Description

This is a concise but intensive recorded excerpt from a 2002 seminar by the noted spiritual teacher and author of The Power of Now. Tolle, born in Germany and educated at the universities of London and Cambridge, weaves together familiar threads from both Western and Eastern faith traditions into an eclectic tapestry of insights concerning human nature. Tolle guides his audience to carve out new “space,” a heightened awareness of the present moment made possible by moving beyond our conditioned thought patterns. The “little me,” according to Tolle, represents the sum of our shortsighted perceptions, which left unchecked add up to an all-consuming personal story of pain and conflict that makes embracing the here and now impossible. Tolle deliberately—and effectively—leaves significant pauses between sentences and even individual words. He utilizes these moments of silence to model his approaches for the audience, given that many in contemporary information-age society may have few concrete examples for peaceful reflection in their daily lives. While Tolle holds built-in appeal to New Age spirituality enthusiasts, listeners steeped in the self-help and personal growth genres may also experience enlightenment.In this talk, a brilliant summation of his teachings, Eckhart Tolle begins by describing a problem all humans face: a strict sense of self based in personal history, mental interpretations, and memories of the past; a sense that’s forever being reinforced through habitual thought patterns. When listeners identify with these thought patterns, they create what Tolle calls “the little me,” a person imprisoned within rigidly defined boundaries. Yet, as he explains, “the little me” is not the truth of who one is, but of who one was, and reflects a past that no longer exists. He gently guides viewers on a journey into the present moment, into that spacious stillness where they are more than they think — where they are, in fact, part of a great, mysterious whole. Achieving this transcendent state allows listeners to move beyond self-defeating limitations and live lives of grace, ease, and lightness.