The Wake-up Calls

[FirstglimpseOMG]

Hallo evrybodee. I've seen Eckhart Tolle's 'The Power Of Now' mentioned a few times here. 

I know there are some on here that are undeniably and irrevocably waking up in a myriad of beautiful, indescribable ways.

The essence of Tolle's teachings on presence has been huge as I try to stay on the path I have found. The simplicity of full presence is likely one of the most overlooked, misunderstood, dismissed Truths of the journey towards enlightenment, in my current understanding of the big picture anyway.

The simplest shit. The simplest shit is the biggest and best for me sometimes. Somehow the simplest Truths are often hidden behind the simplicity itself. And as such, are not even noticed, or in becoming so used to the symbology of our language, are assumed to be platitudes or entrenched fables, meaningless and frivolous and trivial.

Surrender. 'Surrender' There is a simple Truth hidden in just that one word. Because it is so, so simple, and so, so completely misunderstood, the essence of the word, pertaining to reality, spirituality, awakening, enlightenment, is back-asswards and counter-intuitive.  Mercifully, there are folks that are getting closer and closer, to varying degrees, to more and more Truths. Thankfully, they cannot help but share to the best of their ability.

There are awesome, simple but elusive little wake-up calls occuring constantly. Mindfulness, in it's real sense, is wonderful for creating a feedback loop of realization and slow, (or not so slow) awakening. A little more mindful. A wee bit more awake. A wee bit more awake, the mindfulness becomes more natural and easy. More natural and easy mindfulness leads to a little more awakening, at whatever rate. Loop it baby, loop it, grow it. There's no going back, no turning back from any and every step & stumble you take towards enlightenment. It adds up, and cannot be subtracted, disappeared or forgotten. It adds up. All those little Truths that smack the little me right betwen my smartpants eyes.. ..they stay.  In my experience anyway.

So, after all that fun rambling, I thought that if a few of you were recognising, and making progress on acting on the little wake up calls that initiate and perpetuate the mindfulness/awakening loop, maybe you will find an opportunity here to share.

Ok, I'll start.

About a week ago, I was in my kitchen, making coffee. I've been on this journey of awakening hard-core (well, hard-core for lazy-assed me) for a little less than a year now. So, here's me last week in my kitchen making a coffee for myself. I make it a little strong, not really on purpose, and as I look down at the swirling caramel coloured liquid, I am suddenly, COMPLETELY unconsciously, in the kitchen with my ex-wife making morning coffee for the two of us before work. 22 years ago. 22 years.  ..I hand the coffee to my wife, and she says "Pretty bloody strong, dontcha think? I like my coffee to change colour a bit when I put the cream in."

Next scene: Me walking out of my kitchen a week ago, still immersed in the scenario, and I say OUT LOUD as I am walking into my living room "Well then make your own frickin' coffee then, you fricken'...."

..And I stopped. Right then & there I stopped. I caught it right then & stopped dead in my tracks, mouth open, no sound coming out. I was back. Phew! That little scenario actually sucked pretty hard 22 years ago, & was somehow just as 'sucky', if not more so last week as I was reliving it vividly as I walked out of my kirchen, completely immersed in the replay. I imagine it was just my subconscious mind that kept me from shinning myself on the coffee table.. because I was not there. I was not present. BAM! WAKE UP CALL!! BAM! ENTRY POINT!!! 

I'm freaking loving this. Make it your friend. 

Anyone else? Tidbits? Wake up calls?

 

[Gabriel Antonio]

sometimes when i am lazy, my grandma scolds me. this is a wake-up call to me.

[FirstglimpseOMG]

I used to think being lazy was mostly a waste of my time, so I just substituted the word 'contemplative' for 'lazy' & now I'm all good.

 

[Alicja_]

Wake up call: 

Some time ago, while taking long, warm, bubble baths in my depression, I realised that I actually choose to feel that pain rather than to act in order to recover. Such a helpless, lazy bum I was.  Then something inside me forced me to take a shower, clean up my flat and eat a healthy dinner. I heard this voice inside me from then on, and less than a year later, I accomplished  more in my life than in the previous 10 years. 

[Dodo]

I am one of Tolles teaching's biggest fan.

Read the power of now 4 times in two different languages. Still reading bits from time to time, it's such a therapeutic book. 

Edited January 15, 2017 by Dodoster