From Suffering to Awakening: Embracing Consciousness in Virtual Worlds | Eckhart Tolle

Summary

In this thought-provoking discussion, Eckhart Tolle shares his insights on the power of language, presence, and consciousness in our digital age. He emphasizes the importance of reaching people in their native languages, recounting his experiences of teaching in Spanish and German. Tolle delves into the role of language in spiritual discourse, where words serve as pointers to a deeper, non-conceptual understanding. Addressing the questioner's proposal, Tolle contemplates the potential of digital media and social media to foster consciousness while acknowledging the inherent risks. Ultimately, he encourages tapping into one's inner presence and stillness to find creative solutions that can make spiritual teachings accessible across cultures and languages.

Takeaways

• 👍 Speaking people's native language helps connect with them better and communicate profound concepts more effectively.
• 🧠 Words in spiritual teachings are just pointers to something beyond words; mastering the terminology doesn't equate to true understanding.
• 🌍 There's value in making spiritual wisdom accessible across different languages and cultures.
• 📱 Social media and digital platforms can be used to promote mindfulness and presence, but also carry risks of energy drain and unconsciousness.
• ✨ Creative solutions often arise from stillness and presence, rather than seeking answers externally.
• 🔄 To access intuition, ask a question, let it go into the stillness, and allow the answer to emerge organically.
• 👥 Communication in one's mother tongue can foster deeper understanding and connection, even with limited proficiency.
• 💻 While digital media has potential benefits, there's a sense of energy leakage when engaging with screens.
• 🌐 Censoring unconscious content online is problematic; the solution lies in promoting conscious presence.
• 🧘‍♂️ Trust in the depth of your own being, not the superficial self, to access creativity and intuition.

Q & A

What was Eckhart Tolle's experience of giving a retreat entirely in Spanish?

Eckhart Tolle shared that he challenged himself by conducting an entire retreat in Spanish, a language he learned long ago but hadn't used much recently. Initially, he found it difficult to find the right words and express himself fluidly, but after a couple of days, the flow came back, and he was able to reach people in their own language effectively.

How did speaking in his native language help Eckhart Tolle communicate better in Germany?

Eckhart Tolle explained that when he started speaking in German, his native language, at events in Germany after many years of not using it, he initially thought he couldn't do it. However, once he began speaking German, the flow came back miraculously, and he was able to continue without needing a translator.

What is the role of language in spiritual discourse according to Eckhart Tolle?

Eckhart Tolle explained that in spiritual discourse, words are not the thing itself but merely pointers to something beyond words. Learning the terminology of spirituality does not necessarily lead to a transformation in one's state of consciousness. Words in spiritual teachings serve to point to something that is beyond the words themselves.

How did Baba's experience of speaking his native language with his parents differ from communicating in English?

Baba shared that when he started speaking in his native language with his parents, there was a silence, a pause, and an acknowledgment from them, unlike in English, where the conversation felt more like a debate. His parents seemed to understand him better when he communicated in their shared native language.

What is Eckhart Tolle's perspective on the potential dangers of the virtual world and digital media?

While acknowledging that some aspects of the virtual world and digital media can be helpful (e.g., meditation apps, his talks on YouTube), Eckhart Tolle expressed concern about an inherent danger in the medium itself. He described a feeling of energy leakage or an outflow of attention when engaging with screens, as if the screens were "sucking up human energy."

How did Eckhart Tolle suggest finding creative solutions for using digital media in a conscious way?

Eckhart Tolle recommended applying one's presence and becoming still to allow creative insights and solutions to arise. He advised asking a question, letting go of it, and allowing the answer to come up from the depth of one's being, where intuition and creativity reside, rather than looking for answers externally.

What was Baba's proposal to Eckhart Tolle regarding making his teachings accessible in African languages?

