| In my experience questing for understanding of spiritual | | | | for the majority of people today it is necessary). . .” |
| aspects of the human community, I have had occasion | | | | The key to grappling with the thinking issue is to |
| to encounter some unusual synchronicities. One such | | | | understand the difference between thought (already |
| event emerged while perusing a lecture by noted | | | | performed, now existing in the past) and the process |
| Initiate and spiritual scientist, Rudolf Steiner. | | | | of thinking (alive in the moment). “I think, therefore I |
| Steiner’s statement, pertaining to 13th Century | | | | am” is the lesser ego’s line. However, “I |
| mystic, Meister Eckhart, ran as follows: (to paraphrase) | | | | am” is the voice of the source of thinking. |
| “Eckhart mistook the seed of his next life (accrued | | | | Prior to meditation, the gaps between thoughts are |
| from wisdom of his then current life) for the “God | | | | experienced as nothing. Through process of |
| within,” as he was not familiar with the dynamics of | | | | meditation, those gaps become the birth arena, the |
| reincarnation.” | | | | birth-force, of thought. |
| Steiner was referring to both | | | | New Age demonization of the ego can be |
| Meister Eckhart, and his principle disciple, John Tauler. | | | | problematic. For one thing, the development of |
| Cut, now, to a popular spiritual teacher of our present | | | | ego-consciousness was a necessary phase toward a |
| time, Eckhart Tolle. Eight centuries ago, we had | | | | greater destiny. And beyond the domain of the |
| Eckhart/Tauler. Now we have Eckhart Tolle. . . | | | | “lower ego” presides another aspect of self, |
| hmmm. . .so I did a metaphysical double take on this | | | | which can be termed “Ego,” an individualized |
| resonation, and decided to look deeper. | | | | aspect of Spirit - in fact, the modern “jewel in the |
| One of the first things I discovered was that Eckhart | | | | lotus,” or leading edge of evolution for humanity. In |
| Tolle’s keystone awakening, a life-altering | | | | Steiner’s view, humanity is destined, eventually, to |
| experience at age 29, typified the kind of event found | | | | return to the spiritual pool from which it emerged, only |
| on the path of a mystic. As opposed to a rigorous, | | | | we will do so with fully developed consciousness. |
| day by day, every-step-earned process, Tolle’s | | | | While the ancient practice of |
| entry was an overnight leap into the Threshold. | | | | dissolution of the ego was an effective process for its |
| Subsequent to his epiphany experience, the Tolle of | | | | time, discernment of the new conditions of our current |
| today, nee Ulrich Leonard Tolle, changed his name to | | | | age needs to come about. |
| resonate with one of his key influences, the original | | | | Related to this consideration, is the concept of |
| Meister Eckhart of the 13th Century. | | | | “separation” (as an aspect of the “ego’s |
| This led me to undertake a comparative analysis of | | | | sense of identity”). While separation is largely |
| what Eckhart Tolle is presenting, alongside | | | | illusion-based, the new edge of evolution suggests that |
| anthroposophy. In this article, I refer principally to | | | | because individuation is valid, the spiritual evolution of |
| modern anthroposophy, as exemplified by Georg | | | | human nature entails a dynamic poise that strives to |
| Kuhlewind (who passed on in 2006), a dependable | | | | embrace both Unity and Separation - that we are, or |
| resource on Western meditation and consciousness | | | | are growing to be, both fully one with All, yet |
| exploration. | | | | simultaneously individuated. This level of truth can |
| Compared with the wildly popular Eckhart Tolle, the | | | | only be comprehended on a clairsentient level, as the |
| lesser known offerings of Kuhlewind, are (I maintain) | | | | mind itself cannot grasp this seeming impossibility - |
| more grounded, and deeper-running. Resources for | | | | impossible on the mental plain, but feasible on the |
| both follow at the end of this article. | | | | spiritual plain. |
| However, from the outset, I want to say that this is not | | | | The real issue, then, is not that the |
| meant to be a put-down of the worldview presented | | | | ego needs to be dissipated (although on one level, |
| by Eckhart Tolle. In fact, my own feeling is that many | | | | mindful processing of the ego is certainly called for), |
| of his practices have a lot of merit. Only, in the end, | | | | but that humanity, like a fourteen-year-old teen, is not |
| upon in-depth review, a seeker may want to temper | | | | yet mature enough to engage its Ego-hood. This is |
| these practices with some complementary | | | | why we fall, so often, into such trouble with this facet |
| perspectives. If I had to choose between Tolle and | | | | of our being - into egotism, and related failings. And |
| Kuhlewind, I would choose the latter. However, even | | | | it explains, also, our association with out-dated social |
| better, I believe a productive synthesis of the two can | | | | identity forums that lead to strife, division, and violence, |
| be pursued - provided the seeker proceeds mindfully, | | | | such as, nationalism, inside-outside group membership, |
| and engages in a way that honors individual | | | | religions, blood-family ties - all manner of social |
| circumstances. | | | | groupings we need to move on from. We have not |
| As in all things, caveat emptor - | | | | yet matured into this newest aspect of our being, an |
| “buyer beware” - especially when the | | | | Ego-hood that, paradoxically, transcends division. |
| “purchase” is a metaphysical one. | | | | |
| Some of the differences between the two pathways | | | | A key part of the agenda of an active processing |
| that I have chosen to scrutinize appear to consist | | | | relates to transforming the ego into a higher state. |
| largely of a definitional nature. For example, in | | | | The goal of modern meditation might be summed up |
| Tolle’s estimation, “thinking” is the key | | | | as a practice that leads beyond normal thinking, into |
| problem, “the mind” is the enemy - unless used | | | | the process of Thinking. |
| with Presence. An Anthroposophical approach | | | | It is likely that, of the millions who |
| agrees with this, as far as everyday conceptual life | | | | are engaging in the exercises that teachers such as |
| goes, but contends that Thinking, per se, is a powerfully | | | | Eckhart Tolle present, most will attain meaningful |
| productive avenue. To clarify, the anthroposophical | | | | progress in terms of soul-processing. They will free |
| perspective of “Thinking” refers to thinking | | | | themselves of some of their incarnation-bound |
| imbued with feeling and willing, a Steinerian form of | | | | suffering, but will fall short on initiating the other half of |
| cognition, as opposed to what Eckhart Tolle is getting | | | | the agenda - that of spirit-processing. |
| at, which is the basic conceptual activity of the lower | | | | Spirit-processing entails activity like consciously evolving |
| ego. | | | | one’s astral nature, a long-term project. The real |
| Georg Kuhlewind asserts that, “Thinking must | | | | deal is about rigorous striving to convert the lower |
| become so strong and independent that it appears to | | | | astral nature to a higher form. Clearly an Egoic |
| the subject with the same character of reality as does | | | | function. “Presence,” in this assessment, is a |
| any outward perception. This is achieved through | | | | process that entails the power and engagement of the |
| exercises in concentration, as far as is necessary (and | | | | “I. |