| "Earth, 114 million years ago, one morning just after sunrise: The first flower ever to appear on the planet opens up to receive the rays of the sun..." (from the first line) "Since human life and human consciousness are intrinsically one with the life of the planets, as the old consciousness dissolves, there are bound to be synchronistic geographic and climatic natural upheavals in many parts of the planet, some of which we are already witnessing now..." Humanity now, perhaps more than in any previous time, has an opportunity to create a new, saner, more loving world. This will involve a radical inner leap from the current egoic consciousness to an entirely new one. In very practical terms, Tolle leads readers into this new consciousness to learn to live and breathe freely. From the Publisher:
Building on the astonishing success of The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle presents readers with an honest look at the current state of humanity: He implores us to see and accept that this state, which is based on an erroneous identification with the egoic mind, is one of dangerous insanity. Tolle tells us there is good news, however. There is an alternative to this potentially dire situation. Humanity now, perhaps more than in any previous time, has an opportunity to create a new, saner, more loving world. This will involve a radical inner leap from the current egoic consciousness to an entirely new one. In illuminating the nature of this shift in consciousness, Tolle describes in detail how our current ego-based state of consciousness operates. Then gently, and in very practical terms, he leads us into this new consciousness. We will come to experience who we truly are - which is something infinitely greater than anything we currently think we are - and learn to live and breathe freely. About the Author:
Eckhart Tolle is a contemporary spiritual teacher who is not aligned with any particular religion or tradition. In his writing and seminars, he conveys a simple yet profound message with the timeless and uncomplicated clarity of the ancient spiritual masters: There is a way out of suffering and into peace. Tolle travels extensively, taking his teachings throughout the world.
Annotation:
Eckhart Tolle is a gentle guide for change, first in ourselves and then in the world. Addressing the dysfunction all around us, he encourages us to see the source--our egos, which he explains in some depth but also puts simply as "the voices in our head." Letting go of our egos, we will let go of much of our pain, and will be able to embark on a journey of discovery and "re-creation." There is much of the natural world in his argument, as he encourages us to connect to the things in the earth and sky that can bring enlightenment. Tolle reflects that we are microcosms of the larger universe, and that human consciousness and the physical world are connected. If we break free from old ways of thinking and seeing, we can change ourselves, individually and collectively. We can, in his view, create a "new species," one more fully awakened, that can then "re-create" Earth. A 2008 Oprah's Book Club selection.
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Author Bio| Eckhart Tolle | | Prior to 2008, writer Eckhart Tolle had a loyal, though limited, readership, due to his bestselling book THE POWER OF NOW, and was known as one of the foremost authors in the marginal literary realm of spiritual self-improvement. Then a transcendent event best described as the "power of Oprah" catapulted Tolle from the confines of the "new age" genre and into the consciousness of millions of mainstream readers around the world. In January of 2008, Oprah Winfrey selected Tolle's second book, A NEW EARTH, for her enormously popular book club, and launched an unprecedented promotion for the title, dedicating multiple episodes of her talk show to Tolle and hosting a weekly series of live Internet discussions centered on his teachings. While Tolle's message of spiritual awareness has now been spread around the world, less is known about the somewhat reclusive man himself. ||He was born in Germany in 1948, with the name Ulrich Tolle, and he later moved with his father to Spain, where he spent his formative teenage years. Tolle claims not to have attended school regularly during this time, instead allowing his inquisitive mind to acquire wisdom and education from other sources, though he did later earn a degree from the University of London and was accepted to the PhD program at Cambridge University. After leaving the program, he drifted aimlessly and battled depression, which culminated in a spiritual transformation wherein he came to believe that all of his problems and inner conflicts were the result of distractions generated by the ego. He spent several years honing his philosophy, which combines elements of Zen Buddhism, Christianity, Sufism, Hinduism, and other faiths. In 1997, Tolle published THE POWER OF NOW with a small run of 3,000 copies, and the book eventually became a bestseller through word of mouth. Tolle, who has lived in Vancouver, British Columbia since 1996, has not been unencumbered by controversy, as he is often criticized for hijacking the teachings of other religious and spiritual guides and for choosing to market his ideas through costly seminars and a line of somewhat redundant texts. |
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