Eckhart Tolle
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Hi all,
I would like to spend some time endorsing 2 books about spirituality. The author is Eckhart Tolle. I have gone thru both books (available in Spore kinokuniya and Times) and I dare say
If you do not find his teachings unfamilar, you understand Buddhism
I can traced and produce evidence that whatever written by this author can be found in the following sutras
1. Lotus Sutta
2. Prajna Paramita Sutta
3. Diamond Prajna Paramita Sutta
4. Surangama Sutta
5. Hwa Yen Sutta
At the same time I showed this book to a Theravada monk based in Singapore. He says this
"I read his books. Everything in it is Buddhism. I am impressed that there are still people who understands this Dhamma"
http://www.eckharttolle.com/home.php
Eckhart was born in Germany and educated at the Universities of London and Cambridge. At the age of twenty-nine, a profound spiritual transformation virtually dissolved his old identity and radically changed the course of his life. The next few years were devoted to understanding, integrating and deepening that transformation and marked the beginning of an intense inward journey. Later, he began to work with individuals and small groups as a counselor and spiritual teacher.
The work of Eckhart Teachings is in response to the urgent need of our times: the transformation of consciousness and the arising of a more enlightened humanity.
The Power of Now
"The Power of Now has been widely recognized as one of the most influential spiritual books of our time. A #1 New York Times bestseller, it has been translated into over 30 languages."
Words by Eckhart Tolle
"He cannot see because he has reduced other human beings around him to a mental concept. He puts a mental label on other human beings or groups of humans or whatever he calls them---infidels, evil. Once you have conceptualized another human being, covering up their essential aliveness, you also do it to yourself."
"For many of us there are new discoveries to be made along the way: we are not our mind; we can find our way out of psychological pain; authentic human power is found by surrendering to the Now. We also find out that the body is actually one of the keys to entry into a state of inner peace, as are the silence and space all around us. Indeed, access is everywhere available. These access points, or portals, can all be used to bring us into the Now, the present moment, where problems do not exist. It is here we find our joy and are able to embrace our true selves. It is here we discover that we are already complete and perfect."
As I was writing A New Earth, people would sometimes ask me, “What is the new book about?” And invariably, my answer would be, “I only ever write or speak about one thing.”
What is that one thing?
Spiritual awakening.
Can a person be awakened spiritually by a book?
Yes, if three conditions are met:
Firstly, there must be a readiness on the part of the reader, an openness, a receptivity to spiritual truth, which is to say, a readiness to awaken. For the first time in history of humanity, large numbers of people have reached that point of readiness, which explains why millions have responded so deeply to The Power of Now.
Secondly, the text must have transformative power. This means the words must have come out of the awakened consciousness rather than the accumulated knowledge of a personÂ’s mind. Only then will a text be charged with that power, a power that goes far beyond the informational value of the words. That is why such a book can be read again and again and lose none of its aliveness.
Thirdly, the terminology used needs to be as neutral as possible so that it transcends the confines of any one culture, religion, or spiritual tradition. Only then will it be accessible to a broad range of readers world-wide, regardless of cultural background.
All these conditions were met in The Power of Now, which is why the book has had such an impact on the collective consciousness.
Why write another book? -
...continued text from previous post
Since the publication of The Power of Now, I have given hundreds of talks and teaching sessions all over the world, and in the course of those seven years, the teaching evolved. While the essence remained the same (The Truth is timeless.), new perspectives arose, new signposts, alternative approaches to the Truth, as well as an added sense of urgency. A New Earth reflects this evolution and this urgency.
If The Power of Now worked for you and changed your life – as it did for countless people all over the world – there is no need for you to read A New Earth (although you may enjoy reading it and may find some of it helpful in recognizing the ego and thus sustaining the state of Presence).
My feeling is that A New Earth will make the teaching (the one thing) accessible to an even wider audience, including people who perhaps would not have dreamt of reading a “spiritual” book but have within them a hitherto unrecognized longing for spiritual awakening.
A New Earth will also be extremely helpful for those who read The Power of Now, found it interesting, but somehow missed the essence of it. It presents them with new perspectives on the same truth, new signposts, pointers towards Presence. Different pointers work for different people.