Baba proposed working with Eckhart Tolle and his team to make his book "The Power of Now" accessible in major African languages. He acknowledged that Eckhart Tolle's teachings had a profound impact on his personal journey and expressed a desire to share these insights with his parents and others who may face language barriers.

How did Eckhart Tolle's identity as a "famous YouTuber" come about?

Eckhart Tolle shared an amusing anecdote about a young man recognizing him while walking and introducing him to his girlfriend as a "famous YouTuber." This realization highlighted the impact of his teachings being available on platforms like YouTube and his newfound identity in the virtual world.

What was the significance of Kim's experience with her mother regarding language and communication?

Eckhart Tolle mentioned that his wife Kim has a wonderful relationship with her 99-year-old mother, but their communication is virtually impossible beyond elementary things. As a child, Kim decided not to speak Chinese anymore to fit in at school, resulting in her losing most of her ability to communicate in her mother's language.

How did Eckhart Tolle view the potential role of censorship in the virtual world?

Eckhart Tolle acknowledged that while there are laws against threats, violence, and slander, censoring or allowing only polite and nice messages in the virtual world would not be the right way to go. He recognized that people's unconscious states would be reflected in their communication, and there is no control over what people put out there.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Reaching People in Their Native Language

The speaker, Baba, expresses his gratitude for Eckhart Tolle's efforts in communicating spiritual teachings in different languages, making them accessible to broader audiences. He shares his own experience of reconnecting with his native language and how it brought a deeper understanding and connection with his parents. Baba proposes working with Eckhart's team to translate 'The Power of Now' into major African languages, as he believes ancient wisdom exists in these languages and can help people access profound spiritual insights.

05:02

🗣️ The Power of Language in Spiritual Discourse

Eckhart Tolle reflects on his experience of conducting retreats in Spanish and German, languages he hadn't actively used for decades. He explains how initially challenging it was to find the right words, but the flow eventually returned. Tolle emphasizes that in spiritual discourse, words are not the thing itself but merely pointers to something beyond words. Mastering spiritual terminology does not necessarily translate to a deeper understanding or shift in consciousness. Language in spiritual teachings serves a different function than in ordinary discourse.

10:02

🔑 Language as a Bridge to Understanding

Tolle highlights how Baba's experience of communicating with his parents in their native language allowed for a deeper connection and understanding, despite Baba's own lack of fluency. The pauses and silences in the communication facilitated a more profound exchange. Tolle contrasts this with Kim's inability to fully communicate with her mother due to losing her Chinese language skills as a child. He appreciates Baba's fortunate situation in bridging the language gap with his parents.

15:05

⚠️ The Double-Edged Nature of Digital Media

Eckhart Tolle acknowledges the potential benefits of digital media, such as meditation apps and online talks that can help people stay present and conscious. However, he also expresses concerns about the inherent dangers of the medium itself. He finds it difficult to describe, but he senses an energy leakage when engaging with screens, as if the attention and energy are being drained. Tolle suggests that this experience may be universal and raises the idea of a science fiction movie where screens suck up human energy.

20:09

🧘‍♂️ Trusting Inner Wisdom for Creative Solutions

Eckhart Tolle admits to not having a definitive solution for leveraging digital media for increased consciousness. Instead, he encourages Baba and others to trust their own inner wisdom and presence. By becoming still, asking questions, and allowing answers to arise from the depth of one's being, creative solutions can emerge. Tolle advises Baba to apply this process to find innovative ways to use the virtual world as a tool for the development of human consciousness. He affirms Baba's idea of reaching people in African languages and expresses willingness to collaborate.

Keywords

💡Language

Language refers to the spoken or written methods of communicating ideas and conveying information. In the video, Eckhart Tolle discusses the importance of understanding and communicating in people's native languages. He shares his experience of giving talks in Spanish and German, emphasizing how reaching people in their own language can make a profound difference in effectively conveying the message. Language is seen not just as a means of verbal exchange but as a medium to connect with people's deeper understanding.

