During the Oprah-Eckhart Tolle webinar series featuring A New Earth, I flew to Chicago to be in the filming studio for a live session. It was an opportunity not to be missed.
To be with Eckhart during that time, to meet Oprah in person, to become acquainted with many of her staff and witness how committed and hardworking they are was one of the highlights of my life.
It was Eckhart who pointed out to both Oprah and myself that this particular evening was the 10th anniversary of the publication of The Power of Now.
I shared with Oprah what an amazing trip it had been from those early days of the release of The Power of Now to this present time when A New Earth was being read and studied around the globe, and I extended my sincere gratitude to her for making this possible.
We all realized we were participating in something wonderful, something that was going to raise human consciousness a significant measure.
Several days after I returned home to Vancouver, Canada, Eckhart came over for a visit. As usual it was a combination of friendly conversation and catching up with each other, followed by going over the work details we needed to make decisions on.
Eckhart asked me how I enjoyed being in Chicago to take in the 7th week of the Webinar series in the Harpo Studios. I responded to his question, then went on to talk about my experience of being in Chicago in general, which started with explaining that I did some shopping there: gloves, a scarf, and ear muffs, all dictated by the cold and windy weather I hadn’t expected to experience at that time of year. We laughed.
Then I shared with Eckhart the strongest impression I carried back to Vancouver with me, which was that I couldn’t find any stillness in Chicago.
“Eckhart,” I related, “I came back thinking that most of the world does not know what stillness is. I couldn’t find it anywhere there – even in the lobby of the hotel, which was decorated in a minimalist Zen-like fashion. There were simple vases containing delicate orchids, and the lobby was spacious and the furniture invited quiet repose. But the noise of the music overflowing from the bar and the lobby restaurant, along with the incessant chatter of the guests and the staff, stood in stark contrast to what the physical appearance of the lobby invited.”
We then spoke of the challenges of maintaining inner stillness, especially in large cities that are dominated by mind. The mind thrives on noise and verbal chatter.
We agreed that in Vancouver, Canada, we are so fortunate because it’s a city that’s still dominated by nature. Mind hasn’t completely taken over here, so it’s easier to maintain inner stillness in the midst of the many gardens and natural forests along the edge of the ocean.
It may be easier to hold stillness in one place than in another, but in the end it’s the stillness we bring to the world that we find there, no matter where we are.
If I couldn’t find stillness in Chicago, it was because I got lost in the noise of the city and forgot to turn within and find the stillness that’s always within us under all circumstances.
Where is stillness to be found? Only within ourselves – for even in the most peaceful of nature’s surroundings, stillness will elude us if we ourselves aren’t still.
When we come to know inner stillness and recognize it as the true nature of our being, we know we can’t be separated from it. It will be with us wherever we go.
It will be there in spite all the noise the world generates.
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I try to put myself back into a memory of perfect stillness when I need to establish some serenity space in my mind. I've been gifted with a decade of living on a wilderness ranch in northern BC some years ago. In this environment I was horse back riding in below zero temperatures down a string of meadows one morning to check our herd of highland cows.
The foot and a half of snow in the frozen white landscape muffled all sound. Yet there was a steady soft flutter of a sound quite near me. How surprised I was when I realized it was my frosted eyelashes regularly blinking against the glare of the sun on my snowy world!
That was stillness! I was at one with the earth and I loved it! Yes, there is great beauty in the stillness of Now.
Best regards to all.
Constance,
Where did you go for so long? I miss your sweet comments.
Namaste
Pittsburg,
I am still here but have been needing to give my attention to other areas of late. I will, however, commit to participate more often in the creation and discussions on JTHC.
Nice to know you haven't gone anywhere and are still journeying with us.
Bless you.
It is so good to know that you are still here. Thanks for all your efforts, we need it.
Bless you too.
Thanks for this story.
Pittsburg,
Although I am Eckhart's publisher, intimate with his teaching, and his dear friend, I never presume to answer questions for him - although this is tempting at times.
I too am fortunate to have access to nature. I live very close to the ocean and to a natural forest where I can walk daily. And I usually do.
Just like you, as I experience more stillness within, my craving for external silence and stillness increases. So too does my need to be in nature. Aren't we blessed to have such easy access to these natural surroundings?
I do not really expect you to talk for Eckhart, I was just hoping that being in close association for so long, you may have better understanding than others.
Eckhart has been talking about establishing an Ashram. That would have been a wonderful place to ask him directly. Maybe someday he would consider answering some blog questions.
We are indeed very lucky to be so close to nature. Not everybody is so fortunate. I am from India and wish to spend more time there. But that country is now so over populated, and consequently devoid of natural beauty in urban areas, that I cannot imagine going and living there.
Dear Constance ,
These lovely personal experiences are very helpful. We can learn a lot from experiences of others on the path of stillness. Thanks.
In Pittsburgh, PA we are also very lucky. I live just 8 miles from downtown, still I live surrounded by woods. Withing 3 miles we have at least three forest preserves, numerous walking trails and even a waterfall. All this is possible since Pittsburgh is so hilly that all land is not build-able. It is so beautiful all around the year.
I wonder how to deepen the stillness once you have glimpses of it. Eckhart does not seem to say much about deepening it, he mostly talks about accessing it. What I mean by deepening it is how to make it so that it is easily accessible whenever we want it. Just like it was hard for you to find stillness in Chicago, I tend to lose it and then it comes back on its own. By becoming strongly present the thoughts can be made to go away almost anytime, but that deep peaceful feeling is not available anytime. I wonder what Eckhart says about it and what your personal experience is.
Namaste.