"You cannot transcend what you do not know. To go beyond yourself, you must know yourself." - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
I recently discovered the posting from MonkMojo called The Tony Robbins vs Eckhart Tolle Debate in which he shows Tony Robbins shouting "Feel my Personal Power" opposed to Eckhart Tolle answering calmly with "I am rubber and you are glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you" …
While this is kinda funny, it brings a typical debate to the surface: Do we become happy by fulfilling our deepest dreams and by being the best version of us we can? Or do we just have to awaken to our true self and see that all craving is ego-land and won’t make us happy in the end? It is the debate between Mind-based Power vs. Spiritual Power, between success-oriented doing vs. calm but conscious being. In the example above: Anthony Robbins standing for the first while Eckhart Tolle is representing the latter. It is the debate between an educated and maybe ego-influenced mind and the self-less spirit. At least, it seems so on the surface.
The relationship between mind and spirit
Anthony Robbins as well as Eckhart Tolle had both a good influence on me. Tony developed my energy-level, my goal-achieving ability and my time-management. Eckhart triggered awakening experiences in me. With his unique ability to talk about something that cannot be explained, only experienced , he opened up a whole new perspective of live for me.
When I experienced this shift in consciousness, with the blissful state and the quiet mind along came also the seemingly conflict between mind and spirit. On the Eckhart Tolle Community-Board I discussed the topic of Spirituality and Drive to large extent. The issue for me was, if all we need to do is being in the Now and awakening to our true essence and see that there are no problems and we are already 100% complete, then where the heck do I get my motivation from? ;)
The passion to create and to enjoy life, to be of service to others and to grow does not go away. It gets another, very clear and improved reference point. By silencing the mind and raising awareness, I finally became able to use the mind more efficiently. I still want to create my vision and still love to see it unfold. But with a much more clearer and "softer" drive that is more aligned with the nature of everything that is.
In the forum I finally concluded : "… it seems now that drive and awakening are two completely different topics, as long as you don’t seek yourself through the drive. But if I’m aware of my true essence, I am just that. The drive to create and to enjoy this, to put my full heart into it and give my all to what I envision has nothing to do with it, as long as I am aware that I don’t find myself in it. But I can stretch myself, enrich my experience, have excitement and great social moments."
So, there is really no debate between mind and spirit.
The level of awareness seems to be the most important thing to raise and to maintain. Everything becomes much more clearer then. I see it as the mind is the tool we can use. And we can use it to the max! Improve it, train it, learn and apply. But what is using it, is the spirit. The Spirit is the master of the mind. Not the other way around, which would lead to egoic and unconscious behavior.
So most of what Eckhart Tolle is teaching is to raise the level of awareness and to get experiential knowledge of the present moment (the Now). While also spiritually influenced, Tony Robbins is teaching how to use the mind (and the body) to the maximum degree. Both mind and spirit, or if we include the body all three have their place. The important part is who is influencing who. While "Mind over Matter" is the expression of mind is the master of the body, I say that spirit is the master over the mind – at least this is where humans are evolving to.
The nearly forced awakening experience Jill Bolt Taylor had in her stroke of insight also suggests, that the spiritual state in the Now (of which Eckhart Tolle speaks) is located in the right, while the logical and thinking mind is located in the left hemisphere of the brain. Meditation programs such as Holosync by Centerpointe’s Bill Harris are aiming at improving the communication between both hemispheres .
How to create harmony between mind and spirit
Genpo Roshi has developed an interesting way to integrate all parts of the human being to the finally "Integrated free functioning human being". This slightly over-complicated term means nothing else than bringing mind and spirit together. He called it the human being, where the "human side" is the everyday mind and the "being side" is the Power of Now , the spirit.
The following triangle illustrates this:
This really seems to be the ultimate goal right now, at least for me. Being aware and using the mind as a tool, and that in the best way possible. Seeing it this way, where is the debate between Tony and Eckhart now? :)
Ladan on 
From my perspective the ‘Mind-based Power’ version is hardly worthy of the name ‘spirituality’. Actually – the word ‘power’ doesn’t resonate with my path at all – but still I’m closer to Eckhart Tolle on this one.
I even think the two don’t balance – they interfere with each other (if taken seriously enough). If I let my ambitions rule me – how can I be open to ‘the other’?
It seems to me that spirit has to be the master to the mind. If that is the case, then “the mind is a wonderful tool”, as Eckhart Tolle states. Then you visualize and focus on what the soul sings.
If I am in the Now it seems to me, that spontaneous right action is happening from me. The mind is used, but as a servant not as a master. The question seems to be, how we stay aware enough to not let the mind take control!?
By the way, there is an interesting interview of Anthony Robbins on the “What is Enlightenment” Magazine: http://www.wie.org/j15/robbins.asp?page=2
AMAZING article! In fact, I love your entire blog. I’m a true fan!
