A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

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It's a hit!

Tolle takes the title for this book, "A New Earth," from Revelation 21: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the firs... (show more)

Tolle takes the title for this book, "A New Earth," from Revelation 21: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away"

However, as he explains in this book, his main concern is actually the "new heaven," to which he devotes 95% of the book. Therefore, if you're looking for advice regarding the Earth (environmentalism, etc) or about what to do with your life, in what Tolle would call your "outward" purpose, this book won't deliver much. However, if you're looking for spiritual advice about your inner life, and how to awaken to your "inner purpose" - being more present in the moment, awakening, experiencing your connection to God/Being/whatever you call it, this book can be helpful. He argues that this awakening is primary and essential if you are going to learn your true "outward" purpose - things like work, relationships, goals, and so on.

I just read a couple of websites from the Fox "News"/evangelical "Christian" genre denouncing Oprah and Eckhart Tolle over this book. Tolle draws heavily on Christian teachings - the Bible is referenced in the endnotes more often than any other source. The way he interprets the Bible does not sit well with some of the militant Biblical literalists, who have their own, opposing interpretations, which they insist are the only possible correct way to approach religion or spirituality. Tolle also uses Buddhist, Sufi, Taoist, and other sources, which adds to the drama with that crowd. Regardless, as far as a simple, readable introduction to spiritual and philosophical ideas of some difficulty, Tolle does a great job.

Eckhart Tolle is a bit New Agey, and some of his stuff about "pain bodies" and "energy fields" has no apparent basis in anything either empirical (psychology, neuroscience, etc) or in any spiritual tradition I'm familiar with. Nonetheless, these concepts do help some people. I don't much care for these bits, but I don't feel that they damage the majority of his work.

Mainly what he offers in this book is an examination of what it means to be a human being. This means it sits mostly in the realm of spirituality and philosophy. He discusses issues like alienation, the gap between language and knowledge (just because you have a word for something doesn't mean you understand it), the relations between thought, emotion, and spiritual or existential awareness, and so on. He includes several basic exercises like awareness of your breathing, observation of your thoughts and emotions, and so on. I found this material to be well done, valuable, and helpful.

His work aims to assist people looking for meaning in a world which can seem like "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." I think he does a great job of it, and I would recommend the book to anyone interested in living life with more awareness, enjoyment, and enthusiasm. (show less)

 

 

by Facebook User

No, it's a flop!

I can't decide if this guy is the biggest genius or the biggest idiot. It was like reading the Mike Myers character. But every once in a while, h... (show more)

I can't decide if this guy is the biggest genius or the biggest idiot. It was like reading the Mike Myers character. But every once in a while, he says something that makes you go "Wow!" Then he turns around and says something that makes you think someone was enjoying his time as a "philospher" and finding that enjoyment not from pure air. My advice to anyone is read the first 3 chapters, skim the next few and read from like 289 to the end. You will get the idea.

His Christian "philosphy" is missing a lot, so it makes me wonder what he is missing from the other religions he mentions.

For me, I am not running out to shave my head, wear a mumu and drink some kool aid, but his ideas of "ego" holding us back is very interesting. It doesn't make it new to just capitalize a word and suddenly it is your amazingly original idea. (show less)

 

 

by Matt Peglow

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  I just finished Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth. It was totally satisfying to see the concept of elevated consciousness validated by an expert. It’s something I’ve felt and perceived and struggled to discuss with others, but haven’t always found a receptive audience. Reading the book reaffirmed what I felt in my gut, and put words to concepts that I sensed but couldn’t articulate. It is a gift. Here’s an excerpt:

  "There may be a period of insecurity and uncertainty. What should I do? As t... (show more)

  I just finished Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth. It was totally satisfying to see the concept of elevated consciousness validated by an expert. It’s something I’ve felt and perceived and struggled to discuss with others, but haven’t always found a receptive audience. Reading the book reaffirmed what I felt in my gut, and put words to concepts that I sensed but couldn’t articulate. It is a gift. Here’s an excerpt:

  "There may be a period of insecurity and uncertainty. What should I do? As the ego is no longer running your life, the psychological need for external security, which is illusory anyway, lessens. You are able to live with uncertainty, even enjoy it. When you become comfortable with uncertainty, infinite possibilities open up in your life. It means fear is no longer a dominant factor in what you do and no longer prevents you from taking action to initiate change. The Roman philosopher Tacitus rightly observed that “the desire for safety stands against every great and notable enterprise.” If uncertainty is unacceptable to you, it turns into fear. If it is perfectly acceptable, it turns into increased aliveness, alertness and creativity." (show less)

   

   

  by Col K on Feb 24, 2008 at 02:36PM

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  First off. I hate self-help books. Hate them. But this book was recommended by a close friend who's judgement I trust and pertained to some of our recent discussions so I took the plunge. (In a note of irony she didn't finish it because it was 'too much.')

  I on the other hand embraced it. I felt that so many of my views and opinions on life were already on par with Tolle's writing that I was able dig deeper into his points than other books about 'purpose.' I am hesitant to recommend the... (show more)

  First off. I hate self-help books. Hate them. But this book was recommended by a close friend who's judgement I trust and pertained to some of our recent discussions so I took the plunge. (In a note of irony she didn't finish it because it was 'too much.')

  I on the other hand embraced it. I felt that so many of my views and opinions on life were already on par with Tolle's writing that I was able dig deeper into his points than other books about 'purpose.' I am hesitant to recommend the book because I question whether other's will embrace it like I did but I have brought it up to a few close friends as well as gave it to my mom.

  It's definitely a book I plan on rereading every so often.

  There are too many points and stories to go into but essentially, in layman's terms, the book is about separating yourself from your ego and who you think you are and what you have to be so you can start appreciating life. Stop worrying about where you will be tomorrow or in an hour and start appreciating 'now' or else you will always be living for the future (but the future is always the future so you are never living) etc. etc.

  Now that may all seem obvious. But I feel this book really helps explain it in way that makes sense and is achievable. It's not about becoming something, but rather, nothing...formless.

  Even though, as I originally said, I felt very aligned with the Tolle's message, I still have a long way to go. But I have already taken his advice and noticed that peripheral relationships that I had and didn't care about are now more solid and fulfilling. It's not life changing in a macro sense but it is in micro-sense. I could go on.

  Final verdict, one of the, if not THE best, self help books I have ever read. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook User on Apr 06, 2009 at 06:00PM

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