New Tolle Silent Meeting group: We've had our first meeting

[Suzanne]

I just want to share this with the board. After trying for a couple of months, we finally got this going, and it was great. There were 4 of us, but 2 more were planning on coming.

This is a wonderful experience! Even though we are all very different people in different generations and professions, our experiences were remarkably similar. I enjoyed the interactive nature of it. Especially when someone posed a question. It felt like Eckhart was right there.

Two of the four are new since Oprah's webcasts. He's capturing so many people, but the connection seems to be very real. They report the feeling of truth in his words right from the start.

I think one of the most remarkable aspects to the PON is how you can enter if from anywhere anytime for any reason and it still holds together.

When any of us shares the feeling of awakening or presence the others feel it, too. This really is fun to share. I've been doing it alone for years, now.

It is a blessing, a gift to share with others.
I highly recommend this to anyone: Go to his site and find a group. I think you'll be glad you did. These people feel like old friends, immediately.

If you don't have a group nearby, start one yourself.

Yeah! We did it!

[Sighclone]

Suzanne - congratulations!! I know how worried Eckhart is about talking and egos and painbodies, etc....but jeepers, we have this big wordy forum here and it's really not that hard to manage the extreme people...I think there will come a time when he will allow more talking, maybe train moderators...how did you communicate?

Namaste, Andy

[James]

That sounds beautiful Suzanne,
We have been doing an ET silent group here in Philly for a couple months now, attendance has been between 9-15 people. The depth of peace and stillness when we sit together in the group is phenomenal. There is such a holy hush in the room. A stillness, yet an intense aliveness and vitality; a field of Presence.

Andy: Some in our group have expressed an interest in meeting with others for conversation, so we are arranging something casual afterwards, as an option, where people can meet for coffee and relate to others. This seemed like a good compromise. Remember there is no right or wrong way. Each person must find an approach that is most suitable for them. It helps to be very alert and attuned to the Ego's machinations, so we are aware when it is taking us for a ride. A noisy mind is often the biggest impediment to awakening. So if we are not able to experience stillness due to an internal dialog, or we feel the need to always being doing or saying something, awakening may continue to elude us.

Although it is not necessary to do so to awaken, I highly recommend joining with others in a group this way. It only takes 2 to make a group. Whenever you meet another person, whether in a group or in everyday activities, it is a holy encounter.

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Mathew 18:20 (KJV)

James

[Suzanne]

Thanks, James and Andy.

I have to confess that since we're just meeting for the first time, we actually needed to find out where each other were in the process. I know that's breaking the rules, but so far, I'm the only one who is comfortable meditating, and since I don't want to try to be a teacher, I feel I can't insist upon it. It's not my place.

So, we said our hellos and then watched a bit of the Findhorn Retreat. Then we just sort of let the conversation come, and it was very easy. At this point I'm the veteran in the group and so the other two are asking me for explanations. This is tricky, and I don't want to give the put-off answer of, "You have to find that out for yourself." Although I know that would be the best answer, I find that rather smug. So, I've tried to give personal examples of the answer in my life rather than explaining Eckhart's words. In that way, I don't feel I'm posing as an expert on Eckhart.

It's not what I had hoped, but, all of the interest is brand new because of Oprah, so, in the spirit of acceptance, I just let the evening happen and did not try to steer it at all.

I'll try to introduce the idea of meditation if I hear it come up, but I just don't feel I can be the one to suggest anything in particular.

It's lovely to share this with others. I got alot out of it, and so far the word is we'll have 5 or 6 at the next one.

I'm going to take the advice of one of my prophets, Paul, and just "Let It Be."

I don't know how I'll handle it if a big ego arrives. Maybe I'll come back here for advice! Can I count on you guys?

[Wings]

Susan, reading of your experience resonated with my similar newly found group of about 5 weeks now. It started out with two women other than me and 2 weeks ago, another woman joined. We are now four.

I have to agree, about reservations of not wanting to appear overtly verbose and extol the virtues of presence, as if I were more advanced than the others. One thing, which I brought to the table and here on this board, was Tolle’s acceptance, or at least his appearance of acceptance of others by him looking directly at you and with a gentle slight smile always nodding his head, as if saying yes when listening to anything you may have to say.

It was almost like a head bobble doll effect but believe it or not, its so cool when you can work it into subtle, quiet conversation amongst each other and the acceptance of it somehow symbolizes and gives way to smiling rapport which gets contagious and somehow you really get to like each other.

At our last meeting one woman had to express her deep beautifully felt feelings, which had us all searching and stuttering for expression which stayed with me till I got home because yes, we touched upon something indescribable. It catch’s the throat and as ET expresses, it creates a deep felt inner contraction while he points to the chest. It was a shift.

As we went on to read and discuss “frequency holders” this expressionless feeling we had just experienced and stuttering to explain, kind of linked into what the expressionless “frequency” is. Such resonate nodding of heads saying yes, around the table at that moment, was not only priceless to me, it had an inspirational connection. Yes this was another shift of many little shifts that serve as a gentle reminder of who we are and where we can go at any given moment.

This leads into your desire, as mine, to experience more of the stillness between us to link a silence of knowing more is occurring inside just by us being together knowing and knowing and feeling the frequency which effects us physically without words.

You’ll have to excuse me, I find words so inadequate at times and they just seem to get in the way. Hopefully there was a semblance of sense somewhere….

[Sighclone]

We are the masters of ego transmutation, especially WW and kiki. I tend to get into it with egos a bit...oh heck, so do WW and kiki. But remember, these are to be silent meetings. James has arranged for an informal meeting after his event - maybe that would be the place where conversation could take place. The bottom line is to just surrender. Let the egoic person grind away - just be present for them, nodding and smiling like Eckhart does. Do not judge. The judgement can take place within the others present...if you find yourself in significant disagreement, be sure to have annotated copies of PON and ANE handy for reference. And be profoundly respectful and polite.