💡Presence

Presence is a term used to describe a state of heightened awareness and being fully present in the current moment. Tolle suggests that creative solutions and insights arise from a place of stillness and presence, rather than solely relying on intellectual knowledge or reasoning. He encourages the questioner to tap into this depth of being and presence within themselves to find creative answers for designing conscious digital media. Presence is portrayed as a state of consciousness that can unlock intuition and creativity.

💡Stillness

Stillness refers to a state of inner quietude and calmness, free from the constant chatter of the mind. Tolle emphasizes the importance of becoming still and letting go of the question or problem at hand, allowing the answer or solution to arise naturally from this state of stillness. He suggests that creative answers often emerge after periods of stillness, rather than through constant mental effort or striving. Stillness is presented as a gateway to accessing deeper levels of consciousness and intuitive understanding.

💡Consciousness

Consciousness is a central concept in Tolle's teachings, referring to the fundamental awareness or presence that underlies all experience. He suggests that suffering is the foundation for the development of consciousness, and that digital media, while potentially helpful, also carries an inherent danger of disconnecting people from their deeper consciousness. Tolle encourages the questioner to apply their presence and consciousness in designing digital media tools that can aid in the evolution of human consciousness.

💡Spiritual discourse

Spiritual discourse refers to the use of language and terminology in the context of spiritual teachings and discussions. Tolle emphasizes that in spiritual discourse, words are not the actual thing they represent but merely pointers towards something beyond words. He cautions against mistaking the mastery of spiritual terminology for true spiritual understanding, as the words themselves do not necessarily transform one's state of consciousness. Spiritual discourse is seen as a tool for pointing towards the ineffable experience of awakening or presence.

💡Wisdom

Wisdom is a form of deep understanding and insight that transcends surface-level knowledge. Tolle suggests that understanding multiple languages can potentially provide access to wisdom from different cultural and linguistic perspectives. He implies that wisdom is not merely intellectual knowledge but a more profound awareness that can be communicated and understood through language, particularly one's native language. The questioner's desire to make Tolle's teachings accessible in African languages stems from a recognition of the inherent wisdom present in those languages.

💡Digital media

Digital media refers to various forms of media and communication technologies that are based on digital platforms and devices, such as social media, virtual environments, and online platforms. Tolle acknowledges the potential of digital media to serve as a helpful tool for teaching mindfulness, meditation, and conscious breathing practices. However, he also expresses concerns about the inherent dangers of digital media, such as the potential for energy leakage and disconnection from physical presence. He encourages the questioner to apply their presence and consciousness in designing digital media tools that can support the development of human consciousness.

💡Intuition

Intuition is a form of direct knowing or understanding that arises from within, without the need for conscious reasoning or analysis. Tolle suggests that creative solutions and insights often arise from the depths of one's being, where intuition resides. He advises the questioner to trust their intuition and inner depth, rather than relying solely on external sources or superficial knowledge. Intuition is portrayed as a valuable resource for accessing creative ideas and solutions, particularly in the context of designing conscious digital media.

💡Creativity

Creativity refers to the ability to generate novel ideas, solutions, or expressions that are both original and valuable. Tolle emphasizes that true creativity arises from a state of presence and stillness, rather than solely through intellectual effort or striving. He encourages the questioner to tap into their creative potential by becoming present, asking questions, and allowing answers to emerge naturally from the depths of their being. Creativity is presented as a fundamental aspect of finding innovative solutions, particularly in the realm of designing digital media that supports the evolution of human consciousness.

💡Native language

Native language refers to the first language that an individual learns from birth and acquires naturally within their cultural and linguistic environment. The questioner highlights the importance of communicating profound concepts, such as Tolle's teachings on presence and consciousness, in people's native languages. He shares his experience of connecting more deeply with his parents by speaking to them in their native language, which allowed for a more genuine understanding and acknowledgment of the concepts being conveyed. Native language is seen as a powerful medium for accessing and sharing wisdom across cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Highlights

Eckhart Tolle describes his experience of giving a retreat in Spanish, despite not having used the language much in decades. He found it challenging at first to find the right words, but the flow eventually came back, and people were grateful for his effort to reach them in their own language.

