A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (Oprah's Book Club, Selection 61)

Eckhart Tolle says in his life-changing book "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" that all suffering is caused by our "ego." The ego is the identification with our thoughts, emotions, memories, interpretations and opinions. It is our involuntary stream of thinking, reactions, stories, resentments and comparisons. Our ego identity can also be our work, possessions, appearance and accomplishments. Tolle says the ego is the identification with a role to protect and enhance ourselves. The ego cannot distinguish between the situation and our interpretation or reaction. The ego is never at peace with the present as satisfaction is always in the future. The ego's negativity and suffering are motivated by self interest and short sightedness. Armed with Tolle's teachings I began observing my ego in action. To my dismay I saw how my ego always wanted the next thing to react against, to feel annoyed, disturbed or outraged. I realized I was addicted to anger and upset. I had no idea my constant reacting against everything strengthened my ego and sense of self importance. Each time I complained it made me right and the other person wrong. As I became more aware I saw there was something in me that took pleasure in negativity. My ego was a master of selective perception and distorted interpretations. The moment I noticed this there was a shift from ego to awareness. I became more aware of the difference between the event and my reaction to the event. In time I discovered the best way to differentiate between fact and opinion was not through my thinking but my awareness. Tolle says I'm not unique. The collective ego of countries keep grievances to fuel their endless cycle of violence. Throughout history many religions believed they were in sole possession of the Truth and killed those that did not believe their story. Their truth was considered more important than human life. When I stopped feeding my ego's illusions I felt a profound joy and connectedness with all of creation. As my victim identity diminished I stopped seeking people's attention and sympathy. I became more accepting of what happens. Instead of waiting for some change in the future I now enjoy the present. The joy does not come from what I do but flows into what I do. My new awareness allowed the world to become a mirror. The more I loved without conditions the more loving the world appeared. The spiritual realization I am not my thoughts, feelings, body or story but pure consciousness set me free. The other Tolle teachings I found helpful include the awareness of how the ego patterns we react to in others are usually the same patterns in ourselves. How the ego constantly tries to protect and enlarge itself by looking at the world as "us" versus "them." How the ego needs enemies to feel right and superior. What we react to in others we strengthen in ourselves. How the ego sees each person as separate and views them as inferior or superior. How all suffering is ego centered. Ego uses our mind to resist life as it is. The more we make our thoughts, beliefs, story and identity the Truth the more we cut ourselves off from the spiritual dimension within. Spirituality has nothing to do with what we believe and everything to do with our state of consciousness. Since consciousness transcends thought it is the dimension within ourselves that is infinitely more vast than thought. The Holy Spirit is the Truth and it is within all of us. This is what Jesus really meant when he said, "I am the way and the truth and the life." Our essence, the Holy Spirit, is the TRUE identity of all humankind and all of creation. When we touch the Christ Within all our actions and relationships reflect the oneness of all life. Our REAL identity is not the voice in our head but our awareness prior to the thoughts, the space in which our thoughts, emotions and sense perceptions happen. Awakening is the realization that who we are is the oneness of life, we are the manifestation of all things, experiences and personalities. It requires a shift of perception from seeing ourselves as an isolated individual to being in everything, everyone and everywhere. It is the realization that we are universal spirit or consciousness. There is no separation anywhere in the the universe. It is a glimpse beyond the veil of duality. When we have no ego we become a conscious Presence, we are not concerned about how others see us, and become one with Life itself. The way to break the ego's negative spell is is to become aware of the ego. Our identity will then shift from ego to awareness. Awareness grows as the ego shrinks. Alertness allows us to detect subtle negativity such as impatience, irritation and nervousness. True self esteem comes when we realize we create our own suffering and rise above the ego's conditioning. Not reacting to our ego is the best way to dissolve our ego. To not react we must see the other person's behavior as coming from their ego. It is not personal. When we look passed the ego to their spiritual essence they too have an opportunity to become more conscious. Non-reaction is forgiveness. It is not a weakness but a strength. Non-reaction does not mean we accept hurtful behavior. There is no ego in informing someone of a mistake so it can be put right. The key is to make a neutral statement, stick to the facts and not complain. Complaining serves the ego not change. Reading a "A New Earth" helped me stop waiting for some change in the future and enjoy the present. The joy does not come from what I do but flows into what I do. My awareness allows the world to become a mirror. The more I love without conditions the more loving the world appears. The spiritual realization I am not my thoughts, feelings, body or story but pure consciousness has set me free.

