Unhappiness and Inner Pollution

Are you polluting the world or cleaning up the mess? You are responsible for your inner space; nobody else is, just as you are responsible for the planet. As within, so without: If humans clear inner pollution, then they will also cease to create outer pollution. Read these thought-provoking ideas.

Are you carrying unspoken resentment? Do you realize that the energy you thus emanate is so harmful in its effects that you are in fact contaminating yourself as well as those around you? Have a good look inside. If there is even the slightest trace of resentment, unwillingness, observe it on both the mental and emotional levels. What thoughts is your mind creating around this situation? Then look at the emotion, which is the body’s reactions to those thoughts. Feel the emotion. Does it feel pleasant or unpleasant? Is it an energy you would actually choose to have inside you? Do you have a choice?

Maybe your thoughts and emotions about this situation are justified, but that makes no difference. The fact is that you are resisting what is. You are making the present moment into an enemy. You are creating unhappiness, conflict between the inner and the outer. The pollution of the planet is only an outward reflection of an inner psychic pollution: millions of unconscious individuals not taking responsibility for their inner space.

Negativity is never the optimum way of dealing with any situation. In most cases, it keeps you stuck in it, blocking real change.

So how do we drop negativity? By dropping it. How do you drop a piece of hot coal that you are holding in your hand? How do you drop some heavy and useless baggage that you are carrying? By recognizing that you don’t want to carry the burden anymore and then letting go of it.

Read more: Spirit, Inspiration, conflict, emotion, negativity, pollution

Adapted from The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle (New World Library, 2004). Copyright (c) 2004 by Eckhart Tolle. Reprinted by permission of New World Library.
Adapted from The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle (New World Library, 2004).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Janine K.

7:47PM PDT on May 21, 2012

There are some people though that you just cannot work it out with. I know myself enough to admit I can't. Forgive? Sure but have to relive it everytime you see them? That's an unhealthy mess. A VERY unhealthy mess I just don't want anymore unhealthy at all. I had my fill. But when your life is invested? Whew.

I also figure it this way. While I watched somebody self destruct, not only themselves but destroyed me, I could've been saving animals or helping people instead of fearing for my dog to be glued again or worse burned in a house because of irresponsible fools.

send a green star

Shirley Z.

5:33PM PDT on May 21, 2012

Interesting. Feel the pain, own it, let it go. That was yesterday. All this takes serious daily practice and a lot of commitment. Easier said than done, yes. Acceptance of self. Time does help with healing. Clean up our own backyards. Lead by example. Practice makes perfect. Let go let God. Peace.

4:57PM PDT on May 21, 2012

Wow man. Wow. I dig that. I mean wow. I like being positive. It feels good. It is me/was me and still is.
I saw my positivity wane when I had some severe personal tragedies piggyback in my life. I fought the horror tooth and nail with yoga and meditation and relaxation dvds and I locked my door and put earplugs in and I held on through the most horrifying stuff in my life. I watched my dog get glued. I saw law enforcement that were fake. I saw my family destroyed. My money stolen, my grandmother's old plate silver stolen, etc. Through all of this and the bizarre aftermath of 911 I tried to remain positive as possible. But the face of the horror kept coming back and I kept on knowing it was a bad joke which is what made me feel the negativity. It was awful. I now positively know what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is. I now understand what people in combat have--I am positive of that. Without dealing with it like I did, I don't think I'd still be here. Being vegan & making sure I had all the nutrients needed helped a lot. I'm glad I am not the type to end it before seeing what the next chapter is. That's how bad it was. I just want to say thank you to the predatory lenders who destroyed everybody. After 16 moves ya'll think ya got me and a lot of others huh? Well, let's see how the next chapter is written for YOU. ;)

4:56PM PDT on May 21, 2012

Jane B.

4:22PM PDT on May 21, 2012

"Maybe your thoughts and emotions about this situation are justified, but that makes no difference. The fact is that you are resisting what is. You are making the present moment into an enemy. You are creating unhappiness, conflict between the inner and the outer."

Sooo... you're saying that resisting slavery was inner pollution and just created unhappiness for the slave owners, a conflict between the inner and the outer? Gosh, had they known, we
would still have slavery and the slave owners would be really, really happy. This is so enlightening. So we should ignore the pollution in our environment, not resist, not cause conflict for Big Biz, make them happy, and let them keep poisoning us? Should I bend over a little more so they can get it in farther? Am I allowed to say ouch or is that too negative?

Loo S.

1:28AM PDT on May 21, 2012

noted

Dee D.

7:53PM PDT on May 20, 2012

I'll try and drop the negativity, but being unemployed, it is a difficult thing to do.

Ron B.

10:46PM PDT on Apr 16, 2012

Speaking of inner pollution, I'd be a lot happier if I had less gas.

Rudolf A.

12:39PM PDT on Sep 27, 2011

It is not easy to drop negativity. Believe me, I know, I have had enough of it in my own lifetime. Now I stick to positivity and it gives me better health. My key phrase is that those of us in the rich world are much better off than the vast majority in the poor world. I am one of the lucky 1% so I do not waste time feeling sorry for myself because I have not got everything in life I would have liked, eg a partner and perhaps children. Why else would I be on Care2?

Michele W.

11:28AM PDT on Sep 27, 2011

Thank you