Eckhart explains that in spiritual discourse, words are not the thing itself, but merely pointers to something beyond words. Mastering spiritual terminology does not equate to spiritual awakening or a shift in consciousness.

Baba shares how speaking his native language with his parents, despite not being fully fluent, allows for a more profound and silent understanding, unlike the debate-like dynamic when conversing in English.

Eckhart highlights the positive impact of virtual or digital media in providing access to teachings, meditation guides, and fostering mindfulness, while also noting a potential energy drain or disconnect from engaging with screens.

Eckhart encourages Baba to trust his inner presence and stillness to find creative solutions for using digital media to develop human consciousness, rather than seeking answers externally.

Eckhart affirms Baba's idea of making spiritual teachings accessible in African languages as wonderful and suggests connecting to pursue that endeavor.

Eckhart shares an amusing anecdote about being recognized as a 'famous YouTuber' while walking, highlighting the reach and impact of virtual platforms in spreading teachings.

Eckhart acknowledges the challenges of censorship and unconscious content on social media, emphasizing the need for individual presence and consciousness rather than external control.

Eckhart provides an example of his partner Kim's difficulty in communicating with her mother due to her childhood decision to stop speaking Chinese, underscoring the importance of language in bridging understanding.

Eckhart discusses the paradox of sometimes finding it easier to communicate spiritual concepts when not fully proficient in a language, as there are gaps in the conceptual flow that allow for a deeper transmission.

Eckhart suggests that Baba's question about digital media solutions should be directed inward, allowing creative answers to arise from the stillness within, rather than seeking external advice.

Eckhart compares the experience of reading physical books versus digital screens, noting a sense of energy leakage or disconnect when engaging with screens.

Eckhart acknowledges the potential for both positive and negative impacts of virtual or digital media, recognizing the lack of control over unconscious content shared online.

Eckhart describes a process of asking a question, letting it drop into stillness, and allowing the answer to arise over time, rather than forcing an immediate solution.

Eckhart shares his experience of initially intending to explain why he couldn't speak German, but then unexpectedly finding himself speaking fluently in German after decades of disuse, describing it as a miracle.

Transcripts

- That makes a difference if you can reach people

in their own language,

and people were grateful that I made this effort.

Normally, I'm not into efforting at all.

(audience laughs)

(bell chimes)

- Hi, Eckrart.

- [Eckhart] Hi.

- My name is Baba and I started listening to you,

I think, a year ago during the pandemic.

Thanks a lot to my partner who introduced me to you.

I have a three dimensional question for you today.

As a technologist, I come from this experience

of creating virtual worlds.

(audience laughs and applauds)

And I would say there's some good news.

(audience laughs)

The good news there, both as a producer and a consumer,

is there's a lot of suffering there.

So, and as you always say,

suffering is the foundation's consciousness.

So hopefully- (audience laughs)

Hopefully, we'll find a solution there.

On the serious note, the three dimensional question

I have for you is, in regards to language,

how has the understanding of multiple,

I don't know if you've addressed this in the past,

but just listening to you speak, it seems you have a grasp

or a decent grasp for multiple languages.

How has your understanding of multiple languages

enabled you to get access to wisdom

in the conscious dimension

and communicate that in accessible ways?

So that's the first one.

Then the second one is pushing,

wanting to explore your mind around digital media.

So I don't know whether you've experienced digital media

or whether you spend much time on there,

but if you were to explore your mind

and talk about how you design social media

in conscious ways, what would you recommend there?

Because I literally quit my job to live in my car

to explore some of these ideas, because, yeah,

I think as the pandemic showed me,

it's important we solve this problem

and exploring your mind would give me some insights.

