"Practicing the Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle has been and remains one of the most influential books in my life.  If you've never read it, please do.  If you've read it before, please read it again.  Why do I ask you to read/re-read this book?  Because, quite simply, the more of us that do, the higher our level of collective consciousness...and we're all here together.

I know that it's a bold statement to say that reading a book will raise our collective consciousness, but that is how strongly I feel about it.  It introduced me to what I believe is one of the most important concepts in spiritual growth--I am not my thoughts.  Some time ago, I wrote a post about how the phrase "I think, therefore I am" is one of the most damaging concepts ever introduced into our world.  I stand by that.  It  tells me that my existence, my "I am" is based on that fact that I can think.

For just a moment, close your eyes and watch your thoughts.  You just watched your thoughts.  If you just watched your thoughts, are you the thoughts/thinker, or are you the watcher?  The real you, your true self is the watcher.  And it is my belief that the watcher is spirit; and that spirit (the real you) is one with Spirit/God/Universe.

Tolle says, "The beginning of freedom is the realization that you are not...the thinker....The moment you start watching the thinker, a higher level of consciousness becomes activated."  I would add that knowing this--truly knowing this--will give you the greatest quantum leap of spiritual growth you've ever experienced.