Eckert Tolle's book "A New Earth" hardly needs another Amazon book review considering the 1,451 that have been submitted so far. After reading a number of the reviews, I was startled by the extraordinary esoteric thinking of many the reviewers. This is hardly typical of the average American mind. It appears the "New Age" movement has grown exponentially and it demonstrates the immense hunger for spirituality that has been so suppressed in American culture. In a way, this is sad because it represents a hunger that much of the institutional church is not fulfilling. The critical issue is that Christian spirituality is meant to be pro-active, generating the powerful forces of love, compassion, forgiveness and caring for others while the new secular spirituality can be extremely self-centered. I have chosen to write this book review from the perspective a Catholic peace and social activist. Regardless, none of these reviews can substitute reading "A New Earth" because one needs to personally taste the absolute eloquence and powerful spiritual insights found in Eckhart Tolle's writing. Reading Eckhart Tolle is transformational. His writing is therapeutic. Chapter three, "The Core of Ego", is definitely a prime instructional source for good mental health. "A New Earth" is one of the most important books of our time. It needs to be read by all inquiring spiritual minds and those struggling to understand the increasing violence and insanity in the world. Eckhart Tolle's book presents a clear understanding of human consciousness, profound spirituality and the beginnings of a radical and evolutionary awakening of a higher consciousness. To arrive at this higher consciousness, Eckhart Tolle delves deeply into the dysfunction of the human ego, both in the individual and in the institutions of power and wealth. To Eckhart Tolle, "The greatest achievement of humanity is not its works of art, science or technology, but the recognition of its own dysfunction, its own madness". Eckhart Tolle states how the love of things can contribute to the domination of the human ego and how a consumer society honors material things as a means to self-enhancement.....it distorts our perception of reality and the true nature of our humanity. To quote Eckhart Tolle: "Ego-identification with things creates attachment to things, obsession with things, which in turn creates our consumer society and economic structures where the only measure of progress is always more. The unchecked striving for more, for endless growth, is a dysfunction and a disease. It is the same dysfunction the cancerous cell manifests, whose only goal is to multiply itself, unaware that it is bringing about its own destruction by destroying the organism of which is a part". With "A New Earth" chosen by the Oprah Book Club, and the numerous appearances of Eckhart Tolle on the Oprah Winfrey show, Oprah has played a big role in elevating the spiritual consciousness of hundreds of thousands of American readers. Oprah must be commended for this. As I understand it, more than any other book in recent history, this book was read and reviewed by the vast majority of book clubs in the U.S. I hope "A New Earth" will be the beginning of much needed maturity in American thinking and in American Christianity as well. Yes, to me, Christianity in America needs to mature in a spiritual way if ever there is to be greater maturity in American culture. A higher spiritual consciousness is the essential element for radical social transformation. As Fr. Richard Rohr, of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, NM, would say, Christianity in America has become a belonging system, "us" against "them", rather than a system for personal transformation. The tragedy is that Christianity has become in some ways just another institution seeking its own perpetuation and power, dominated by the human ego. The dysfunction of the human ego is what Christ tried so hard to get through to the minds of his disciples, particularly when he told Peter, the "first pope", to "get behind me you devil" (Mathiew 24,15) or "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye" (Mathew 7). Christ had the perfect non-dualistic mind. In fact, addressing the human ego goes to the heart of all of the world's major religions, but Christianity seems to have walked away from it. Christianity chose to do so when it became part of the Roman Empire in 325 AD. Since then, Christianity has had a hard time critiquing the system and the unjust status quo that stems from the dysfunction of the human ego. Christianity has found it difficult to critique the system because it has become a part of the system. The culturally imprisoned mindset of many American Christians is totally contrary