Finding balance and harmony between mind and spirit is key and so difficult for so many. It is similar to finding balance between mind/body as they are all innately connected. (I discuss this in an article that I wrote in my blog at http://www.DOCintheBiz.com.)
The debate will go on endlessly between the beliefs of Eckhart Tolle and Tony Robbins and I truly love how you discuss how you use both philosophies in your life. (Additionally, I love both philosophies!) I can relate completely as I attempt daily to think in the ways you discuss here to reach my every short and long term goal. I think the bottom line is that finding a way to balance what both say and mesh them together will aid in the goal to reach self actualization.
It’s all relative and individual depending on one’s unique personality and life’s purpose.
Thank you for writing another great article that really makes one think. And thank you for your presence on GLCzone.com.
Doc KC
Hi Dr. KC again :) Thank you. Of course we highlight Tony and Eckhart because say paint such a clear picture of what they are teaching. But it is in everyone.
An interesting thing is that Eckhart always points out, also in his latest book A New Earth, that the mind left to itself without any guidance by spirit creates the “problems” in the world. From my point of view, it loses the broader perspective and it takes the perspective of a seperate being, creating ignorance. If you feel oneness and love for everything that is, just even for a view moments, this perspective can shift from seperate to one with all others. Imagine how this would work on the conflicts, especially the so called “religious conflicts”, when everyone accepts that ultimately we are one.
So I believe in the spirit being the master, then using the mind and the body the best way possible.
Btw. can you link the article you mentioned about balance? Thank you.
Myrko,
Thank you for the kind mention. I have been slowly but surely exploring your blog. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas. You also link out to some great stuff, like the Genpo Roshi podcast and that interview with Tony.
Keep up the great work,
MoMo
MonkMojo’s last blog post: A Holy Grail for the People
Hi MonkMojo, thanks for commenting. Although I don’t have the time I would love to put in the blog, it’s still so much fun :)
So I wonder … What Would MonkMojo Do Differently? ;) I like that kind of humor!
Hey Myrko,
Thanks for bringing this up. This topic is something that I’ve been grappling with lately so allow me to share my current understandings… which expand and evolve literally daily. =)
The key key key thing is realization of the Self, who you truly are. Not just an intellectual term like “I am spirit” or “I am the infinite awesomeness that is God” but I mean an actual AWAKENING to the direct realization of this. In my experience, this arises when we starts seeing through the utter lack of reality that is created in the mind, including all beliefs. So at first, it seems that even our “mental power” to create through intention and law of attraction is subverted.
Awakening leads to a sense of wholeness, the experience of who we actually are. We are not just a mind and body bouncing around in this world. The higher part of ourselves is the guidance system, the intuition, the higher self. It is literally US, a part of us that extends to see a better vantage point, almost like a periscope to see things from a better and clearer perspective. We feel the results of this viewpoint through our intuition and our sense of excitement. The more excitement we feel towards a particular activity, the more in alignment that activity is with our true nature.
So, we wind up guiding ourselves from our higher self. (There is only One of us, really.) It is by surrendering to life and letting go of attachments and mental beliefs of limitation that we become free to be, do, or have anything, to experience anything imaginable.
So we see through the illusion of form and then we guide ourselves through it, using excitement, using our imaginations to visualize and experience (through all our senses) ahead of “time” what we want, thereby producing the physical manifestation of that reality. The imagination is just as much a dream world as physical reality, but one tends to preceed the other.
We see the ultimate reality of Oneness, yet nevertheless allow ourselves to use the tool called the mind to visualize and thus ignite the process of creation in physical manifestation, without ever buying into any relative reality as if it was literally THE Absolute Truth.
“Be in this world, but not of it” as the saying goes.
Ariel – We Are All One’s last blog post: Realizations from Awakening, Part 1
Great, thanks Ariel for the details. So you also seem to express that we can use the mind as the tool to it’s best capabilities. If we don’t loose ourselves in it by creating identities or just strong attachements. The overarching awareness or spirit as the guide is the key.
Myrko’s last blog post: 10 Inspirational Quotes by The Buddha
Simple
Anthony Robbins & all = Mind
Eckhart Tolle = No Mind (i.e. free from mind)
Anthony Robbins & all r talkin about sumthing temporary & r still struck in the mind. they r improving the mind, but r not abel to go beyond it.
& bout Eckhart msg, u compare it wit birth, life & death. Hes talkin bout eternal peace. which lies beyond mind.
I have tried to find this balance and I ended up falling short. I, like most, am very good at the goal oriented left side. The right side is where I, like most people, fall short. At least in the beginning worrying about the left side is like worrying if one is getting enough sodium in their diet…more than likely, that will take care of itself.
