Eric Gross

We are in a crisis, environmentally, politically and economically. The world is in a perpetual conflict. People are seeking power and possessions as solutions to their feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction and lack of peace. We are brainwashed to think of ourselves as lacking rather than feeling whole and healthy. We are so hungry for validation from others, seeking to impress others and live up to expectations of what they think we should do with our lives. The effect is illusory and we are unaware that it is causing us to feel unfulfilled, unsatisfied, unhappy!  There is a positive aspect to our ego and a negative aspect. Contentment should be our goal in life and to live our life free of the demands of others. 


Suffering teaches us compassion. We can understand the needs of others only through suffering ourselves. We also need imagination to consider how it feels to be without a home, food, water, someone to love, security, comfort and healthcare. 

The destroyed habitats of our polluted world are the result of our striving to accumulate more and more, and in doing so, we become a prisoner of our super-ego. We produce pollution, wars, suffering and extinction of other species, land erosion, addictions, desperation and depression. We need to embrace the beauty of our wounds, and create awareness of what is real and what is important in our lives. We need to hand on a healthy and beautiful planet to those yet to be born. Challenging ‘the lie’ is refusing to adhere to what we are told about how to live our lives. 

Eric Gross lived in a monastery and studied under a zen master. As a seeker, he found that questioning and seeking was another trap of desire. In this video, he speaks about his breakthrough understanding about how we can be more ourselves without pressure from others. 

Review by Wendy Stokes https://Wendystokes.co.uk