Alan Cohen on The Truth – The Affirmation Spot for Monday September 22, 2008

Through the ages, poets and philosophers have sought to define truth. It’s unlikely that anyone will ever come up with a definition that will satisfy everyone. Words can only eat around the edges of the topic.

Today’s post is an extended excerpt from Alan Cohen‘s book, The Dragon Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

“The real organ of truth is not the brain, but the heart.  …. Hafiz, the Persian poet, said, ‘ O you who would  learn the marvels of Love from the copybook of reason, I am afraid that you will never really see the point!’

We feel or sense Truth more than we think it. We know it more than we understand it. We can see it more than we can explain it. When we attempt to analyze Truth, we lose ourselves in the dead-end labyrinth of the thinking mind. When we love Truth, however, the storehouse of universal wisdom is opened to us. Our respect for Truth is our investment in its understanding, and our suffering the price of its denial.

The Truth, we discover, cannot be found in a book. We may find words and descriptions of the Truth in a book, but not the Whole Truth, for the Whole Truth is fathomless, ever free of containment, confinement, and conformity….

Truth re-creates itself by its own beauty. There is nothing secret about Truth it will find us where ever we are….

It is said ‘The Truth hurts.”  The Truth has never hurt anything; only illusion hurts. The Truth knows only how to heal. Those who resist Truth resist healing, and those in need of healing can find it by embracing Truth.

The Truth brings with it a peace and satisfaction that falsehood cannot imitate. The lover of Truth lives only for the vision of his ideal and he is nourished only by his awareness of it. ….

The Truth is simple … When we return to simple things the Truth reawakens in our heart like a long-exiled lover.  If you want to know what the Truth is, put aside your textbooks for awhile and walk along the seashore at sunset. Take a child to the park. Gaze at the stars. Observe the gentle rhythm of your breath. Listen to the sound of the bamboo flute.”

Cohen is talking about the timeless, changeless, yet uniquely individual Truth that flows through each of us at every moment. He suggests that by aligning ourselves with it, we will find peace and contentment. By living it we can become truly who we really are without pretense.

Are you living your truth or are you living according rules written by someone else? As long as you live by someone else’s rules, you will never be the person you are here to be. That would be a real shame.

Stay inspired!

Ray


www.theaffirmationspot.com offers downloadable mp3 affirmations, meditations, and visualizations for nearly every area of life – sports, sales, wealth and prosperity, health and fitness, personal growth – to name just a few. Our library is growing all the time. Remember your fifth affirmation on each order is always free.


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I Think I Can, I Know I Can – The Affirmation Spot for Friday March 14, 2008

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ray_launchpad.jpgDownload 2 Affirmations, Get 1 Free!

Take your positive thoughts with you wherever you go. During the month of March Download any two mp3 affirmations from The Affirmation Spot.com and get a third mp3 affirmation free.There are no limits! Simply type the word “blog” into the coupon field at checkout. Thanks for getting your audio affirmations at The Affirmation Spot! Click here to view, hear excerpts, or download affirmations.

Today’s featured affirmation is:

“It is not the mountain I conquer, but myself. I am reaching for the top of the mountain and my day in the sun is here.”
Hear an audio mp3 version of this affirmation right now.


The Little Engine That Could (a Platt and Munk Classic)Many of you are familiar with famous 20th century children’s story The Little Engine That Could.According to Wikipedia, it is unclear who originally wrote the story, but it appeared in the publication Wellsprings for Young People in 1906 under the title “Thinking One Can”.  Four years later the story was published by The Daughters of the American Revolution. That same year, 1910, a version titled The Pony Engine written by Mary C. Jacobs appeared in The Kindergarten Review. (source wikipedia)

As with much of the literature I was exposed to in my early years, I first read the book at my grandmother’s house. Although I had no clue what an underdog was then, I was loved the idea that someone who was told they could not do something did it.

