and accept my inner purpose.

I have certainly experienced this. In my prime earning period, with the big title and trappings, it was not enough, not a happy period even though I lived it for 10 years. There was no true satisfaction. There were things I learned that serve me well today, including realizing in my work, it was the people side, the watching and helping people become aware of their talents, which I loved. I never had a raise or promotion that made me feel good for long.

In my last contract job, I did find a large amount of things aligned to my inner purpose, and when that contract ended suddenly, I was given an opportunity to spend much time inside and in the moment, and through conscious contact and getting the right things at the right time, understood how to align my inner purpose with my outer purpose-to serve others.

To borrow from Tolle “Life is an adventure, it is not a packaged tour” and there is uncertainty in the journey we call life! I have the right to make some mistakes, but at this time I feel more like inner and outer purposes are aligned than ever before, and believe I am doing today what is in keeping with my inner purpose. I no longer wonder if I want to be a “fireman or policeman (figuratively)”. I feel no doubt about what I am embarking on, and am happy with the present moment. I have gifts to offer that were freely given and unique to me, and when the time is right, I will have the audience to give to. I am not afraid to succeed at the Life Transformation Coaching business, and love working with those who are restless, and whose restlessness may include addictions. If I am to make money, it will happen. If not, I will have assisted those I was meant to to find their inner purpose. I am thankful to have found mine.

I am doing something that comes from within, from a space of passion! It is “feeling” type work that came through a contact with a universal energy and through good advice from others. I “feel” my inner purpose, and Chapter 9 talks to the importance of this for each of us.

Since I began my journey with an awakening, I have been aware of the pleasant coincidences, and some less pleasant, that have happened. Right now, I am here in this minute living!

Some things I cherished materially have been taken away with time. What is certain and will always be there for me is the universal energy, the god that I understand. My most recent job was something I loved, but it had taken over my life in a way that, in the big picture, was not healthy. I had started to become my job and life balance had eroded. From an end has come a beginning. Funny, this hit me when I spent an abundance of time (6 days) in nature, and tuned in to the things surrounding me. I was with my most trusted advisor as a sounding board, and had a measure of conscious contact with my inner good self that I had not experienced in years. From the end of the beloved job came discovery and a sense of inner purpose.

Chapter 9 tells me this is something that I should have done (the taking of time), but did through co-incidence! Being and doing came together while being immersed and present in nature!! An experience brought about through a measure of adversity.

I get comfort today because what I have learned is my inner purpose is now more aligned with my outer purpose. I can’t tell others how to live, but I can help them to find their inner purpose, and from there, align the outer. I can help by guiding others through a thought purpose starting with awakening, and moving towards A New Earth. I think Tolle’s work has accelerated “awakenings” on a global basis. I hope I can do my little part.

On page 267, Tolle states that as soon as you turn away from god, god ceases to be a reality in your life. In 1968 I did just this completely, and in 1994, god was willing and there to come back as a reality. Over that period, while experiencing material success, I had become emotionally stunted and unhappy inside. I was a good actor on stage and a very good people pleaser when it served me! Unconscious ego had filled the “god” space. The spirit came back in abundance when I sought and accepted what I found.

Today I can experience Presence: I can be conscious without thought. This is serenity, and in keeping with what I see in nature around me. I am conscious, a state many are seeking!! It is the god in me manifested, and god is in all. I experience alert Presence.

As Tolle articulates so well, I cannot become successful, but I can be successful. Because success happens in this moment, not in the future. The journey I am on is one moment at a time. The better I stay in the moment, as Tolle articulates so well, the more peace I have.

In Chapter 9, Tolle does what we know as FAQ. For the skeptics, it is worth reading these answers! Your question will be there!

Tolle talks to what I have observed and lived. After awakening and the journey of change beginning, people in our lives either are growing on a spiritual path with us, or take a much lesser role in our lives. The connection to some people is not the same. It is not a bad disconnect It is a natural growing apart. I have certainly seen this happen with couples where one party grows, and the other remains static. Moving apart in this case is a natural occurrence, not a right and wrong decision.

Someone stated to me that if we are all in the now, awakened, and following the life, things would be very boring! Not true! That is why I believe in a god of my, not your, understanding.

