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I read chapters 8 and 9. I think that both chapters are very interesting and impressed me. In chapter 8, Tolle talks about “The discovery of Inner Space.” We are told to rise above mere thoughts to create inner space by ceasing the endless chatter in our minds and by practicing stillness. There are many ways to end the thoughts that constantly bounce around our brains, but there is a difference between rising above our thoughts and falling below them. Watching television, drinking alcohol, or taking certain other drugs may quiet our minds for a certain time, but Tolle warns us that they will ultimately cause us to lose consciousness and fall below thought.
My favorite sentence is that “A long-standing compulsive behavior pattern may be called an addiction, and an addiction lives inside you as a quasi-entity or subpersonality, and energy filled that periodically takes you over completely.”( ) Do you have a past history of abuse of something? A lot of people are addicted to something such as drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes. Actually, I was smoker, but I quit and haven't smoked for a year. I know that smoking is hazardous to my health. When I smoked, I always smoked after eating. I know that quitting smoking is very difficult, but I made a real effort and finally succeeded. I know that I was addicted to smoking and enjoyed it. If I had a problem or if I had a worry, I would smoke because, if I smoke, I could get rid of stress. Also, I tried to smoke myself into composure.
One day, I looked at myself and felt that I was being so stupid and looking pathetic. I asked myself, Why do I have to smoke? It is not a benefit for me and is not mentally stable. I searched for peace and serenity apart from smoking. I found ways to reduce stress without lighting up a cigarette. That is why I quit smoking because I was able to reduce the noise in my head and found new ways to get rid of it. Sometimes I was dying for a smoke but I fought against the temptation.
I believe that addictions can ruin our lives. I think that everything depends on the way we look at things. When I stopped smoking, it had a beneficial effect on my health.
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