For those not familiar with the story, a long train has to be pulled over a large hill. Several anthropomorphized large engines refuse the task because they believe it impossible. However, one little engine volunteers to attempt. As the little engine builds steam going up the hill, it begins saying, “I think I can….I think I can….I think I can.” Finally, reaching the crest of the hill The Little Engine begins saying, “I know I can…I know I can…I know I can.” The Little Engine succeeds demonstrating the benefits of thinking positively.

This story is simple and childlike. Most wisdom is.

Look around and realize that every human-made thing you see began with an idea and the statement, “I think I can.” Very little has ever been accomplished by someone saying to themselves, “I don’t think I can.” Oh, occasionally a pessimist may succeed at something; proving the statement that even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

By and large, though, if you want to succeed in life – live your dreams, accomplish great things, build something, write something, leave your mark – you must attain the mindset, “I think I can.” You won’t have it every minute of every day. Doubt is part of life.  However, if you can get that mindset most of the time, success follows. As success grows on success, your “I think I can” mindset transitions into an “I know I can mindset”. When you get to that point you’re off to the races.

Now that you have children or grandchildren don’t forget this classic. Do what you can to instill in them an optimistic outlook on life. By helping them now, you prevent them from having to build it from scratch later in life.

Be peaceful Be prosperous Be positive!

Ray

The Affirmation Spot.com

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A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose – An Update

Thank you for visiting The Affirmation Spot. Your comments on the blog or this article are always welcome. What do you think? Please click here to comment on today’s blog.


Big March MP3 Affirmation Sale!

Take your positive thoughts with you wherever you go. During the month of March Download any two mp3 affirmations from The Affirmation Spot.com and get a third mp3 affirmation free. There are no limits! You can download 20 and get 10 free. Simply type the word “blog” into the coupon field at checkout. Thanks for getting your audio affirmations at The Affirmation Spot! Click here to view, hear excerpts, or download affirmations.

Today’s featured affirmation is:

“Achievement. It is not the mountain I conquer, but myself. I am reaching for the top of the mountain and my day in the sun is here.”
Download the audio version of this affirmation set to music from The Affirmation Spot.



213frkycoul__aa_sl110_.jpgAs many of you have probably noticed the past couple of weeks, my wife and I have been reading Eckhart Tolle’s new book A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose.

The book is the latest Oprah’s Book Club selection. She thought so much of this book that she put together a 10-week global interactive webinar to share it with the world. The live webinar takes place each Monday night at 9 p.m. eastern, 8 p.m. central. In between classes, people can work on personalized workbooks and discuss the class online. 

April and I registered for the class that started last night. We’ve been reading the book together. Right now we’re on chapter 3. Based on what I’ve read so far, I heartily recommend this book. If you are far along on your spiritual path, this book is going to remind you of some very important things that you may have forgotten or overlooked. If your journey is just beginning, this book provides a great foundation.

Last night during the live webcast there were a lot of questions from Oprah’s Christian fans about whether this book is “new agey” and fits with their Christian outlook. Several Christians gave testimonials as to how the book was strengthening and deepening their faith.

Eckhart Tolle, the author, provided some fantastic insight into the issue for Christians or others concerned about how the book meshes with their faith. Obviously, these are decisions that each believer must make for himself or herself.

The book is outstanding. Week one of the webcast was wonderful (with the exception of some technical issues). This morning the report on Oprah’s website was that 500,000 people were logged in simultaneously last night making it the largest single event in the history of the Internet. Oprah reported on her show yesterday that people from 139 countries had registered for the course.

The bandwidth (for those of you not familiar with how the Internet works, this is huge) was pushing 242 Gbps. That caused some technical issues. They are working to get the issue corrected for next Monday night’s session.

 It’s Not Too Late

It’s not too late to become part of this historic global webinar and get the benefits of the author’s insights as you read the book. Last night’s  first session can be downloaded to day from either Oprah.com or iTunes.

You can also still register for the webinar at on the registration page at Oprah.com.

Be peaceful Be positive!

Ray

The Affirmation Spot.com

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