The new earth that Eckhart Tolle talks about (see my March 15th post) and the heaven on earth that Chokecherry Gall Eagle envisioned (see my February 28th post) are already unfolding–right here, right now. These are not prophecies about a remote, idealistic future. They are explanations of something that is literally taking place now, in our lifetimes.

Two paths now stretch out before us. One path is the continuation of the path we have been on for centuries. On that path, we derive our personal identity from the objects we possess, our thoughts–including our beliefs, and our emotions. We experience ourselves as separate from all else, and view life either as a competition for advantage, or as a battle for survival. This path may povide temporary elations, but there is a constant undertone of fear and stress that arises from either the desire to hold on to our gains, or the craving to seek new ones. Buddha called this path the path of suffering.

Now the second path has opened. It doesn’t break off to the right or left of the first path: It gradually rises vertically above it. It is the path you find yourself walking when you no longer identify yourself as the things you possess or your different beliefs. You begin to experience your relatedness to all things. You discover the one Self that is manifesting through you and all else. You recognize consciousness flowering in you. That consciousness reveals the new path and leads you into the new world–the one that is already here.

We are entirely free to chose the path we will take. The choice is now.