Millions are now ready to awaken because spiritual awakening is not an option anymore, but a necessity if humanity and the planet are to survive. Everything is speeding up – the madness, the collective egoic dysfunction, as well as the arising of the new consciousness, the awakening.
We are running out of time. From the perspective of the ego, thatÂ’s bad news and will give rise to fear. From a higher perspective, the running out of time is exactly what is needed for the new consciousness to come into this world. -
I particularly agree with the Yes, if three conditions are met:, especially the second one. The is clear distinction between wisdom and knowledge even in books. Sometimes a text can immediately put someone into stillness. I cherish some books so much that I never get tired of reading it repeatedly.
Although I have not personally read his book, I think Eckhart Tolle must be of substance. I have read some of his articles, I have even posted some of his sayings on the 'Buddhist Verses' topic before:Originally posted by An Eternal Now:One day a stranger walked by. "Spare some change?" mumbled the beggar, "I have nothing to give you," said the stranger. Then he asked: "What's that you're sitting on?" "Nothing, " replied the beggar. "Just an old box. I've been sitting on it for as long as I can remember. "Ever look inside?," asked the stranger. "No," said the beggar. "What's the point, there's nothing in there." "Have a look inside," insisted the stranger. The beggar, reluctantly, managed to pry open the lid. With astonishment, disbelief, and elation, he saw that the box was filled with gold.
I am that stranger who has nothing to give you and who is telling you to look inside. Not inside any box, as in the parable, but somewhere even closer: inside yourself.
Eckhart Tolle, from The Power of NOWOriginally posted by An Eternal Now:....Any disturbing noise can be as helpful as silence. How? By dropping your inner resistance to the noise, by allowing it to be as it is, this acceptance also takes you into that realm of inner peace that is stillness.
Whenever you deeply accept this moment as it is no matter what form it takes you are still, you are at peace.
Pay attention to the gap the gap between two thoughts, the brief, silent space between words in a conversation, between the notes of a piano or flute, or the gap between the in-breath and out-breath.
When you pay attention to those gaps, awareness of "something" becomes just awareness. The formless dimension of pure consciousness arises from within you and replaces identication with form.....
- Eckhart Tolle, Excerpt from 'Stillness Speaks' -
it is a great book. i must read it to see it for myself.
very intriguing.... i don't know what words to use to describe best. yes indeed an author with some substance and depths. i could anticipate how the "magic" of the words could inspire someone to start inquiring seeking more deeper inside within into oneself more than just reading on the surface.
thanks for sharing and recommending. -
However there is something I have to say...
Eckhart Tolle is not the only mystic in the world, there are really uncountable mystics in the world who has similar realisations as Eckhart Tolle. You can search the internet and find out more.. And I am not exactly sure how enlightened Eckhart Tolle is. From what I have learnt from Thusness, many mystics in the world have had a glimpse of Pure Awareness, but due to subtle attachment to Self, his understanding Awareness becomes a 'Self', not different from the Hinduism's Brahman/Atman. They call it 'I AMness'.How does one come to identify with one’s true nature, allowing the realization and ultimate resurrection of the I Am … “consciousness in its pure state before identification with form …”? - Eckhart Tolle
Dear Eckhart,
Eckhart Tolle also written a book, Know That "I Am"
Dissolving the ego is quite a scary business. When it comes to complete surrender, it is actually quite difficult to do because everyone wants to be an individual. Is individuality lost? Is there any awareness of an individual self after awakening and what about after physical death?
From,
Anonymous
Answer: When you say “individual self”, I assume you mean who you are in your essence, your true identity. What is the essence of who I am? Is it the flesh and bones of my body? Is it my memories, my thoughts, my emotions, social roles? It is none of the above. Who I feel to be in my essence - what some people call “my individuality” or “my identity”, is felt to be something very precious, but what exactly is it? It is the underlying sense of I Am, which is consciousness itself. It is the only thing I cannot lose because it is who I am. So we could put it like this: you will lose everything except yourself.
You say: “everyone wants to be an individual”. I would just say: everyone wants to be. Awareness of Being is self-realization. Awareness of Being is true happiness.
The difference is Eckhart Tolle, unlike most mystics, does not come from any particular tradition, whether is it Muslim Sufi tradition, Christian Mystics tradition, Hindu, or Taoist traditions, or even New Age, all these traditions which are well known to produce many mystics. But even in terms of realisation, there is different "levels" of realisation.