I find that Roshi’s search for balance distracts most people from what they are truly lacking, consciousness. I will go as far to say that if you are conscious, consciousness will take care of everything else; everything will just start to flow..inside and out!
If I get to the point where I find myself abandoning society and just sitting on a park bench because I am lost in the right side, I going straight to Roshi. Until then, it’s just another thought requiring distraction from what I and most people are lacking… keeping attention away from thought!
Chris, “consciousness will take care of everything else” seems very good. I have to say the more I dive into it – be conscious – the more clarity comes. The imbalance may arise because someone takes distance to the things of the world. But it seems like if you avoid this (trap?), you can just be very effective using the mind from consciousness. Then I think my finale statement that there is no real debate seems to be also to the point.
Myrko,
Where there is no thought there is no debate…no opposites.
I feel there is a danger in mentally striving for balance as it brings thought back into the equation. I imagine that with consciousness, balance will happen naturally and perfectly.
I will say that I have been using some of Anthony Robbin’s NLP techniques to help me to be more wired for consciousness… EVERYTHING else I am leaving to consciousness.
Chris, yes I agree. Could you say that in consciousness mind just happens, but nothing more or less!? For me this is the essence of the spirit (consciousness) being the master.
Myrko, I think everything truly meaningful flows effortlessly out of consciousness: balance, intuition, creativity, ideas, actions, gratitude, love. In my experience using the mind and will power to achieve any of these is very hollow and often leads to frustration and confusion pulling us even further away from vital consciousness.
Nature doesn’t try to create balance, it just does… perfectly. The mind cant even come close to that.
How easily we fall prey to sophistries. Eckhart Tolle, I shall admit, fascinated me at first. However, after further delving into his philosophy, I came to reject it as false, and at most, only tailored to himself and a particular set of individuals such as himself. I am an Atheist, at most, you might consider me an ex-Christian, but since I stared looking into the nature of reality, I realized a few simple things.
1} Any “religion” or philosophy that doesn’t come from the self, isn’t meaningful, especially if it asks blind obedience, or a “look” into its illogical philosophical doctrines.
2} Always question conformity and unfounded cultural belifes, no proof most often equals no truth.
3} A wolf smiles broadly, yet looks out for fresh flesh to tear. Authors of altruisms are oftentimes driven by greed and a need to implement a stuffing of their pockets.
3}Embrace the here, reject the “what if” be glad for friends, family and good people. Show them respect and treasure them.
4} Any invitation to join in acts of carelessness and self-neglect, such as ignoring daily chores, ignoring loved ones all for a “higher, unseen purpose” are dangerous ! The people promulgating these lies do not care about your wellbeing. This includes everybody, Eckhart Toll{to a way lesser extent}, Jesus, Mohammed, The Buddha {to a lesser extent}all the prophets of the past and present.
5} If we live life on our own terms, doing that which we desire, unbound by false beliefs. That, that is true enlightenment, that is true Charity, that is the true meaning of “Samsara”. Personal rebirth through logic and caring for the people of the earth, especially your own family and friends. This extends to the use of any violence, which should ONLY be used as a means of self-defense, but should ALWAYS be used to defend oneself, for NOBODY deserves to be a victim of anybody else.
Lastly, and most importantly, look to all philosophies, yet DO NOT embrace any of them without logical study. Sadly, most of my friends tend towards Eastern thought, and find themselves inclined to “convert” me to one manner of thought or another. No, I will NOT convert to your way of thinking. Not upon threat or false-intentioned and dilusioned coersion, for that is the way to your own demise, and a paradoxically ironic soul-prison!
Vlad, thanks for your thoughtful comment. Your first two points are agreeable and that’s what Spirutuality is about. You don’t have to be religious in any way to be spiritual and have spiritual experiences.
I don’t see your point in 3. in context with Eckhart Tolle or even Tony Robbins. It is legit to get value (money) in exchange for value (that is what money is made for) and I don’t have any problem with it. I don’t see it as the main driving force in any of the works of both. As a general message to question and think yourself and not to blindly belief in any teacher, it makes sense though.
Regarding 4/5: I see a challenge for everybody who is open enough to really get in contact with spiritual awakening. As we discussed several times, this is all about direct experience in the moment and not primarely matter of belief of thought. A danger is to lose yourself in the Now and neglect your own demands, desires and responsibilities. Ariel also wrote a nice article about this here http://www.youaretrulyloved.com/enlightenment/hiding-in-the-absolute/ To me the challenge is to find the BALANCE between both.
That balance is what the article is all about. In the last 6 month I learned from experience what works and what does not. And my environment reflected back to me what does not work, which was hiding in the absolute. So judging by results (personal unhappiness) I changed to a more stable and balanced approach between Personal Power and Power of Now.
Hello Myrko!
Great post – I’d love to attend a discussion featuring Tolle and Robbins +_+