I’ve loved watching Oprah’s web broadcast featuring Eckhart Tolle’s book, A New Earth. This web cast is being seen by millions and because of her reputation this message is reaching people who would never have considered reading Eckhart. A world awakening is an exciting notion and with our technology this message of freedom from our ego and softening the rigidity of our collective ego is a possibility.
     Another incredible story is that of Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D. who in her book, My Stroke of Insight, watched the left hemisphere of her brain deteriorate and was aware enough to get herself rescued. She details how she was living in two worlds; how when her linear, analytical chatter of her left hemisphere silenced she entered the world of her right hemisphere and she realized the interconnection of life and the pervading peacefulness that supports and embraces the comings and going of all things in the world.
Both of these people have touched the Divine and both are taking their message to the world, so the world can begin to understand how human beings can get lost in their own mind - never realizing they are the ones who have imprisoned themselves.
     In the Bible this story is found in Jacob and Essau. Jacob, with the help of his mother tricked his father into giving him the birthright and this meant that Essau having been the first born was now second to Jacob and was to serve him. Jacob fled the wrath of Essau and went into a far country where he married Leah and Rebecca becoming rich. Upon returning to his homeland, he was to meet Essau, who had also done well for himself. That night Jacob slept fitfully dreaming of a ladder with angles ascending and descending and in another vision he fought with a man who he would not let go until he received a blessing from him. Well, he did. The blessing came in the form of a new understanding or perhaps one could say: “ A New Earth,” for he was not the same man. He was reunited with his brother, Essau, who welcomed him home with love.
     When we wake up from our ego dream we recognize the voices of the right and left hemispheres. Our left hemisphere is great when it comes to executing details, analyzing, verbalizing but when it completely dominates the right hemisphere it cannot see the big picture - the love of beauty, the feeling of connectedness with another; the slow rhythmic breathing of the universe as the flowers open their petals and the heartfelt thrill of hearing a cry of a new born beginning her journey under the sun and her reach for the stars. When your mind (Jacob) and body (Essau) are connected again the angels rejoice in song.

Blessings, Rev Janice