You won't believe this, but I've just this minute received my copy of "Ändere deine Gedanken und dein Leben ändert sich", by Wayne Dyer ("Change your thoughts, change your life", didn't you say that's the title in English, Awildflower?). ! Yippee! Yes, I ordered it in German, because for some weird reason I took for granted it would be a simple book to read. Oh well! I'll keep my dictionary handy. I can't wait to see what it's all about. Thanks for the recommendation!
The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving Kindness- No need for religion in spirituality
by OnTheWayOut 52 Replies latest jw friends
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awildflower
Yes that's it Goldensky! You'll love it. Read only one a day and his thoughts on it and then let it sink in, that's what I try to do. Congrats!
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goldensky
I'll definitely follow your recommendations. Thank you, Awildflower. Do you think it might be a good idea to read it to my children too (10 and 8 years old)? I always read to them for a few minutes at breakfast time. Or would it not be within their grasp?
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awildflower
It would be hard for them, BUT you could summarize the thoughts of it on their level. But kids are very intuitive. In fact they live the Tao more than adults do because they are not full of all that life conditioning yet. In fact, as I was learning this, my kids already knew it! As adults we have a lot to peel away to get to "it", kids are closer to it. Here's an experiment: read the Tao and the thoughts for yourself and then watch your kids or other kids today and see if they don't already live/have what you just read. I think that's what Jesus meant when he said "learn from the little children." It's the paradox, our little one's can teach us more than we know!
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awildflower
Another thing about the Tao for those reading it or going to read it, is that if you don't "get it" at first, it's ok, it may not be your time to get it yet, but don't force yourself to understand. When you are ready it should flow right through you. In fact when you read stuff like this, it should be like it's telling you what you already know! Again, the paradox.
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goldensky
Thank you very much, Awildflower, for your clarifications. I'll start reading the book tonight.
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Open mind
Your thread title gave me flash backs to how super-zealous JWs would view householders who would say "I'm spiritual, but I have no interest in religion."
At the most superficial, spiteful level, JWs (myself included sometimes) would make derisive remarks about the person as soon as they left the door. Something along the lines of "Well, that's a very convenient, easy way to look at the world. Too bad they can't see that it's not acceptable to Jehovah."
Beyond that though, I think I would often have little flashes of insight after speaking with someone who was genuinely walking their own spiritual path. Various non-JWs over the years took the time to speak with me out of love and patience and yet, would not take the JW "bait" when I would do my duty by giving them some version of the WT sales pitch. I think those interactions had a cumulative effect on me. I knew I was missing something as a JW.
I started listening to Dr. Wayne Dyer several years ago when I was in the early stages of awakening from JWism. He was good for me at the time. Maybe I'll take another look.
Great thread OTWO.
Thanks to everyone for all the well-considered posts here.
om
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goldensky
You've said it, Open mind, "those interactions had a cumulative effect" on you. How interesting! That's exactly what I think happened to me over the years. My conversations with householders where practically my only outside source of information. I didn't realize it back then, but many a householder left a seed in my heart, until all the seeds seemed to sprout over the period of a few months... Interesting...
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OnTheWayOut
This one kinda sings to me: