The Seer

Pearl and I are taking a break over the holidays with our family in Melbourne, so there may not be any further postings on The Seer until early January. Peter’s Pearls, however, will continue without a pause.

We would like to thank again all those who have expressed in various ways throughout the year their appreciation for the blog — it was very encouraging when it was difficult to keep going.

Finally, we would like to wish you and yours the full blessing of Consciousness over the holiday season. Actually, in essence, you are the fount of all blessing YourSelf!

Our dear friend, Catherine Ingram, has reported on the Vancouver Peace Summit, a three-day gathering of luminaries including the Dalai Lama, Eckhart Tolle, Maria Shriver, numerous Nobel laureates, and a couple dozen other presenters.

The Dalai Lama, Catherine said, emphasized again and again the need for women to have greater roles in leadership in all fields because, he said, they are “biologically” more nurturing and have a greater sensitivity to suffering. He feels that our educational system is the domain in which ethics and a connection to the totality of life needs to be taught now that there is a worldwide diminishment of the role of churches and the cohesion of families, arenas which once provided more spiritual and ethical sustenance. He also implored the educators and scientists attending the conference to introduce emotional and social intelligence in schools and for the media to start concentrating more on “good news,” stories that uplift our spirits instead of scaring us to death.

Eckhart Tolle, she said, suggested the introduction of “awareness” training in schools, not just as one of the subjects but as the main subject — “awareness of emotions, awareness of thoughts, of other human beings and their thoughts,” and for young people to learn to not equate their thoughts with who they are so that a child has a sense early on of his or her own nature and of the nature of the other children.

There was a moment I heard about, Catherine said, that I didn’t actually witness. After one of the sessions, the Dalai Lama and Eckhart Tolle held hands as they walked to lunch. It is an image I would have liked to imprint in memory, one that I might call upon in moments of distress. To most of the world, they are probably the two most respected spiritual leaders of East and West. But in these last days and over the many years I have known them both, they have shown themselves to be wise global citizens, beautifully human and simple, doing their part for a gentler world.

Ramesh S. Balsekar was born in Mumbai, India, in 1917, and after a distinguished career in banking, was for several years an interpreter for Nisargadatta Maharaj. Then, after his own awakening, Ramesh became a truth-teacher himself and offered Satsang daily in his home right up to the time of his final illness. Pete & Pearl sat with him there for five memorable days in 1995.

He also authored many books on enlightenment spirituality including: Consciousness Speaks.

Sadly, Ramesh passed away at his home after a short illness on Sept. 27, aged 92.

The author/teacher, Wayne LIquorman, was foremost among those influenced by Ramesh and wrote: “Having met Ramesh was one of the defining moments of my life. His generous spirit, open, loving presence and spiritual understanding combined to make him one of the truly great sages of the 20th century. His spirit will live on in his books and in the hearts of all of us who have known him and loved him.”

If you haven’t visited our Web Site recently, now would be a great time to do so because it’s just been completely redesigned and upgraded. Sam & Navi Blight have done a wonderful job of making all our information, articles, services and products much more accessible.

The new site now features an on-line store so you can more easily find and order books, DVDs and CDs by leading truth-teachers, and a new and better way to receive our free daily inspirational quote service — Peter’s Pearls. We’ve also made it easier for you to find out about the special activities and workshops at Gurukula that may be of benefit to you. There are pages on counselling and spiritual mentoring … and much more.

And if that’s not enough, there’s a treasure-trove of interesting articles on the site to help and encourage you in your understanding of Who or What we really are — the truth that sets us free in every area of life. So click through now to: www.peterspearls.com.au/ and let us know if the upgrade meets with your approval.

Have you noticed our new Twitter site at: >>>twitter.com/PeteSumner? As well as updates from me, this networking site now features regular contributions from Eckhart Tolle and Scott Kiloby. It’s easy to join Twitter and keep in touch with friends living from Awareness.

