The Ten Thousand Things

Joe: The root of this physical
urge is a spiritual one.

The longing for an end to duality,
a return to the state of wholeness.

Sexual union is the closest you can get
to this state on the physical level.

This is why it is the most
deeply satisfying experience

the physical realm can offer.

But sexual union is no more
than a fleeting glimpse of

wholeness, an instant of bliss.

As long as it is unconsciously
sought as a means of salvation,

you are seeking the end of duality.

On the level of form
where it cannot be found.

You were given a tantalizing
glimpse of heaven.

But you are not allowed to dwell there.

And you find yourself
again in a separate body.

That's from Eckhart Tolle
from The Power of Now.

I've always had the sense when it
comes to sex, that it's more than just.

A couple of animals, rotting.

They always seem to be
a lot more going on.

In that realm for me.

And I do think.

It is a sense of oneness.

The self dropping away.

a merging with another person.

A deep connection that I really
haven't found in any other way.

But also maybe I'm wrong.

Maybe I'm putting too much on sex, and it
is just a physical act with no meaning.

But when I found this piece of
writing, it really spoke to me.

About.

My experience.

Have sex.

But as he says, it's no more than
a fleeting glimpse of wholeness.

An incident of bliss.

There's a much greater oneness.

That's quite hard to talk about.

The can be referred to as non-duality.

A sense of nothing being separate.

A sense of only the world.

The entire world existing,
in this present moment.

Which is really what the book,
The Power of Now is all about.

And it is a book I've re-read.

About four times now.

He does a good job of
talking about something.

That's very hard to put into words.

But I really believe from
my own experience that.

It's duality.

That is the illusion.

And it's oneness.

That is the truth.

So all the separateness and loneliness.

And apartness that I feel.

It's actually an illusion.

And that brief glimpse of heaven
that can happen during sex.

It's actually a glimpse of reality.

It's actually breaking
out of the illusion.

But I know for myself, it can become
obsessive to pursue those moments.

And then I head into something
which is more like addiction.

And at that point, I'm even
further away from the oneness.

That I'm seeking than I ever was before.

I think there's an incredible power

around sex and love.

And I think that I'm
someone who's been sold.

a crock, in terms of romanticism.

And the idea that.

The right person will complete me.

Make me feel whole.

And resolve everything.

So it's this tricky balance for me of.

Seeing the spirituality in six.

But realizing that for me,
It's my spiritual life.

That's going to give me that
sense of wholeness and oneness

and connection with the universe.

And if I keep trying to find it.

In fleeting moments of place.

I'm only gonna end up.

On satisfied.

I know what it is to go towards oneness.

It's not something.

It's easy for me to explain.

But I know what it feels like.

And for me, it's really about saying
through the illusions and seeing through.

150 years of romanticism.

And seeing through
Hollywood and advertising.

And everything that's.

Gave me to believe that.

The only way to find happiness.

And contentment.

Is to find the one.

But the reality is.

I'm the one pub always been looking for.

And home has always been right here.

And when I've looked for now, the places.

Other than deep down within.

It's caused me.

So much pain.

Really the majority of pain I've had
in my life has been in this area.

But the heart is a bit high too.

I guess for me, developing a spiritual
life is about reassessing everything.

Starting from scratch.

And a rating like this really.

Really makes me question a lot of
things that I took for granted.

But also explain some things to me.

Like, why have always seen sex
is so profound and meaningful.

When I know to a lot of
people, it's just a bit of fun.

And it's really no big deal.

For me, I have unconsciously
sold it as a means of salvation.

And I really hope.

That I can start looking somewhere else.

Probably deep down within.

For that feeling of okayness.

Connection oneness.

And hopefully.

Peace of mind.