to the mind of Christ. As mentioned, addressing the problem of the human ego goes to the heart of all of the world's major religions. But not often enough do religious or spiritual writers critique the institutions of corporate capitalism. Eckhart Tolle's book is most timely to stimulate a new national conversation, particularly when considering America's "never ending war" against terrorism and the near dictatorial powers of the U.S. Military Industrial Complex. It is time U.S. citizens recognize that government propaganda in support of war and the interests of corporate capitalism is a force that strategically preys on the weaknesses of the human ego. Actually corporate capitalism can be said to be diabolical as it seeks to enrich itself by altering human consciousness. This then exaggerates the human ego that has led to a dysfunctional society. Eckhart Tolle never used the word "capitalism". Yet the underlying message of his writing is a severe critique of capitalism. I guess you could say the word "capitalism" has been "sanctified" in America, the unspoken word or the unseen elephant in the living room. Eckhart Tolle avoids saying in a direct manner, "corporate capitalism is intrinsically evil and unsustainable" or "corporate consumer capitalism alters human consciousness and is the destroyer of the human spirit". You have to come to that conclusion yourself. In March 2009, there was a conference at the Center of Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, NM called "The Emerging Church: Christians Creating a New World Together". This conference was attended by a thousand people, about half of whom were Catholic, the rest were mainline and evangelical Protestants and other Christians. Many of those at the conference believed that the future of the church will be the coming together of like minded people from all denominations who seek a more prophetic and contemplative faith. A higher global consciousness that is seeking a more just, sustainable and compassionate world is already a powerful emerging force in the world. The "emerging church" seeks to be part of this higher social consciousness. It seeks to serve as praxis and as co-creator for the evolutionary destiny of humankind to consciously provide for the survival of it's own species. An increasing number of Christians view this higher consciousness as the universal consciousness of the risen Christ. To these Christians, the salvation and survival of humankind is what the death and resurrection of Christ is all about. A more contemplative faith is about centering oneself in Presence, through meditation and contemplation, seeking wisdom through the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is done by embracing opposing thoughts and coming to spiritual discernment. Particularly for a Catholic activist, this centering of the human spirit is the critical means of overcoming personal anger when so involved in non-violent civic activism. Spiritual discernment goes to the heart of a healthy democracy as well. A healthy democracy is truly an act of the human spirit. Democracy is meant to work for the common good and to question the unjust status quo. This is why corporate capitalism hates democracy and seeks to destroy it with the total corruption of the U.S. Congress. I see the teachings of scholars like Eckhart Tolle and the emerging church movement as bringing maturity to Christianity in the 21st Century. It is the coming together of like minded people of all faiths that see the human ego, enticed by the institutions of corporate capitalism, as being the prime cause of social unrest, the scapegoating of others and the waging of war. It cannot be denied, the oppression of global capitalism is the cause of the "blow-back" of terrorism. This blow-back from war and economic domination is in reality the powerful forces of spirituality at work, the liberation of the human spirit. In meditation and contemplation, where we seek to separate ourselves from the dominance of the human ego, we can come to see what the Divine Spirit wants us to see, the holiness of all people, to understand our own brokenness and thus becoming able to forgive others with compassion. Father Richard Rohr stated so well in a September 4, 2009 article in the National Catholic Reporter that another word for contemplation is non-dualistic thinking. "That's what makes people able to be merciful and forgiving. You can't love your enemies with a low level dualistic mind. It's impossible. You don't have the software to know how to do it. So we tell people to love your enemies. A normal Catholic can't do that with the software that he or she has been given. Catholics were never taught they need a different consciousness to understand the Gospel".

This book is perhaps even more descriptive of the truth that Tolle points to in The Power of Now. Both books are wonderful, even revolutionary transmissions of truth. This is my review of TPON: "Tolle writes in simple sentences, with a direct tone and practical, modern language. However, what he describes is the timeless truth of the present moment, the very awareness that sages and masters have been pointing humans toward for millennia. I do not have adequate words to describe how the book has changed my state of being. I was in deep despair and anxiety in my Junior year of college, and my therapist gave me the book. He must have known intuitively that conventional psychotherapy couldn't help me. Within a few weeks of reading and re-reading, I had a very fearful and painful night, with the ego fighting for survival and my identification, and then peace arose the next morning. It has not left me since. I have given the book to around 30 people. It is the most simple and powerful spiritual book I've come across, with authors like Jeff Foster, Byron Katie, and Gangaji being close seconds. Here are some quotes from the book: "So when you listen to a thought, you are aware not only of the thought but also of yourself as the witness of the thought. A new dimension of consciousness has come in. As you listen to the thought, you feel a conscious presence - your deeper self - behind or underneath the thought, as it were." Ch-1 "Instead of "watching the thinker," you can also create a gap in the mind stream simply by directing the focus of your attention into the Now. Just become intensely conscious of the present moment. This is a deeply satisfying thing to do. In this way, you draw consciousness away from mind activity and create a gap of no-mind in which you are highly alert and aware but not thinking. This is the essence of meditation." Ch-1 "Why should we be addicted to thinking? ...Because you are identified with it, which means that you derive your sense of self from the content and activity of your mind. Because you believe that you would cease to be if you stopped thinking. As you grow up, you form a mental image of who you are, based on your personal and cultural conditioning. We may call this phantom self the ego. It consists of mind activity and can only be kept going through constant thinking. The term ego means different things to different people, but when I use it here it means a false self, created by unconscious identification with the mind." Ch-1 "To the ego, the present moment hardly exists. Only past and future are considered important. This total reversal of the truth accounts for the fact that in the ego mode the mind is so dysfunctional. It is always concerned with keeping the past alive, because without it - who are you? It constantly projects itself into the future to ensure its continued survival and to seek some kind of release or fulfillment there. It says: "One day, when this, that, or the other happens, I am going to be okay, happy, at peace." Ch-1 "Most humans are never fully present in the now, because unconsciously they believe that the next moment must be more important than this one. But then you miss your whole life, which is never not now." The book has the potential to set you free from compulsive worry and excessive thinking, if you are ready. $5 for a used copy is perhaps the greatest deal I've ever seen, I've bought about 45 copies." A New Earth describes the ego and the pain body in much more depth, and includes more of Tolle's observations about human society than TPON. These are two books that you should have around. -Ethan

First, I really recommend you start by reading Eckhart's previous book, The Power of Now, first. A lot of ideas glossed over in A New Earth were fully explained back in The Power of Now. This makes sense to me. You don't want Eckhart to write two books with the exact same content. It's like reading Harry Potter #2. You assume you know the relationships of people, their fears and goals and go from there. You have to start out by separating the message from the messenger. Yes, Eckhart can be a bit pompous at times. Yes, he can blatantly state things like "this book is for spiritually awakened people - like those who read my previous book!" :) He talks about the pain-body as if it's an alien living in your stomach, ready to poke its head out. He talks about all corporations everywhere being evil, being all about profit. I know many corporations which do have very great aims. A corporation is just a legal structure. It depends on who runs it, as to what they are about. Heck, some of my friends have incorporated their small businesses to protect their homes. They're not about profit at all, they are very charity minded. Eckhart has many factual errors. He perpetuates the extreme notion of 5 million women slain in a period of 300 years. Yes, I'm female and I abhor some things the church has done to women, but this 5 million slain number is just not reality. It makes people doubt the actual problems which did happen. He claims that