Tag: Gospel of Thomas

Meister Eckhart, Medieval heretic who taught Zen & influenced Tolle

MeisterEckhartTreeThe Now-moment in which God made the first man and the Now-moment in which the last man will disappear, and the Now-moment in which I am speaking are all one in God, in whom there is only one Now. Look! The person who lives in the light of God is conscious neither of time past nor of time to come but only of one eternity….Therefore he gets nothing new out of future events, nor from chance, for he lives in the Now-moment that is, unfailingly, “in verdure newly clad.” — MEISTER ECKHART 1260-1328

Now we know why Tolle changed his first name from Ulrich to Eckhart. He says he greatly admired and identified with the work of Meister Eckhart, the famous Christian mystic (tried by the Inquisition as a heretic). Meister Eckhart is a voice from the past speaking to us today, or now. And Tolle rocks.

Wow, the now. …  awesome and ancient.

Found the Meister Eckhart quote above in an old book written during the World War II London Blitz by the not-yet-famous still-quite-young Anglican-priest-turned Zen writer, Alan Watts. (Link below). Tolle says he read Alan Watts and Joel Goldsmith, two sort of Zen Christians. The harmony between Zen, the Gospel of Thomas, their work and Tolle’s is cool.

BEHOLD THE SPIRIT, by Alan Watts

Click on “See Inside This Book” and you can see the other quotes Watts scribed in the front cover along with the Meister Eckhart quote about the Now-moment.

In college we studied Medieval Philosophy where Meister Eckhart got much attention. We pondered over his Now-moment and had no idea how Zen it was. And what’s his most famous quote of all…oh yeah, here it is: “the eye that I see God with, is the same eye that God sees me with..” or something like that. Yeah, he’s dangerous dontcha know, might wake up some people. The “authorities” had to drag him before the Pope, put him on trial and brand him heretic. I think Eckhart died mysteriously before the verdict was reached. They never even found his body. But his disciples carried on his teachings, though very quietly and carefully. Here’s to them and…

Here’s to the NOW,

+Katia

Jesus’ Mystery Teachings require eagerness for Oneness

In my morning devotions I came across this gem in one of my favorite little books (with a big title!), Christian Zen, the Essential Teachings of Jesus Christ: The Secret Sayings of Jesus as Related in the Gospel of Thomas:

Jesus said, “I will disclose my mysteries to those who are worthy of my mysteries.” – Gospel of Thomas verse 62

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To understand and live in advaita [absolute Oneness] requires a certain ripeness or maturity. Again, Jesus exhorts his followers to keep the teaching esoteric, and to share it only with those who are ready and eager for it.

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The commentary is by the compiler of the book, Robert Powell, a cool Sophianic author whose work I enjoy.

Since we run an online Mystery School and Interfaith Seminary that teaches esoteric mysteries, the above quote really speaks to our mission.  An ‘eagerness’ for the mysteries and for Oneness should be observed before the mysteries are imparted.  Staff members take note, please! <laugh> 

Headed out the door here soon for our weekly Eckhart Tolle teachings gathering.  Tolle imparts a Zen quality to Christianity too…  Put Jesus, Zen, Gnosticism and Tolle’s teachings all together with Magdalene and the sacred union (Oneness), and wow, what more is there? <grin>

If you click on the little book Christian Zen you can read several pages inside. Each page is a different saying from Gospel of Thomas with the Zen interpretation under it — a complete nugget all on its own.  See which page in the Look Inside feature comes up for you.

–Katia