We always must appreciate each of us is unique, our awakenings will be unique, and our journeys unique. That there ultimately is one god if we follow the thread, and there are core values taken from this thread, is the fact that can unify in a positive way if awakening occurs. There is interconnectedness not only among people, but the universe as a whole. Funny how nature, when no thought occurs, looks after its own. I was not aware that no wild creatures died in the tsunami, they were in tune with source. Its there for all if we pay attention to the god inside of us.

In Chapter 9, ET shows us inner purpose and helps us understand what it is. Many have it naturally, others, like me, have learned it later in life. When we awaken to our inner purpose and bring outer purpose into alignment, even things we believe we don’t like can make more sense.

Life and journeys to the ultimate goal happens one small step at a time. There was much learning and experience before the hitter who homered in his first big league game got to the big leagues and was allowed to go to bat. Greatness comes one small step at a time, and again, Chapter 9 articulates this well.

I hope all get the opportunity to awaken and find their inner purpose. And for those who think it may be boring, the god I understand trusts me enough to give me free will and a sense of adventure and humor! I am enjoying the gift of this moment!

Where has the time gone? It’s amazing how time flies by when your in the game of life and not sitting on the sidelines.

I sit here after a medical first thing this morning, and realizing I have not journalled since last Thursday and much has happened!

For a reason only my higher power understands, the little funk I’ve been in has lifted. A reminder again that if you hang in and do the right things, “this too shall pass”. The leaves on the trees around our home opened over the weekend, and there are some early blossoms on flowering shrubs. A great reminder of the rebirth of nature and the passing of time from season to season.

The golf course is open, and I’ve enjoyed the walks, but am reminded at how out of shape I let myself become over the long winter just passed. If I had any doubts and was kidding myself, the scales in the docs office and his words made sure I understood. I’m glad it’s spring, and I can get outside willingly and often. And as an encouragement and incentive, I had a hole-in-one yesterday. It was my 4^th, but the first time I’d had one were is was genuinely a good shot, well hit! I am pleased for this fortunate happening.

I’ve got to dig in to my Chapter 9 of Tolle’s A New Earth. I had joined at study group, but have missed the last couple of sessions (funk related). Strange coincidence, one of my playing partners yesterday asked if I was part of the study group on ANE. I said yes, and he told me his wife had also joined the group and wanted him to read the book!

He and I had a great chance to talk about some of the spiritual concepts ANE deals with.

This made for an even more positive day.

So good things are going on. I’m feeling upbeat, staying away from the computer for a few days is a good right sizing for me, I have continued to stay off cigarettes and that is getting easier to accept, the craving is lessening!

I am concerned about a couple of people who I have been working with remotely and who were having real struggles with their addiction demons. I pray they are well and living, and that I hear from them soon.

I am enjoying seeing the positive results in the actions and lives of a couple of people I have been privileged to work with, and continue to do so. It just fabulous to see them living transformed, more abundant lives, and the people closest to them noting the positive changes.

There is a peace within me, and I have enjoyed conscious contact in abundance. Some very positive things are happening, and for that, I am grateful!

There is nothing way off the mark going on inside of me, and I am grateful for that also!

A few things I must do. Be conscious of my weight and gradually get back closer to my fighting weight. Be “present” for those I love and those I have the privilege of serving. To move a couple of work related projects forward, particularly marketing ones. And to network, asking others for help in building my business.

I am ready to be of expanded service to others, and coaching others to a more abundant life full of hope and serenity!

So all is on an even keel right at this moment! The journey, I sense, is about to progress up the hill in a renewed way, and I’m ready.

Chapter 8 of “A New Earth” was a fascinating experience. Phrases like “This, too, will pass” and “Lose yourself to find yourself” resonated deep with in me. Things that have been a big part of my journey of recovery, and I’ll once again say, recovery of life, a life full of joy and free of the crutch of addictions.

Chapter 8 is all about “The Discovery of Inner Peace”, a great term, and one I equate to serenity. To achieve inner peace or serenity, I had to lose the old “myself” and rediscover the good and the faith that was still within me. As temptations and old thinking arise, I have to remind myself that this too will pass, and a moment with my higher power in conscious contact has allowed many things to pass. I am allowed to find what Tolle calls “the joy of Being”.