the average 60 year old has watched 15 years of TV. This means the average person watches 6 hours of TV a day - EVERY single day - for their entire life from birth. It's scary enough that kids under age 18 average 3 1/2 hrs a day, and adults a bit more, but NOBODY (male or female adults included) averages 6 hours a day. When you know the first 18 years are 3.5 hrs, Eckhart's number is simply not true. Related to this, he seems convinced that men are responsible for all negative history events and that if women ran things we would be a land of peace and joy and plenty. I find both views to be a bit extreme. Eckhart talks about few animals being killed in the Tsunami, but again, he's perpetuating a rumor. As the deputy managing editor of Science scoffs, "I have heard rumors that none of the animals were killed, but how do they know that? Did they take a census?" It's just that we KNOW when people are missing - but we rarely know (or worry about) wild animals missing after something like this. Yes, animals might hear the subsonic noises and be nervous - but to say animals weren't killed makes no sense. I'm sure even if a lot of animals "sensed something wrong" that they would be incapable of moving far enough inland to escape the torrential flooding. Or maybe Eckhart only worries about large, identifiable animals like elephants ... My biggest issue with both of these books is that Eckhart is trumpeting a message of despair. He talks about how our whole world is mad, how we are surrounded by crazies, and that we better rise up against them and claim our minds or we're all going to go insane. It gets a bit much. He talks about the madness accelerating, when really if you look at history things are MUCH calmer now than pretty much any time. People actually try to talk out issues now. Yes we have a few wars - but look back to when EVERYTHING was settled by war. We are making huge progress. But that wouldn't sell books. So that all being said, I do want to say this book has MANY good points, if you take it all with a critical, open eye. He talks about how Buddhism seeks to make us aware of the troubles in daily life and how we must learn to accept the way life is. He says that sin in the original language of the Bible was not "evil", it was about "missing the mark". People were being advised to learn from their mistakes and correct their path as they went. He warns that all possessions fade over time, just as beauty and strength does. Taking pride in these things is setting yourself up to feel sadness when they are no longer there. It is better to be content inwardly, rather than based on external objects. He includes branded name objects in this category, and groups. He points out that your internal frame of mind shapes how you view the world. "Complaining is one of the ego's favorite strategies for strengthening itself," he warns. It's about making you feel better by putting down someone else. He elaborates later - "Complaining is not to be confused with informing someone of a mistake or deficiency so that it can be put right. And to refrain from complaining doesn't necessarily mean putting up with bad quality or behavior." So it is about standing up for yourself, certainly, but not by abusing others. He talks about how some people feel they can't be happy until something in their current life changes (I get a new house, I get a new job). He says other people feel they can never be happy because of something in their past (maybe the DISTANT past). He says both sets of people are mistaken. You can choose to be happy NOW. Not that you resign yourself to your situation necessarily - you can strive to better your life. But you can accept that you are where you are, that you will find serenity where you are while you work to improve things. He says that every moment we're in we should either be thinking of acceptance, enjoyment or enthusiasm. If we really don't want to be changing a flat tire in the rain, simply accept it, do it as best you can, and move on. Being stressed and angry isn't going to make the tire change more quickly, and will add stress hormones and bad health to your list of problems. I definitely think the key messages of this book are important. If Eckhart is phrasing them in a way which most people "get" - even though there are numerous other books on this same topic with this same message - then more power to him. It goes to show that people react differently to phrasing and that a writing style that makes sense to one person does not to another. Sure, a lot of this book is Buddhism - but I'm sure many of these readers have never been in a Buddhist temple and would not have gone to talk with a Buddhist monk. A lot of these concepts are basic psychology, but a person who doesn't read psychology tomes would never know that. Eckhart has made the information palatable to a large group of people. That's a well done task. My complaints are just that he didn't need some of this "incorrect junk" in here - and that his book would have been that much better if it left those things out.

