Until now, human intelligence, which is no more than a minute aspect of universal intelligence, has been distorted and misused by the ego. I call that "intelligence in the service of madness." Splitting the atom requires great intelligence. Using that intelligence for building and stockpiling atom bombs is insane or at best extremely unintelligent. Stupidity is relatively harmless, but intelligent stupidity is highly dangerous. The intelligent stupidity, for which one could find countless examples, is threatening our survival as a species. Without the impairment of egoic dysfunction, our intelligence comes into full alignment with the outgoing cycle of universal intelligence and its impulse to create. We become conscious participants in the creation of form. It is not we who create, but universal intelligence that creates through us. We don't identify with what we create and so lose ourselves in what we do. We are learning that the act of creation may involve energy of the highest intensity, but that is not "hard work" or stressful. We need to understand the difference between stress and intensity, as we shall see. Struggle or stress is a sign that the ego has returned, as are negative reactions when we encounter obstacles. The force behind the ego's wanting creates "enemies" that is to say, reaction in form of an opposing force equal in intensity. The stronger the ego, the stronger the sense of separateness between people. The only actions that do not cause opposing reactions are those that are aimed at the GOOD OF ALL. They are inclusive, not exclusive. They join; they don't separate. They are not for "my country" but for all of humanity, not for "my" religion but for the emergence of consciousness in all human beings, not for "my" species but for all sentient beings and all of nature. We are learning that action, although necessary, is only a secondary factor in creation in consciousness. No matter how active we are, how much effort we make, our state of consciousness creates a world, and if there is no change on that inner level, no amount of action will make any difference. We would only re-create modified versions of the same world again and again, a world that is an external reflection of the EGO. \nEckhart Tolle. \nI Just think that makes a whole lot of sense, its an extract from "A New Earth". What do you guys think.
It's a good observation that ego is responsible for selfish behavior/human nature...and we have to make changes at that level to achieve a new level of consciousness to really change anything in our 'world'...resulting in changes in the one outside it. I like his insights sometimes...and sometimes they are a little fluffy. He sells more things books/audio on these types of subjects.. There is a point where the 'product' begins to cloud what the 'teacher' is saying...not saying he doesn't deserve to make money for his work-just that marketing can take over the message
Interesting thoughts. I get what you mean about the fluffiness of it, a part of me also feels that it may be necessary and deliberate on his part, in order to try and avoid engaging the mind too much but rather to draw the attention to that which is beyond the realm of the mind or that from which the mind emerges. As for the marketing clouding the message of the teacher, that is definitely true for many spiritual teachers today, and it is yet another stumbling block that one needs to take into consideration when "seeking enlightenment".
It's rare that intelligence is used for evil by those who have it, on the contrary it is those who are evil - who are nearly always stupid and ignorant - that use the ingenuity of good and curious people to suit their own ends. And sometimes it is necessary, as it was in the second world war, for the nation or side that is fighting for the good of humanity, to do evil things, and build terrible weapons, so that the enemy, themselves an even more terrible lot, do not build them first, and slaughter as many innocents as they want.