You may like to know that David (our son) & Vanessa (our lovely daughter-in-law) now have a baby boy. His name is: Hudson Stafford Sumner, and he was born on Mon. July 20th (the birthday of one of his great grandfathers, Willie Welsh) at 10.20am at the Epworth/Freemasons hopital in East Melbourne, Australia. Hudson was 7lb 5oz at birth, with blonde hair and blue eyes — mother and child are doing fine. Vanessa was in labour for only 8 hours, and has recovered remarkably well. My wife, Pearl, is in Melbourne to greet the new arrival … I had to stay in Perth for some eye-treatment etc., but will go to see our latest grandson asap. All because we loved so much.

In recent years the science and practice of psychology has been moving gradually away from the medical approach that focuses on pathology towards an approach that focuses on what makes a healthy, happy and resilient mind. This new approach is known as Positive Psychology. Prof. Martin Seligman, who was the president of the American Psychologists Assoc. is now the leader of this movement and this is how he described the paradigm shift:

“The new century challenges psychology to shift more of its intellectual energy to the study of the positive aspects of human experience — hope, wisdom, creativity, future mindedness, courage, spirituality, responsibility and perseverance. A science of positive subjective experience, of positive individual traits, and of positive institutions promises to improve the quality of life and also to prevent the various pathologies that arise when life is barren and meaningless. … this century will see a science and profession that will come to understand and build those factors that allow individuals, communities, and societies to flourish”.

Positive Psychology (the truth about Who or What we really are) can give us ‘different eyes.’ Eyes that are not shaped by the past but by a fuller appreciation of the present moment and the future with all its possibilities.

As we become more ‘conscious,’ our attention will be shaped less by your conditioned self (biography, culture, social roles, biology) and more by our core BEING, who we truly are. When attention is stemming from BEING, our eyes are as fresh as a child’s eyes, our choices are more authentic: they are right for us and owned by us.

We will see, understand and relate differently to all the parts within us that create the whole sense of who we are. We will experience a greater sense of wholeness, of inner peace, of knowing and accepting Who or What we really are.

As a result, the essence of our ‘BEING’ nature — such as joy, connection, curiosity, gratitude and abundance — will be more expressed.

We will feel more connection and flow with others. Less of our psychic energy will be wasted on regret, shame, self doubts and worry. Returning to NOW will free a lot of energy for optimal functioning.

We will be truer in expressing ourselves (e.g more assertive) and in pursuing our goals. We will be more flexible shifting attention to notice the brighter and funnier aspects of life. We will be inspired to see possibilities in challenges and hardships.

~ From the Web site: Return to BEING, by Hagai Avisar.

If you’d like to know what we’re up to day-to-day, Pete is now on Twitter. You can check this site for the very latest news, announcements, Web site updates, reports, travel plans, humor and commentary on life from Pete’s perspective. If you’re already on Twitter, ‘follow’ this site and tell your friends.

Also, Pete’s also using Tokbox to do video gatherings with Seeing friends around the world. You’re very welcome to join us … or just send a video mail.

Timothy Freke has recorded a fantastic interview about oneness, gnosticism and lucid living on the fab Urban Guru Cafe site, which you can listen to for free by >>>Clicking Here

International best selling co-author of “The Jesus Mysteries”, Tim, gives his views on Non Duality and integrating the sense of separation in this third part of a single interview.

‘Part Three’ of this interview will complete this trilogy. Enjoy.

“Gnosticism,” Tim says, “is all about the simplicity of knowing, the naked, unadorned knowing that is present as you right now.”

Our free daily inspirational quote service suffered a serious setback due to an ISP accident some weeks ago, but it’s now up and running again.

If you’ve stopped receiving our daily offerings and would like to get them again, just send us a >>>Blank Email.

If you haven’t been a subscriber before, why not try it out? It’s free and you can unsubscribe anytime. Each day we email you a short quote from one of the great contemporary spiritual enlightenment truth teachers such as Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, Gangaji, Douglas Harding and others. It’s a great way to start your day. Again, just send us a >>>Blank Email.