Eckhart Tolle presents some highly significant insights, but because he has an inadequate map of the psyche, he makes things more obscure than they need to be. He discusses consciousness or awareness at considerable length, but he does not pinpoint the precise functions of consciousness, which are twofold. First, consciousness receives input from the senses, mind, emotions, instincts, fantasies, intuitions, etc. Second, consciousness chooses what to do with that input: consciousness is the decider. Tolle doesn't deal with this second aspect at all. He believes that if you just pay attention to the present, you can gain some distance from the inputs. I accept that he awakened in this manner, and I grant that paying attention to the present moment can be very deep and very holy. But for most of us, unless you understand the map, you're likely to end up fighting with yourself. Tolle makes bogeymen out of the ego and what he calls the "painbody," and this is a serious mistake. He says that our egos are identifications with our roles or programs that tell us how to act, with what he calls the "world of form." It is true that our consciousness is sometimes or in some ways run by our roles or programs if we identify with them, but most of the time we are at least partly conscious, choosing how to act. All we have to do to become awakened is realize that consciousness does not have to identify with any of its inputs, even those which may be tuning us in to the present moment. It is good to recognize that "I am consciousness." Everything else is secondary, and is not "I." Then we can strengthen consciousness' ability to evaluate and act on the inputs, and separation from the inputs is achieved. Tolle lumps all our negative dysfunctional programs together into the painbody, and tells us how subtle and crafty the painbody can be. This is simply giving those dysfunctional programs an extra boost of energy, inviting them to band together and attack us, when what we should be doing is draining all the energy out of them and replacing them with more functional programs. Dealing with a particular dysfunctional program is much simpler than blaming the painbody for our negativity. Contrary to his assertion, we do not have a part of ourselves that seeks negative experiences, that "feeds on negativity," altho I suppose you can create a painbody for yourself if you want one. We simply have individual dysfunctional programs that we designed ourselves, usually in early childhood, when we weren't clear what our values and objectives are. Awakening is not just a matter of tuning in to the present moment. Meditating with an appropriate psychedelic can give you all the tuning in to the present moment you could possibly ask for, altho that is a course I am not recommending. No. Awakening is a matter of choosing positive values, choosing to walk the path of love in all ways. It helps to recognize that we are all parts of God, and it most certainly helps to be attentive. Tolle says nothing about choosing the positive values, probably because it's too obvious for him. So this book and Oprah's classes go a ways in the right direction, but we really need an accurate map of the territory to understand where we are and what we need to do. Let us awaken!

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (Oprah's Book Club, Selection 61) Eckart's writings affirm what I have grown to know over the last 20 years, that our ego is what seperates us from that which created us. He makes complex issues simple to read and to understand. With a Master of Pastoral Studies and a focus in Spiritual Direction, I guide people in and through their "dark night of the soul" in which, they become aware of the ego and how the ego, "edges God out." I then move them into the awareness that they are one with that which created them. This empowers people to become volunteers in their own life and not victims of society, their past, ect. This is what Tolle is doing with his book, I know the people who read this without resistance will begin the process of freeing themselves from the bondage of self and awaken into a life of peace, love, joy, and happiness. I encourage all to read this book as well as The Power of Now. Power of Now . We recently completed our book study on A New Earth, it was amazing the insights so many people recieved. We were able to see ourselves in the book. With the awareness of ourselves, we were able to make necessary changes in our lives. It is definitely a book to read and reread. I am greatful to have facilitated the book study because it forced me to focus and really apply the information in my life in order to effectively share the book with our group. Our group consisted of men and women with varied ethnicity and religious beliefs. We were amazed that we all found value in the book. Another book which is a powerful and life changing book is Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza, Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust . This book is about a Rawandan Holocaust survivior who experienced her "Dark Night of the Soul" in a 3 X 4 bathroom for 91 days with 7 other women as approx. 1 million of her tribe were slaughtered. It is her journey of facing her ego, her beliefs, her pain and fear and awakening to the power that dwells within all people. It is a powerful story of forgiveness and claiming our truth that we are one with that which created us. It is an applied book of what Tolle is teaching. I am so excited that Oprah chose this book. I believe when we awaken to the truth of who we are, we are able to accept all people in love and compassion and we will know peace. When we have peace within ourselves, we will experience peace on our planet. Enjoy your read, Becky Benes, Onenessoflife.com

