allowing: “… allow the present moment to be …” ~ Eckhart Tolle
Indeed “allowing” seems to matter here, doesn’t it? … so let’s explore that – briefly …
It seems us humans have an almost automatic habit of leaning into each moment, as if something needs adjusting: a thought arises and instead of letting it come, linger and go, we tend to follow it … OR a feeling appears and again we act on it instead of just letting it dissolve away … even in stillness, there can be a subtle effort to make the moment more settled.
This movement is so familiar – or unconscious – that it goes unnoticed.
And yet, beneath it, something simpler is already here: a way of being that does not interfere, does not rearrange, does not ask the moment to be different.
To let it be is not indifference. It is an intimacy that does not grasp.
“… When I argue with reality, I lose—but only 100 percent of the time …”
As Byron Katie suggests (above), much of our stress comes from arguing with “what is.” When that argument softens, even slightly, there is a natural easing: the breath moves, sensations come and go, thoughts pass through.
When the moment is no longer resisted … it simply becomes…
… an allowing …
In “allowing” – or honoring “what is” – the moment is no longer an obstacle. It becomes something we are no longer in conflict with – something that can be met, even befriended. As Eckhart Tolle puts it:
“Accept—then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your life.”
Perhaps this, too, fosters peace? … 🙏 …
May you meet this moment … just as it is …
Ongoing health matters and other commitments continue to significantly limit our time towards Stillness Speaks … but instead of going on hiatus … we’ll continue to offer these brief reflection posts through April, as life permits. We remain deeply grateful for your patience and understanding.
Both Tolle quotes from The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle.
Byron Katie quote from Excerpt From Loving What Is, Revised Edition, Author Byron Katie and Stephen Mitchell.
Images (edited): 1 (& Featured): A closeup of the wet autumn leaves and a stone. by wirestock_creators. All images purchased from depositphotos or 123rf. All are for use only on our website/social channels (these images are not permitted to be shared separate from this post).