In reading Chapter 8, there were litmus tests as to whether you were really feeling and achieving inner space. I am grateful that in the new person I have become, I do, indeed have the blessing of “inner space” or serenity, and am truly grateful to the reconnect and constant contact with my higher power to allow me to find it.

And it is there for all who are prepared to fearlessly “lose themselves” and make positive discovery. But be warned, my experience tells me this doesn’t happen without willingness, some emotional turmoil, and fears! The journey is not easy.

Tolle talks much in Chapter8 about one of my pet words, “ACCEPTANCE”. We must accept how we, and the environment we find ourselves in right now, are as they really are. Nothing can change until we accept the reality of the moment.

In Chapter 8, Tolle talks directly about addictions. He makes many good observations, particularly in stating that addictions happen in complete unconsciousness, and awareness and acceptance of addictions are a part of recovery from them. As well, to recover, my experience is that I must consciously detach with the addiction. I am finding this to be true currently with smoking.

However, because I don’t think Tolle has lived a substance addiction, there is a dimension he doesn’t touch on. That is the special bond that helps those with addictions to have a “special” understanding of the fellow addict. I do agree with Tolle, even after a number of years recovered, I do find that sometimes my addiction still talks to me, and I have to detach from that voice and thought. That is not who I am today!

“A New Earth’ is a fascinating read. I can see how those who have not experienced a personal awakening can do so if they grasp and buy in to the philosophy. For myself, I believe that my “awakening” happened many years ago, and “A New Earth” has deepened my spirituality and exposed me to new thinking and clarity of some old thinking. It is bringing depth.

One very interesting concept Tolle talks to, I have found that being in touch with who I am, and my higher power, on many issues if I don’t act in a knee jerk fashion, I intuitively know the right answer for me without doing a poll. This, in itself, is a change.

I found much more of interest in Chapter 8, but don’t want to rewrite the book! Its fine how it is, complicated but interesting.

I know that as negatives arise, this too will pass, and that by accepting certain truths, and with time and much help, I lost myself to find myself and I truly like the person I found allot better than the one I lost!

In the work I do, and in dealing with people searching for a better life, at start of transforming life, many love to blame “people, places and things” for their problems. I know, because I was guilty. “If only”, “if so and so didn’t”, “I wasn’t responsible”, “it was so and sos’ fault/job/responsibility”, “if they hadn’t of said/done”, “they/nobody understands me (I’m unique)” and on and on. We bear the burdens and go to our own cross! Others were responsible; at least in part.

I’ve been saving the little gem that follows for a while. I love it when others put, what I feel, so well in writing!!
No one likes a martyr.
How do we feel around martyrs? Guilty, angry, trapped, negative, and anxious to get away. Somehow, many of us have developed the belief that depriving ourselves, not taking care of ourselves, being a victim, and suffering needlessly will get us what we want.
It is our job to notice our abilities, our strengths, and take care of ourselves by developing and acting on them.
It is our job to notice our pain and weariness and appropriately take care of ourselves.
It is our job to notice our deprivation, too, and begin to take steps to give ourselves abundance. It begins inside of us, by changing what we believe we deserve, by giving up our deprivation and treating ourselves the way we deserve to be treated.
Life is hard, but we don't have to make it more difficult by neglecting ourselves. There is no glory in suffering, only suffering. Our pain will not stop when a rescuer comes, but when we take responsibility for ourselves and stop our own pain.
{font:Arial}Today, I will be my own rescuer. I will stop waiting for someone else to work through my issues and solve my problems for me.

{font:Arial}For years I have believed the only real place to get sympathy consistently is in a dictionary. I’ve learned it is found between “s..t and syphilis. I have learned and coined the phrases that “if you look at the world through an a..hole, all you see is s..t.” These things aren’t fancy, but good truths!

So you’ve got problems or problem people in your life? Want to hear all about mine? No? A real surprise.

Join me on a journey where we don’t accept martyrs and won’t be one.

For me, I choose conscious contact, meditation and acting in the moment. I choose to be responsible for taking care of me! Let’s move it forward!!