This book has come along at just the right time in my life. I have just spent the past three years researching my own suffering. I too had had a personally cataclysmic experience that made me stop everything I was doing and begin seeking the answers I did not have. It happened that a "pain body" experience to use Tolle's words occurred in the very spot my earliest "pain body" experience had occurred nearly forty years earlier this time with my daughter instead of with my mother. It was then that I knew that with out under standing I was doom to repeat the same suffer of my past over and over. Relocating to my dream home that prior year I envisioned peace and serenity and found I had just exactly what I was trying to distance myself from. Each time I found a book that touched on my "pain body" stuff I shared it with my family. My search brought me back to the Anonymous fellowship, which had sparked some recovery in me over twenty-eight years ago. Although I had been released from my destructive behavior for years I had not become happy joyous and free as promised or at least I didn't think that I had. After listening to "A New Earth" I have come to see that like Dorothy in the "Wizard of Oz" I had it all along. I was just too busy fighting off what Eckhart Tolle calls the "ego voice" inside myself to stop and smell the roses. Actually I think that this book could be called enlightenment or spiritual experience for dummies. I became frustrated with the "Holy Bible" years and years ago because it had to be interpreted for me. I had similar experiences with "The Course In Miracles". I didn't much like having that Christianity philosophy served up again and used as examples of scripture talking about enlightenment in this book. It was like "On No! here we go again". If I will be last I will be first? That is an ego game to me. I didn't get it then and it didn't make anymore since today. I just recognized that wanting was a precursor to suffering. Eckhart Tolle points out Buddha, Tao and Jesus' teachings as examples of wide spread spiritualism. He would include Bill W. and Dr. Bob if he knew about them. Their book "Alcoholics Anonymous" is published in many languages too and it has only been in print for around fifty years. It too simplifies the surrender of the ego and finding true peace of mind. Something terribly distressing has to happen to make the process applicable. Where I failed to make the leap was in continually mucking around in the past trying to figure out why I could not get free of the fear and anxiety and what I now describe as the "pain body experiences" of the past repeating its self in the present which it did. Why I was still angry and volatile. Having listened to Eckhart Tolle a couple times I think that I see my way now and have already begun being aware of basking in the warmth of my personnel peace and serenity. After nearly three years of seeking I have come to enjoy this subject very much and I plan to read some of the books other reviewers have suggested as companions to this one. In the beginning of my quest I had planned to find out what was at the core of my suffering get over it once and for all and get on with my life. This subject has now become my life, sharing the possibility of this "peace that passes all understanding" with others. If you have reached the point in your own quest for self understand that I have and Tolle has you will understand enough from this book to complete the transition from daily suffering to daily peace. I have.

I will start this review by stating a simple fact: This book has changed my life and will continue to change it until I die. I am aware now and for me, that is enough. Being aware is the plain and simple truth behind my continuing transformation. However, as plain and simple as the truth is, it isn't easy. It is a constant challenge to be aware of my thoughts, but I have found that Eckhart was right about the egoic thoughts evaporating once I shine a light on them. That doesn't mean they don't come back or that new ones don't form, because they do. And sometimes they slip past me unnoticed for several minutes until I become aware of them again, but over time I have found that it gets easier to recognize egoic thoughts for what they are and they occur fewer and farther between now. They also evaporate much faster than before. It's like seeing them for what they are just takes all the fight out of them. I am not quite sure I fully understand what everybody means by spiritual awakening and I never sought that. All I wanted was a way out of fear-based behavior and I have found it in this book. That is why this book is now, and will forever remain, the single most important self help book in my library. If you read this book and understand it, you will know how it helps to live without fear. I didn't come to Amazon to read reviews for a book I already have and love. I came to Amazon to see about ordering The Power of Now. When I saw some of the single stars for A New Earth, I decided to read those reviews to see why somebody wouldn't love the book as much as I did and was surprised by what I read. I have read in some reviews that the author is just repeating Buddha's teachings and claiming them as his own. For myself, I never felt the author claimed these ideas as his own. In fact, he repeats many teachings of Jesus and Buddha throughout the book and lists them as such. I also can't recall him ever claiming himself as enlightened. In fact, the one thing I do remember about any personal claims he made was that working on the ego was an ongoing process for him. And just to prove a point, and I might just be proving it to myself, when I read those reviews I got angry. I felt threatened and insulted for loving the book so much when there were other people out there who didn't like it at all. I made the assumption that they were all still in the grip of the ego and thought how unconscious they all were. Then I became aware of my thoughts, all angry and superior in nature, and they evaporated. For the first time since I was a very young child, I am free. Not completely. Not yet. That might never happen, but I experience true freedom throughout my day, day after day, and for me, mere words will never be adequate enough to express my gratitude to Eckhart Tolle for sharing this wisdom with me.