Eckhart and Scripture....

On a spiritual list called The Now 2, someone posted a transcript of a talk given by Eckhart Tolle.  As is often the case, biblical concepts came to mind when I read the transcript. 

I am a Christian...although sometimes, with all the nonsense Christians spout off, I am almost embarrassed to admit to that without adding some disclaimers.  My friend annie recently said

 "all truth comes from God whether it be thru Jesus or Lao tze.  the Christ mind is not confined to Jesus alone, but to all who realize the I AM in their consciousness"

I do, however, believe scripture when it declares that Christ is the name above all names...and that every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  I don't have all the details of that worked out in my mind, but at this point I do believe that. Still, that leaves me pretty far from the stereotypical 700 Club and Focus on the Family Christian.  And I get excited when so much of Eckhart's teachings mirror concepts found in scripture. There are so many things I read or hear from Eckhart that immediately make me think of scripture.  For instance...in the transcript I mentioned, when Eckhart says:

I don't use the word God very much, because it is often misused, but the ego is in a state of warfare with God. It is a state of deep suffering.

I immediately thought of:

6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Substitute carnal mind for egoic mind....remember that Jesus said the Law could be summed up in just 2 commands...love the Lord with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. That is impossible to do when we are caught up in the egoic mind set and God (Stillness/Presence/Universe) is not too pleased with our ego's shenanigans.  Flesh is another biblical word that imo means egoic self...and I think the pain body is also thrown into the travails of the flesh.  And there you have it....Paul (in Romans) is saying the same thing as Eckhart.  That amazes me. 

Keith quoted the verses in Romans to me many times...and I never really understood and what it meant. I've been a Christian for ten years, but it took the teachings of Eckhart to unlock some of the mysteries in the Bible.  And not only are these teachings to be found in his writings, but in many other writings, from many different religions, that teach non duality. Gary Sigler refers to it as our mistaken identity which is none other than the egoic/false/carnal/adamic self-mind. 

I am going to end this post with a link to a video that was in my inbox yesterday...a thank you to Oprah and Eckhart.  It is cute...and very well done.  Yes, thank you Eckhart for being the voice God used to make this all "click" for me.