Previous discussions between Thusness and Longchen regarding this matter (Longchen is from the New Age, he is not a Buddhist, although he recalled that he was a Tibetan monk from the Nyingma tradition 2 lifetimes ago): lame question on meditation
Time doesn't exist
All there is is Presence
An interesting article about 'no doer'
Perhaps Thusness could comment here... -
i see....
how about someone reading with an open mind? there's something which i always find is important for buddhist-would-be or true buddhist to remember to keep in mind is that it is important to be in the guideline context of a real buddhist concepts of teachings in books regarding spirituality and other 'mystical' reading material.
also for reading pleasure only, it is best not to be too inclined into the books which if it is not an orthodox or proper one, then it is easy for someone to move in the wrong direction with the wrong view.
i don't know.... somehow sometimes i realised that certain books do have some spiritual "aliveness" in them.
spiritual 'aliveness' for me is meant by when sometimes i feel the books have some "life'' of their own brought through by the teachers and masters. the books seem to know what your mind is thinking now and what lessons you need to learn "today".
the books which i found to have really deep spirituality are the ones i'm reading over and over again - lama surya das & sogyal rinpoche. and besides of cos many other more....
happy reading!
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Don't get me wrong, I am not discouraging people from reading this book. I believe this book is powerful enough to bring many many people into interest in spirituality. I do however have certain doubts that needs clarification, though.
The first time I got to know this book was about half a year ago, when Truthz introduced it to me. But I knew about him long before truthz told me... but I started searching into Eckhart Tolle's stuff after truthz told me again. Wonder isit Earthling who told Truthz (seektruth/wei wei)? -
Found from the net:
Who's afriad of Eckhart Tolle?
Who's Eckhart Tolle?
He's the writer of the bestseller called 'The Power of Now'. And he's got a new book. It's called, 'A NEW EARTH : Awakening to Your Life's Purpose'.
When you see how religions get pitched as spirituality and used by self-righteous fanatics of all shades, you wished someone can speak beyond the framework of a worldview that brought us so much strife and sufferings.
Eckhart Tolle speaks in those terms.
He thinks a lot of our religions are poor copies of their original messages. The 'enlightenment' is lost in 'translation', says Tolle.
So, who's afraid of Eckhart Tolle?
I am...
Certainly, I see it as a book recommendable to those who are lost/new to spirituality/seeking something new...
No wonder a New York Times Best seller... -
It is possible to gain a certain level of happiness by reading this kind of books.
From my own experience...
Im amazed with how clear his mind is... to able identitfy the three conditions. -
It is a great book and very inspiring. I enjoy reading Eckhart Tollel's books too.
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Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
ic... Got what u meant.
Eckhart Tolle also written a book, Know That "I Am"
The difference is Eckhart Tolle, unlike most mystics, does not come from any particular tradition, whether is it Muslim Sufi tradition, Christian Mystics tradition, Hindu, or Taoist traditions, or even New Age, all these traditions which are well known to produce many mystics. But even in terms of realisation, there is different "levels" of realisation.
But "The Power of Now" is not meant to be a Sutra about ultimate reality.
In terms of the touch of Presence, I prefer Toni Packer and Joan Tollifson. Though their books are not as inspiring.
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I see.. thanks for the reply. Will get the book when I see it.Originally posted by Thusness:ic... Got what u meant.
But "The Power of Now" is not meant to be a Sutra about ultimate reality.
In terms of the touch of Presence, I prefer Toni Packer and Joan Tollifson. Though their books are not as inspiring. -
A book, no matter how good it is, is but a pointer, a signpost (as Eckhart Tolle puts it) that points to a final destination. The path along the way is to be treaded.
"We have to tread the Path. Buddhas merely show the way"
I'm glad that there are ppl who appreciates alternative teachings outside of Buddhism. As long as they fulfill the 3 Dhamma Insignias (3 Fa Yin), they can be part of our spiritual journey.
Pls post more of such books here for all to share. Thanks -
Just got a copy of Power of Now
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I have to say that this book is really inspiring and Eckhart Tolle answered a lot of questions on the practical aspects of maintaining PRESENCE in daily living, and answered lots of doubts about it.