Or send them to kiki, James and WW.

Namaste, Andy

[James]

To me it sounds like the sharing that is going on with Suzanne and Wings' groups has a powerful transformative quality; I would say keep doing what your doing, if it feels right. It sounds very nice! Both of you probably have rare gifts; as long as self importance does not creep in ;>) the gift will keep flowing.

Warm Regards

James

[Wings]

Eckhart's suggestion of silent meetings was not a rule, but had more to do with avoiding the "little me" traps that keep us stuck. My experience has been that there is often no end to the questions from newer students, until inner stillness is experienced, then there is the Ahaaa! And they realize that the problem is often inherent in the questioning itself (the mind identity). However, most people that would be interested in coming to a group regularly are already experiencing some awakening, that is what is drawing them there, and everyone has questions now and then.

James, aside from enjoying your posts in general, your “Silent Meetings” posts particularly have drawn my attention and am interested on a bit more on how they are conducted. I’ve never attended a silent meeting before and above it points to ET having certain silent meeting rules, I’m interested where I can find an explanation and/or a format, if any. Thanks in advance.

[James]

Hi Wings
Here is the link for hosting a local group: http://eckharttolle.com/hosting_a_group

Again it is a suggestion rather than a rule, the important thing is operating in an aware state of Presence.

Enjoy
James

[Suzanne]

Dear James, Wings, and Andy,
Thanks for the into.

I think we did avoid bringing in little me's in this first real meeting. But it was only 3 of us, so it wasn't too hard. I wonder what will happen in the next one when more will attend. We'll see. No sense living in the future about it!

I'm thinking that after we establish the group and some trust, we may get over our initial 'ah ha!" stage and settle into some stillness. We're in presence but not really stillness, yet. I haven't heard of anyone spending alot of time in stillness on their own, yet.

I guess I'll hope that our meeting inspired them to go deeper into the books and find it.

Do you think they'll encounter stillness on their own or in the group?

How did you all find it?

[James]

Suzanne said:

Do you think they'll encounter stillness on their own or in the group?

Both, if there is an interest in it and a willingness to be still. But doing it in a group helps facilitate the experience. I find it to be a deeper experience with others, and then it is easier afterwards to enter stillness on ones own. One of those mysteries of life, I don't try to figure out how it works, I just enjoy it when it happens.

Try the Gateways To Now recording, you could suggest it to others also, it has pointers that help facilitate entering the stillness. Apply the principles regularly and it becomes easier.

James

[Wings]

James, after reading how you play a piece by Tolle when the meeting starts, feels like a nice cue into getting grounded and setting a receptive mood. True, little me, chit chat does prevail and one can get sucked up into it by trying to be accommodating, and yes, friendliness is fun and good but as a group it would also be great touching the power of ones inner most self and feeling the peace which can be there for you.

After considering your idea of playing something by Tolle at the beginning of the meeting, Oprah announced her Radio XM series was now down loadable, so I down downloaded it. I didn’t know how to copy the video portion onto a DVD through ITunes, so I just copied the audio portion onto a CD. Just listening to ET’s mellow voice conveying without gesticulations or facials seemed somewhat nice and allows, at will, for closing of ones eyes and absorbing a bit more deeply.

I’m not sure I’ve heard Gateways To Now but am curious and wondered were one can get it, or at least hear it. It’s surprising but the rise of ET interests is looming little by little but more so then I’ve sensed before.

My 22 year old son ran into a high school friend who asked him if he had read ANE and of coarse, my son responded he was familiar with it because of yours truly. Its weird how someone else’s interest, outside family circles can spike someone’s interest where he actually now read the book. Thank you Oprah! Yes, we can talk now, and getting on the same page is now not only easy but a new portal has come into both our lives as father and son.

[Sighclone]

I’m not sure I’ve heard Gateways To Now but am curious and wondered were one can get it

Wings -

I was surprised to not see this CD on the Eckhart Tolle website. But it's available at Amazon.com - just enter 'Gateways to now' in the search panel. I think it has been incorporated into other CD packages...

Andy

[James]

Wings
You can also download Gateways to Now from Amazon (in case you don't want to wait for the now, (chuckles)).

Our format is 10-15 minutes of silent meditation, 60-70 minutes of a video, and another 10-15 minute silent meditation. Then we exit in silence. Some people congregate outside for casual conversation. Also those that arrive early sit in the room and chit chat, nothing heavy though. I also turn the lights down a bit. I prefer the retreat recordings rather than the Oprah webcast, since the message is deeper, and uninterrupted. Eckhart conveys more Presence and is able to pause more often, to allow moments of stillness.

This format is working well for us, it is very comfortable and relaxed. The stillness in the room is beautiful. Last time when we got to the silent meditation, it was raining, and the steady sound of the rain, made it a magical experience.

James

[Wings]

Andy and James, I took your advice and downloaded Gateway to Now. I have Tolle’s PON & ANI cd’s but found Gateway to NOW spot on for initializing a Silent meeting group. It was kind of refreshing listening to ET bringing to the fore the innocents of a year and a half old child’s eyes staring at you and just absorbing with all its new born senses and feeling life from a pure state of consciousness. Then the parent looks at their child and continues pointing at them and saying to him/her, you are John or Jane.

It’s at that instant the birth of mental activity in the realm of identification begins. It’s the doorway too, and the beginning of form and the rest is history… Lovely! Thank you.