What’s the most important spiritual practice? I am sure different people have different views and interpretations. I don’t think there’s necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach. But according to Eckhart Tolle in this video, if one practises this one thing then it would be enough. What is that? As simple as it sounds, it’s ‘alertness’. This is the one thing we can all do, anytime, anywhere.
Alertness is the spiritual practice that you should be doing if you want to be at a certain level of consciousness. Some people may call it zen or enlightenment. It probably doesn’t really matter because it is simply a ‘good’ state to be in. We could probably also call it the ‘optimal state’ for us to function optimally as human beings.
‘The alertness keeps the thinking at bay.’
Eckhart Tolle
Alertness means paying attention to sounds or objects around us then eventually narrowing down to just one thing. It could be a remote sound, a tiny crack in the wall, a certain sensation on our skin. Whatever it is, it serves as an entry point to the eventual desired state. When we reach this state, our thoughts would quieten down and we wouldn’t be bothered by all the noise. There will be no anxiety, just pure alertness. This is an optimal state of mind. The more often we can practise this, the better it is for us, it will help us in all aspects of life.
‘Is it there now?’
Eckhart Tolle
One might ask, how do you prolong this state? How can one stay alert for a prolonged period of time? Well, it’s hard. That’s probably what many people have tried to attain throughout history. The truth is, we will get lazy at some point and lose focus, no one is perfect. But according to Eckhart, we don’t really need to worry about staying at this level of consciousness all the time. A much more important question is, ‘is it (the alertness) there now?’ The secret is to be found in the present moment.
There are many spiritual practices that people engage in and I am sure they are all great in their own ways. For people who are less committed or have shorter attention spans, it’s really helpful to know there is actually one simple yet powerful practice that we could all do, that is alertness, or be alert. It’s definitely a great entry point into the world of spirituality and the exploration of consciousness.