Especially if you're depressed lately.... this book is a must-buy. (but even though im not depressed i truly enjoyed reading!) It's a v transformative book. Lots of ppl have mentioned good things on how it has changed their lives.. after all the writer used to suffer from suicidal depression himself. -
I have already personally sent many people emails to get this...
Introduction of the Book:
The Power of Now
Eckhart Tolle
I have little use for the past and rarely think about it; however, I would briefly like to tell you how I came to be a spiritual teacher and how ‘The Power of Now’ came into existence.
Until my thirtieth year, I lived in a state of almost continuous anxiety interspersed with periods of suicidal depression. It feels now as if I am talking about some past lifetime or somebody else's life.
Awakening
One night not long after my twenty-ninth birthday, I woke up in the early hours with a feeling of absolute dread. I had woken up with such a feeling many times before, but this time it was more intense than it had ever been. The silence of the night, the vague outlines of the furniture in the dark room, the distant noise of a passing train – everything felt so alien, so hostile, and so utterly meaningless that it created in me a deep loathing of the world. The most loathsome thing of all, however, was my own existence. What was the point in continuing to live with this burden of misery? Why carry on with this continuous struggle? I could feel that a deep longing for annihilation, for nonexistence, was now becoming much stronger than the instinctive desire to continue to live.
‘I cannot live with myself any longer.’ This was the thought that kept repeating itself in my mind. Then suddenly I became aware of what a peculiar thought it was.. ‘Am I one or two? If I cannot live with myself, there must be two of me: the ‘I’ and the ‘self’ that ‘I’ cannot live with.’ ‘Maybe,’ I thought, ‘only one of them is real.’
I was so stunned by this strange realization that my mind stopped. I was fully conscious, but there were no more thoughts. Then I felt drawn into what seemed like a vortex of energy. It was a slow movement at first and then accelerated. I was gripped by an intense fear, and my body started to shake. I heard the words ‘resist nothing,’ as if spoken inside my chest. I could feel myself being sucked into a void. It felt as if the void was inside myself rather than outside. Suddenly, there was no more fear, and I let myself fall into that void. I have no recollection of what happened after that.
I was awakened by the chirping of a bird outside the window. I had never heard such a sound before. My eyes were still closed, and I saw the image of a precious diamond. Yes, if a diamond could make a sound, this is what it would be like. I opened my eyes. The first light of dawn was filtering through the curtains. Without any thought, I felt, I knew, that there is infinitely more to light than we realize. That soft luminosity filtering through the curtains was love itself. Tears came into my eyes. I got up and walked around the room. I recognized the room, and yet I knew that I had never truly seen it before. Everything was fresh and pristine, as if it had just come into existence. I picked up things, a pencil, an empty bottle, marvelling at the beauty and aliveness of it all. That day I walked around the city in utter amazement at the miracle of life on earth, as if I had just been born into this world.
Bliss
For the next five months, I lived in a state of uninterrupted deep peace and bliss. After that, it diminished somewhat in intensity, or perhaps it just seemed to because it became my natural state. I could still function in the world, although I realized that nothing I ever did could possibly add anything to what I already had.
Understanding
I knew, of course, that something profoundly significant had happened to me, but I didn't understand it at all. It wasn't until several years later, after I had read spiritual texts and spent time with spiritual teachers, that I realized that what everybody was looking for had already happened to me. I understood that the intense pressure of suffering that night must have forced my consciousness to withdraw from its identification with the unhappy and deeply fearful self, which is ultimately a fiction of the mind. This withdrawal must have been so complete that this false, suffering self immediately collapsed, just as if a plug had been pulled out of an inflatable toy. What was left then was my true nature as the ever-present I am: consciousness in its pure state prior to identification with form. Later I also learned to go into that inner timeless and deathless realm that I had originally perceived as a void and remain fully conscious. I dwelt in states of such indescribable bliss and sacredness that even the original experience I just described pales in comparison. A time came when, for a while, I was left with nothing on the physical plane. I had no relationships, no job, no home, no socially defined identity. I spent almost two years sitting on park benches in a state of the most intense joy.
But even the most beautiful experiences come and go. More fundamental, perhaps, than any experience is the undercurrent of peace that has never left me since then. Sometimes it is very strong, almost palpable, and others can feel it too. At other times, it is somewhere in the background, like a distant melody.