And the final one is "The Power of Now."

I come from a different community,

whereby thought like yours was inaccessible to me,

and I feel like it was a language barrier.

And I would like to work with you and your team

to help make "The Power of Now" accessible

in major African languages because I-

(audience applauds and cheers)

Because it has really, in my own personal journey,

first of all, being able to...

Like, I've grown up speaking English

and being able to access your perspective.

I grew up Christian, but being able

to access your perspective opened my mind

to another dimension, and I was able to heal my deep,

like Kim says, laundry,

like there's a bunch of laundry I was able to heal.

But after healing my laundry, I came to the realization

that, okay, that a bunch of this amazing things

I want to communicate with my parents, but I really can't.

'cause I speak English to them.

English is not their first language.

It's like, speaking of unconsciousness,

slavery and colonization.

It's like a second and third language for them.

And so there are some things that are not accessible.

But the weird thing is I started learning my native language

and there's some weird thing that started going on.

It's like the same thoughts you are saying

is actually accessible in other languages

that already exist.

And I'm like, oh my God.

And I started speaking my language to my parents

and it's bringing so much peace to them.

And it's like what you are saying is actually true,

like ancient wisdom and ancient civilization,

like those things are real.

So I would love to work with you and your team

to make this accessible.

So please, languages, digital media, and power.

(audience applauds and applauds)

- Thank you. Wonderful proposal.

And that will help perhaps millions of people.

However, I must confess

that I have forgotten your first question.

(audience laughs)

- Your understanding of several languages,

does that help in accessing wisdom

from the conscious dimension

and of that helping communicating that in accessible ways?

- Right. Well...

Just, when was it? Three weeks ago.

We had a retreat in Mexico.

And for the first time ever, I wanted to challenge myself

and decided to do the entire retreat in Spanish.

(audience applauds)

And that was, I learned Spanish a long time ago,

over half a century ago,

and haven't used it very much since, reading,

occasionally reading a book.

And I experienced,

at first it was very hard for my mind

to find the words that there's not,

there's an intuition that comes...

Before you speak, it's very hard to describe,

before language happens,

you already know what wants to be said at a nonverbal level.

And then this knowing what wants to be said,

which is a non-conceptual knowing,

then gets translated into concepts and words.

And in English, they say, "your language is rusty,"

When you haven't used the language for a long time,

you say it's rusty.

And that's how I experience it.

The impulse came to say something,

and sometimes the flow was there, it was fine.

And then, can't find the right word immediately.

The mind has to work overtime to find an equivalent

or similar word, and it slows you down a bit.

But that was fine.

So I was able to reach, and after the couple of days,

the flow came back and it went much more easily.

Quite enjoyable reaching people in their own language.

That makes a difference.

If you can reach people in their own language

rather than having translate it into their language,

this is why I wanted to do it.

So I was able to, and people were grateful

that I made this effort.

Normally, I'm not into efforting at all.

(audience laughs)

But I made an effort to speak Spanish

and it worked and that was good.

Similar thing in Germany years ago,

I so out of touch with the German language

that I spoke as a child and I said, I cannot possibly,

that was 20 years ago, I said,

I cannot possibly give a talk in German.

It's just the words are not there anymore.

And at the first event, I had a translator,

I spoke English and the translator, interpreter

interpreted into German.

It didn't feel quite right.

And a few times I knew the translator wasn't correct,

(audience laughs)

but I couldn't say anything.

And at the second talk, the organizer said,

"Why don't you tell your old,

just say a few words in German and explain to them

why you are not going to speak German,"

and that that's a good idea.

So I started and I talked, "The reason why I'm not going

to speak in German," I said in German,

"the reason why I cannot speak in German to you,

because I haven't used the language

in 60 years or whatever."

And so, and then I talked and talked and-

(audience laughs)

And 15 minutes later I said,

"Oh, I'm still speaking German."

(audience laughs)

And then they continued. Translation was unnecessary.

