What is the point of Physical?

[samaria1123]

I am reading A New Earth- Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle.

I like Eckhart Tolle's writings because it helps me "make sense" more of things. As I am reading this though I find it slightly hard to comprehend the fact that all of what we see hear and feel physically is an illusion of the physical world and body.

So I understand that but then think to myself...lol rather my ego thinks to itself...

"If this is all an illusion of the mind, which is not that which I am... how is there any physical thing in this world that brings my physical self to love and peace as my Being already is?" There are many desires I have in the world for my physical self. But it all feeds to the ego, which is to say nothing my Being needs at all.

Part of me wonders what the point is anymore. Why can "I" not be solely within myself and Being at all times and what do I need the physical world, body, desires, and wants for? I feel content in my Being, and it just poses a threat I suppose to my physical ego that there is no purpose for it anymore. Though, at the same time, my physical self is still in the physical world wanting to be courageous, successful, happy and at peace. But if I already have all that is within the physical body what is the point of the physical-ness. What is the ultimate purpose of the illusionary world?

It's deep thinking that is going on in my "host" as I like to call it. I feel as tho my Being tries to calm my host and ego but cannot for there are no feelings or thoughts that can give the host that peace.

[pollyanna]

Hi Samaria, yes I agree, this is very deep, hard to understand and even begin to explain so I have put on Creative Flow while I attempt to give my take on this

I understand that everything is vibrational, everything is an illusion and I believe the being will always be, however, I don't believe the ego (map of reality/ perspective) needs to feel threatened although it is good to allow it to change because it shouldn't be rigid. By becoming aware we can help the ego to serve us better and fulfil the purpose we are here for.

I really love the life I am creating, the way I feel, my husband, my children, my grandchildren, family pets, living within nature and seeing the deer, red squirrels and all the birds. I don't feel the need to impress people as I used to do, I just feel really comfortable with people I choose to spend time with.

I enjoy my work and my time out - if I didn't, I would make some changes. I am a creature of comfort ( love big squashy sofas, chairs, beds etc.) though I don't need to spend lots of money to buy expensive furniture.

At lunchtime someone was driving on the wrong side of the road and my son-in-law had to go up on the curb or she would have hit him head on instead of crashing into the back end of his car. My two grandchildren were in the back and thankfully no-one was hurt. He rang me up and I went to bring the children home because the car was not drivable. The car is probably written off so they will use ours until we sort something out (my husband and I have bicycles anyway for the local shops) The lady seemed like she was on medication or drugs of some kind, she's trying to claim knock for knock, we are having challenges communicating in french, another of our cars is unrepairable we found out last night so we are down to one car between three housholds and my daughter is completing on a house sale as I write so it's not a good time to purchase another car

The good news is we'll still have a meal together and celebrate the purchase of their new home and as we all work from home we won't have a problem getting to work

The following quote is one we all have learned to live by through changing our perspective by regular meditation:-

"GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE, THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE"

Well as you can see, I had to leave my desk unexpectadly, Creative Flow stopped playing and I hope you can make some kind of sense from my ramblings

I wish you an abundance of peace and joy

[Itlandm]

Tolle does not tell the whole truth. Because if he did, you would need millions of years to read it.

It is just a message to address some problems that are particularly rampant today, where people are suffering in a state of terrible ignorance, thinking they are their bodies and despairing (as well they should, if they were bodies).

Things that come and go are illusionary compared to eternal Being, but they have their place. They were wanted, so they came into being. In time, they will not have anything more to do, and so they will cease to exist. There is no judgment in that.

There are thousands of books written about metaphysics. Some of them are good and some are really bad and some are just confused. But I don't think we should try to form a complete understanding of the universe based simply on one or a handful of books. Life is bigger than that.

[samaria1123]

Thanks so much to the both of you for your responses. Each were helpful in their way. I suppose I have an undying need to know, to understand. Quantum Physics while very interesting to me is still pretty hard to comprehend. The beauty of the humankind is the ever wanting to Know.

I guess my big thing is while meditating I find my bliss, feel the love and joy with my Being and wonder after why I can't just feel that always. While meditating that is all I need, it is what I am. I cannot feel the full connection while being in the physical world. I guess that's the beauty of this thing we call life. My journey of life is enjoying the physical world and body, all that it can bring, while remembering who I Am and keeping that connection of Love, Peace, and Joy.

[GilesC]

Originally Posted by samaria1123

I like Eckhart Tolle's writings because it helps me "make sense" more of things. As I am reading this though I find it slightly hard to comprehend the fact that all of what we see hear and feel physically is an illusion of the physical world and body.

Try this as an aid to understanding...

If we were to stand next to each other and look at e.g. a chair, the chair that you see will not be the same as the chair that I see. Not only visually is the image that I am perceiving slightly different to yours (as we are looking at the chair from different positions in space), but our perceptions of the chair, how we feel about it, the level of detail we see, the memories, thoughts and emotions that arise from it, will differ between us. If how you percieve that chair is different from how I percieve that chair, then neither of our perceptions can be real (we can't both be right, but neither of us is wrong). The chair is created by us. (to add: to a woodworm, it's just a piece of wood )

Originally Posted by samaria1123

Thanks so much to the both of you for your responses. Each were helpful in their way. I suppose I have an undying need to know, to understand. Quantum Physics while very interesting to me is still pretty hard to comprehend. The beauty of the humankind is the ever wanting to Know.

Some good books relating to quantum physics, that can be understood with little knowledge of science (although some does help)...

In Search of Schrodinger's Cat: Amazon.co.uk: John Gribbin: Books
Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality: Amazon.co.uk: John Gribbin: Books
QED - The Strange Theory of Light and Matter Penguin Press Science: Amazon.co.uk: Richard P Feynman: Books

Hugs

Giles

[Salem Temple]

Great topic indeed. I too found a place where physical reality seem to loose point. In my studies and practice of zazen, I have come across a teaching that brought me light on this subject. Look it up and I am sure you will find much more valuable info then I am able to provide, but its called the place, or state where the mind and body drop off. Its a stepping stone to enlightenment.