Sharing
Later, people would occasionally come up to me and say: ‘I want what you have. Can you give it to me, or show me how to get it?’ And I would say: ‘You have it already. You just can’t feel it because your mind is making too much noise.’ That answer later grew into my book, ‘The Power of Now’.
From The Power of Now, copyright 1999 by Eckhart Tolle, published in the UK in 2001 by Hodder and Stoughton.
Photographs © Cygnus Books 21-Feb-2001 -
Native english speakers are always better at expressing themselves in english. This guy, a native english speaker and has first hand experience in enlightenment, explains enlightenment and practises much more clearly than AEN, someone who lives in Singapore (junked up by singlish and other crap) and only has book knowledge and accounts of other people's enlightenment. If you are confused by the explanations given by the usual Buddhism, this book will give you the right understanding. This book is written like a FAQ.
edit: wait i just realised he could be not a native english speaker lol but he does write very clearly. -
The contexts are practical and relevant to people today.
In this form it will be more available and be more beneficial to the masses.
Dhamma exist every now and then. Dhamma isnt a set of rules.
Some people might have the misconception that practising dharma is practise restraining oneself from committing evil acts etc... some find it boring to sit still (such as the act of meditation).
Actually In meditation, there is alot of inner movement/changes from within ( such as gaining insight ) which in turn affecting your external environment and the way you see in life sometime.
To gain a glimpse of yourself can be liberating; to remove the confusion that exists within your mind and heart. To gain better understanding of yourself and to remove the ignorance... Power of Now is about learning to be more in tune with your inner self and learning to be at peace with yourself. -
Yes he's a German writer, but he was also educated at London University and after graduation he worked at Cambridge University as a research scholar and supervisor, so there is no problems with his EnglishOriginally posted by Cenarious:Native english speakers are always better at expressing themselves in english. This guy, a native english speaker and has first hand experience in enlightenment, explains enlightenment and practises much more clearly than AEN, someone who lives in Singapore (junked up by singlish and other crap) and only has book knowledge and accounts of other people's enlightenment. If you are confused by the explanations given by the usual Buddhism, this book will give you the right understanding. This book is written like a FAQ.
edit: wait i just realised he could be not a native english speaker lol but he does write very clearly. And he currently lives in Canada. Glad you enjoyed reading the book, I believe you must have the same sentiments with me that it is inspiring and transformative. And there is no need to interprete too much what Eckhart Tolle writes, just mere reading will bring one into the state of Presence and Stillness.
That is right, Eckhart Tolle has first hand experience of what we know as spiritual awakening. However such awakenings also have different stages, and we must be aware...
It is always good to see how others experience the now moment. Just be careful of that deep sense of individuality and "I AMness". I am sure by now you should be able to differentiate the differences. - msg by Thusness, sent to me the day before I bought the book. -
hey im just wondering.. iamness.. is the state of having an identity, a label/concepts given by mind and sometime the norms... man-made and not our true self..
Having real peace happens when one does not aware of iamness
Egoless? -
Hi Isis,Originally posted by Isis:hey im just wondering.. iamness.. is the state of having an identity, a label/concepts given by mind and sometime the norms... man-made and not our true self..
Having real peace happens when one does not aware of iamness
Egoless?
Not exactly so. I AMness is a transcendental experience where consciousness is directly perceived as a pure sense of Existence. The experience is intuitive and beyond the realm of thought. It is a non-dual and precious experience of pure consciousness. The problem lies in personifying this experience which is a mental state into an entity 'Self' with inherent existence. -
...By the practise of Chan one can eliminate the 'I'; not only the selfish, small 'I', but also the large 'I', which in philosophy is called 'Truth' or 'the Essence'. Only then is there absolute freedom...
http://westernchanfellowship.org/104.html -
How much is the book??
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I bought it at $22.58 w/gst @ MPHOriginally posted by pentinence87:How much is the book??
I am considering buying 'Stillness Speaks' after finishing the Power of Now. -
hi, after you finished reading, can lend it to me, tks.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:I bought it at $22.58 w/gst @ MPH
I am considering buying 'Stillness Speaks' after finishing the Power of Now.
why not we start a bookclub, whoever finishes the book pass on to the next person for his / her benefit, instead of letting the book rotting or decaying at home. why not benefit others by lending the book to read and then pass on to the next person. thats the spirit of giving.