The flow was there. It was a miracle.

(audience laughs)

And so after that, I've always, when I would go Germany,

Switzerland, I speak in German now.

That's good.

But language is a strange thing.

It's of course, it's an abstraction.

I use language to teach.

And the the words that one uses in spiritual discourse,

the words have a different function from the function

that words have in ordinary discourse.

In spiritual discourse, the the words are not the thing,

they only point to the thing.

All the words are point us to something

that is beyond words.

So are using words in order to point something

that is beyond the words.

Even when I say stillness,

the words stillness isn't stillness.

So it's a pointer.

When they say the awakening, spiritual awakening, presence,

whatever it may be, they're just pointers.

They're not something to believed in.

You cannot learn the terminology of spirituality

and then believe, because you have mastered the words

that are used in a spiritual teaching,

then you have mastered the spiritual teaching.

In ordinary subjects, this is how it works.

You learn, you learn the words,

and in exams you regurgitate what you have learned.

You write it all down and you pass your exam.

And so to learn the words is you become proficient.

In spiritual discourse, if you learn the words,

you might become proficient in spiritual discourse,

but it hasn't done anything to your state of consciousness.

There are actually people around these days (chuckles)

who give talks, spiritual talks,

I've seen a few on YouTube,

who have mastered the spiritual discourse,

especially in the area of what in India is called Advaita,

Advaita (indistinct), people who have mastered

the terminology of Advaita, and they can beautifully explain

that whatever you say to them is, yeah, it's all delusion,

of course, it's all totally, it's all...

Everything is denied.

It's very easy to make sense apparently,

but it doesn't make sense at all.

And you can see it hasn't done anything

to the state of consciousness,

but they have mastered the terminology.

So the language has a different function

in spiritual discourse.

And so, I don't know whether that has anything to do

with the answer to your question,

but that's what came to me.

When you talked to your parents,

did you talk to your parents,

do you speak English to your parents?

- Growing up, I did.

But I always thought they didn't really understand me.

But when I started like...

'Cause it is the same thing you're saying.

So, 'cause I'm still not fluent in my native language,

so I go through the exact same process.

There's a pause, you are searching for the word,

and then the word just flows through you.

And there's a silence from them to show that they...

like in English is like a debate.

The conversation feels like a debate.

But when I speak in their language,

there's a silence, a pause and an acknowledgement

and they're, "Hmm."

- Very good.

That's good, very good. That's wonderful.

Because this is means,

because you haven't quite mastered the language,

the communication is not totally obscured by concepts.

There are gaps in the concepts,

and this is why you can act, communicate better that way.

Although you are not proficient at the language,

that's actually a plus,

especially when you communicate something

even remotely connected to spirituality.

It's great, you're lucky that,

I don't know whether Kim has mentioned to you,

it reminds me of Kim's, I don't think it's a secret,

she has spoken about it before,

Kim has a very good relationship with her mother.

Her mother is 99 years old, still very active mind,

very also physically good.

But Kim as a child, because she was a minority at school

at that time, there were very few Asian people,

she decided when she was six or seven,

she didn't want to speak Chinese anymore.

Not speaking Chinese,

because she wanted to fit in with the others.

So she refused to speak Chinese.

So she lost most of her Chinese completely.

As a result, now communication with her mother

is virtually impossible, except for very elementary things.

And her relationship is wonderful.

(audience laughs and applauds)

No problem arises and ever. (chuckles)

So that's a big plus.

And yours is not quite as extreme, but it's similar.

- So exploring your mind, do you have thoughts

on how social media, digital media

can result in more consciousness?

I think this is gonna help technologists like me

design things for the next generation.

- Well, I am not an expert on-

- [Baba] That's why you're the right person.

- I'm not only not an expert,

I am almost computer illiterate,

but I'm observing things.

I know how these things function, how they work.

I don't have a creative solution as such.

