Intro to "Eternal Now"

According to the mystical tradition that is embraced here, "time" does not really exist. It is an imaginary extrapolation of that which does exist. That which does exist is the "eternal now."

The "past" is illusion because it is dead, the "future" because it is not yet born. this applies to .0000001 second ago, or .000000001 second from now. The only "point in time" that actually exists is this "now." And this one, now. And now. And now.

There are not several "nows," like pearls on a string, although it might seem to be so. There is just one now. And it is now.

The "now" appears to be swallowed by the past, but it is not. This is a paradox, as in neophysics. For this "now" is so tiny that you cannot capture it even within the mind. For, as soon as you think "now," it seems to be gone, sucked into the "past." But a little thought will show that it is not gone at all. For it is still now.

Mystics are ultrarealists. they do not waste time in the double-illusion of past and future. when you have something that needs to be done or said, now is the only time that you can do or say it.

Again paradoxically, this makes mystics ultrarealists, even though their very deep spiritual tradition is famous (or notorious) for dreaming. It is only within the world of the dream that we create a subdream called "time." A higher reality, taught by Jesus, is the "timeless" life.

The Greek adjective aionian is most often mistranslated "everlasting" in most translations, making the promised reward of Jesus "everlasting" life. But this makes absolutely no sense if he knew (and he did) that life was, by its very intrinsic nature, already "everlasting. So, the interior Master Christ calls us, through Jesus (and others) to a "timeless" life. Time does not go more quickly or more slowly in this kind of life; it simply does not exist.

Believing in the "eternal now" allows one to give all her timenergy, concentration, and attention to what she is doing right now. Writing this letter is an example of this kind of focus. What is right in front of you at the moment is "God's assignment," "your soul's task," your mission, in life. More than one ancient mystic has written, therefore, "Do whatever you do, as unto the Lord." That means, do it with unbroken, undistracted focus. Treat each task as sacred. Find as many "tasks of Love" as possible. Every act of Love is an act of worship, and every thought of Love a true prayer.

Doing one thing at a time, and giving it your very best, makes life --this life-- far richer, each moment touched with sacred beauty. It awakens you to a fuller potential, and actually allows you to get more accomplished. This is especially so if you combine it with the attitude of karmayoga. In this mental "yoga" or mysticism, you do not work for any results ever. Instead of trying to get results, you view your work as a sacred "sacrifice" of energy to the Lord of Love. We are not used to this, but seeing the work itself as sacred can improve our lives. This can have almost miraculous effects upon the mind.

For example, if you do not work for results, but see the work itself only as sacred, you can write many pages, only to discover that your computer has "eaten" all of them. They were all "eaten by cyberspace." Because you know that the work itself is/was sacred, and you were not working for results, you can continue in equanimity, without losing it and blowing up. If you decide to try this, you will find that the resulting tranquility is enormous.:)
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