DD 'Zine #7 - A Path to Peace, Pete Townshend, Bono, & Article Roundup

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Diane Discovers – A Path to Peace

I read Eckhart Tolle’s book The Power of Now years ago (see Diane Reads below). And I’ve recently started watching some of his videos on YouTube. I liked the book way back when, but I never found him appealing – until the other day.

If you don’t know who Tolle is, he’s German-born, Cambridge-educated, and lives in Canada. His book is one of the top spiritual books of the 20th century, and he spends his time teaching and giving talks around the world.

If I remember correctly, when he was in his late twenties, he was severely depressed. As he contemplated suicide on a park bench, he had an inner awakening that changed the course of his life. His teachings, books, and work come from what he experienced and studied afterward to understand what happened to him.

Simply put, the path to enlightenment, inner peace, or whatever you want to call it, is Presence. Most of us spend our time in the past or future, and we have thoughts that constantly bombard us. The key is to live in the present. Tolle’s teachings are based around that concept.

I just heard him say that the way to deal with unhappiness is simply accepting that you feel that way. Don’t fight it – just be okay and tell yourself, “I’m unhappy. It’s okay.” You don’t wallow in it. You become aware of how you’re feeling, but you’re separated from it.

That awareness is presence; sitting in the now stops the negative cycle of thoughts looping in your head. The key is to be aware of your inner state and how you’re feeling. I now hear this all the time from teachers from many different traditions.

I only really got what he was saying the other day. Watch his video “How to Be More Present Every Day in 2023.” The words are less important than the feeling behind the words.

When I saw it, I was doing a jigsaw puzzle and half-listening. When Tolle paused, I felt like a force gently hit me from the inside out. He was sitting in Presence – you can feel it over the internet. It was crazy! And I’ve watched the video a few times and still feel it.

I’ve felt this from masters like The Dalai Lama when I’ve seen them in person, but this was the first time I felt it from my television. Watch it and let me know what you think.

Out Now

Shea Stadium 1982, Hatz & the Big T. (Photo by N. Langfeld/C. Rose)

** Those who’ve known me for a while know I’ve been a huge Who fan for over forty years. Hard to believe. If you only know Who music, Pete’s solo stuff is phenomenal – Empty Glass and Rough Mix are my favorites. Maybe one of these days I’ll start sharing some stories from back in the day when I used to chase the poor guys around….

And the exciting news is that Pete Townshend has released a new single, “Can’t Outrun the Truth” – his first in 29 years! I can’t believe it’s been that long. There’s even a video. Pete’s voice is still as powerful and as Pete as ever. I love the steel slide guitar thing (whatever you call it) and him playing the violin. I hope we get an album soon!

** If you get Disney Plus, check out Bono & Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman. Filmed in Dublin, Bono and the Edge talk a lot about their early days with U2 and put on a performance at a small venue (and pub!) You can watch a Disney Plus trailer.

Hearing Bono’s and Pete’s voices reminded me how much I love music – and don’t listen to it much anymore. Bono sounds great also. Maybe I’m returning to my roots – I need more rock and roll in my life!

Feature Articles

In case you’ve missed any articles since the last ‘zine, here’s a roundup so you can catch up.

“Down With Covid. Up With A Reset!” – Yes, three years in, and I finally got covid. And it was nasty. The opportunity was to have downtime to sit and be still.

“An Ode to Bruce Springsteen” – I’ve been seeing The Boss for over 40 years. A look back at how he’s inspired me and his recent Denver show.

“4 Reasons You Might Be Afraid to be Vulnerable With Your Writing” – And 4 reasons you need to open up.

“Five Reasons You Need A Writing Group” – And four reasons you might not.

“A Breather” – Dealing with overwhelm and wondering what to do.

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“Six Lessons I Learned When Writing Dragged Me Down” – And seven expert tips I ignored.

“Writing is a Team Sport – People You Need in Your Writing Life” – A look at alpha readers, critique groups, sensitivity readers, beta readers, and editors.

“What Kind of Writer Are You (And Why It’s Important)” – Do you write for yourself alone? Are you a part-time or full-time writer? Know what kind of writer you are and why it’s important.

Diane Reads

I’ve committed to reading more books, so when I find a good one, I’ll share it with you. I’ll also share books I’ve read a while ago that I found helpful or enjoyable. Warning, this section might be sporadic because I seem to read more mediocre to not-good books than ones I’m wowed by.

The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle

Written in 1997, The Power of Now explores spirituality through living in the present. It has over 50,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, so it’s got to have something going for it.

Written in a question-and-answer format, the book is an easily accessible way to understand the concept of living in the present, alleviating suffering, and finding inner happiness. Millions of people have had their lives change after reading it. If you haven’t experienced it yet, maybe now’s the time.

Rock Gods & Messy Monsters

Every now and then, I’ll share updates on my fiction book Rock Gods & Messy Monsters in case anyone’s interested. If you don’t know what the book is about, it’s one woman’s search for self within a corporate record company in the 1990s. Its humorous satire meets absurdist fiction.

In other words, there are aliens, blood-vessel explosions, falling body parts, and a comedic group of characters who work at and run Acht, a corporate behemoth. You can get it on Amazon or a whole array of online outlets.

Recent accolades include: