Eckhart Tolle’s Findhorn Retreat Seminar Part 3 of 6: Better than…
December 8, 2009 by dr. lam
Findhorn, Scotland
We oftentimes live our life in comparison to our neighbor. My house is bigger. My car is faster. My wife is more attractive. My kids are in better schools. All of this is illusory and deprives us of our happiness because we are always looking externally for approbation of our work and our life. If not, then we actually confront the exact same problem even for those who are “spiritual” or even ascetic in life: ”Look at me ride this bicycle. I am so much more environmentally friendly than you who are driving that gas-guzzling BMW.” ”I am superior to you because of my faith even though I don’t want to say that but come on I live a good life.” ”I do blessed charity work. What do you do?” Either way, whatever we do, we need to find some peace so that we are not always doing, comparing, and forcing our own world view to be better than someone else’s.
We have talked about this superiority complex in the remote past. However, like most things in life, we can learn and benefit from the act of rephrasing and repetition. Exploring these concepts for me never gets old because they are so vital to my life, and I want them to be part of it so forgive me for any perceived repetition in these blogs.
Another topic that we have covered before in the past is judgment. We judge others around us because they are found wanting in so many categories: spiritual absence, too fat, bad taste, uneducated. Whatever categories we force on to others, we do so because we need to feel apart and better. Today and hereafter, let go of judgment, superiority, and other false identification with one’s self. I hate to say this but I am not better than you, and you are not better than I.
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6 Responses to “Eckhart Tolle’s Findhorn Retreat Seminar Part 3 of 6: Better than…”
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Oh man! We recently went to my parents’ house for a family gathering. Their neighborhood is very manicured, everyone keeps things just so. One of my uncles drives a hilarious, conspicuous bomb of a motor vehicle. I giggled to see he’d parked it (worse yet) in front of neighbor, a very patrician gent, type who wears imported gloves to tend his echinacea. I asked mom what she thought. She only replied, “Well. That’s how he gets here.” I liked that a lot.
Thanks for the blog. You are one of the most humble people, and I respect you tremendously for that.
thanks nord. funny story!!!
another scary story. this one about the U.S. water supply:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/business/energy-environment/08water.html
i hate being political but for those who oppose the cosmetic tax, let your senator know: http://stopcosmetictax.org/ i already did.
Dr. Lam, don’t ever apologize for any overlapping in your blog ideas!!! We need the reminders and branches from those ideas!! Bring them on!!
I find that our society structure is set up to evaluate others and “judge” them to a set “standard” and this can be spiritually, academically, fashion, fitness, wealth, social status, looks, what we think is “education,” “success,” etc. Not only do we tend to judge others by this standard even if we do not intend to, but we often judge ourselves and force ourselves to fit in the same paradigm, when that may not be what is following our passion or what is best for us. It may actually be squelching our learning, passion, etc. I think we are somewhat preprogrammed to view the world as such by what society has created and from our interactions in society. I think being aware of this though and choosing to step outside that structure and take on a new dimension in perspective, can not only help someone get in alignment with his/her passion, but it also can give that person a whole new perspective and meaning in life, enriching it more than society could ever have “promised.” Just a new psychological breakthrough for me…lol
Superiority towards another is disgustfully immature!!! Ugh!
I do think though that when someone is forcing their views on another in a superior way, such as some ideas in society, that is when I will stand up against it. That’s the only justification in my mind. I mean, not everything is okay.
Funny story, Nord!!!…lol
Yes, Nord, Dr. Lam is very humble, and that’s one of the reasons why he is such a charm!!! We love you, Dr. Lam!!! You are a blessing to humanity!!!
Your mom must just be beaming with pride! The good kind of pride though!!! 
Gee, a cosmetic tax?…lol The government sure finds ways!…lol
Thanks for the links, Dr. Lam!!!
thanks guys!