I do know that a few things that appear

in the virtual world are actually helpful.

There are apps that can teach you to meditate

or to breathe consciously

to bring you back into the present moment.

Also, there are talks by Eckhart on YouTube.

(audience laughs and applauds)

Not long ago, I was going for a walk,

and you know that people

have different conceptual identities.

One of my conceptual identities is I'm a writer.

When people ask me, I usually say, "I'm a writer."

Or if I don't want any further questions from them,

I will say, "I'm retired."

(audience laughs)

Which is not a lie,

because I've been retired for many decades

in a deeper sense.

So I'm a spiritual teacher.

I'd rarely say I'm a spiritual teacher,

because I'm not a spiritual teacher, except in the moment

when spiritual teaching happens,

I don't carry around with me a conceptual identity

in my head, "I am a spiritual teacher."

I'm an author. Of course, okay.

Anyway, I was walking a man, young man

was coming with his partner opposite direction.

And the man stopped and he looked at me

and said, "I know you from somewhere.

What's your name?"

I said, "Eckhart."

"Oh, (indistinct) I watched you,

read you on YouTube all the time."

And then he said to his girlfriend,

"Look, this guy's a famous YouTuber."

(audience laughs)

And then I realized I have a new identity now.

(audience laughs)

So sometimes the virtual world is used for good purposes,

this is not the only example, of course,

but there is an inherent danger in the medium itself.

It's hard to describe even a simple thing,

when I occasionally read, I love books,

the physical presence of books,

but sometimes when I travel, I have things on my iPad

or virtual books, because books are heavy otherwise.

It is not quite the same to have the experience of reading

on a screen as you have the experience of a book,

I find it hard to describe what the difference is.

It's almost if I was leaking energy

when I engaging with a screen.

I have sometimes the feeling there's an energy leakage,

that energy pours out.

It's kind of, the screen sucks it out.

And perhaps it's to some extent this happens to everybody,

because the energy is directed onto that screen,

and energy, the attention is energy,

so there's an outflow of attention onto there.

And so I don't know what the screen does with it.

Here we have a nice idea for science fiction movie

that the screens are sucking up human energy.

(audience laughs)

It's "The Matrix."

(audience laughs)

- [Baba] Also-

- I don't know if I finished. Probably not.

(audience laughs)

Somehow nobody can control what people put out there.

There's nothing you can do about that.

If people are very unconscious, what they communicate

will reflect their state of unconsciousness.

So there is not much you can do to censor people,

becomes problematic, although obviously

there are already laws against threats or physical violence

or slander and things like that.

In an ideal world, one would say,

"Oh, let's only allow polite and nice messages

to come through.

Anything other we need to censor,"

that would not be the right way to go.

But I have no solution except to encourage you

to apply your presence that is already there

and apply it, so that you have creative insights

into what is possible.

Use the presence instead of looking to me for an answer,

because it appears that I don't have one-

(audience laughs)

Instead of looking to me for an answer,

go into that stillness, that presence, and see what arises,

because creative solutions, creative answers

come from there.

So to trust yourself, not the personal superficial self,

but trust in the depth of your being

where intuition resides, the source of all creativity.

Become present, become still, direct your attention.

Have a question, what do you want a creative answer

to allow the virtual world to become a helpful tool

in the development of human consciousness

or whatever your purpose is, you direct it,

and then you become still, you ask the question.

The question is, you let go of the question,

it drops into the stillness.

This applies to any creative solution that you may need.

You ask a question and then you become still,

and perhaps not immediately,

perhaps after several days, weeks, or months,

an answer arises.

And repeat that process several times.

Ask a question so you focus,

and then be happy with not finding, not having an answer.

Allow the answer to come up.

So what you're asking, the question you're asking me is

what you should be asking yourself.

You will find a creative solution to that.

I can sense that that will happen.

And you are, the African languages, reaching people

in their own African is a wonderful idea.

So please connect with us, so we can pursue that.