Getting in line to be obtuse....October 31, 2008 1 out of 3 found this review helpful
THE NEW EARTH BUSINESS IS ONE OF A LONG LINE OF OBTUSE IDEAS, BORROWING FROM THE MAJOR RELIGIONS WHERE HANDY; USING SOME NEW WORDS TO SET THEIR IDEAS APART FROM THE NEXT THING COMING DOWN THE LINE. MOST OF IT IS COMMON SENSE, BUT CLOTHED IN NEW WORDS, LIKE PAIN BODY. HOW ABOUT JUST SAYING SIN? THAT'S WHAT HUMANS DO TO EACH OTHER, AND TO THEMSELVES == GIVING IT A NEW TITLE DOESN'T CHANGE THE EFFECT OR THE GUILT. THAT'S ANOTHER WORD WHICH HAS BEEN LEFT BEHIND IN THE DUST OF NEW WAYS TO MAKE MONEY BY PUBLISHING BOOKS WITH NEW VOCABULARIES. THEY ARE NOT OFFENSIVE; THEY ARE SAD.
AwakeOctober 30, 2008 0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is an excellent book. I would definitely recommend this book for someone who is at a crossroads. My suggestion is to read this book when you have the time to truly absorb it.
Very Helpful to keep things in perspectiveOctober 30, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I found this book to be very insightful. I've read it twice already and had to purchase a second book just to give away! It's so important to realize we're more than this one person here on earth, we're only part of a whole. It doesn't matter if your a high executive, the President or someone who scrapes by on minimum wage, we are the same inside. I hope some day we can work more as a group, caretaker of earth and all life here, for a better life for us all now and the future.
Good, but Could've been BetterOctober 30, 2008 I indeed agree that the state of mind described by Eckhart Tolle as "enlightenment" is the optimal state of being. It makes us infinitely more human, and makes us see beauty in almost everything. But isn't this state of mind the same that we obtain after a period of meditation? Mr. Tolle makes a mistake by not concentrating enough on meditation as the main and best portal into the "Now." Maybe he wants his teachings to appear more original, but he shouldn't do that at the expense of the content. Eckhart Tolle gives us only two new things: Some new techniques for attaining "presence" and a new terminology that makes the whole thing easier to understand (and feel.) Otherwise, staying "present" is an ancient Oriental teaching that goes back thousands of years. Anyway, I think Mr. Tolle should also admit that maintaining "presence" is no easy task. Good overall, but I'm very doubtful that all or even most human beings will understand the imortance of reaching "presence," let alone succeding in that and subsequently become a better race.
Good information but hidden under dense writingOctober 30, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this book because of the hype and found it quite difficult to read and get into. However, I did find these key points hidden in the text useful.
- "Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is experience you are having at the moment. The quote above leads into another favourite author of mine, Joe Vitale "Once you have learnt the lesson, you no longer need the experience." If you want to move on from your current place, then learn your lesson first.
- "Unease, restlessness, boredom, anxiety, dissatisfaction, are the result of unfulfilled wanting." Happiness is contentment with what we have because there will always be more we want. Be grateful for what you have right now.
- "Awareness is the greatest agent for change." If you know the problem you want to fix, you can fix it. Be specific about what you want to change.
- "Whatever you think people are withholding from you, give it to them first. Act as if you have it, and it will come."
- "There is not only growth, birth, success, good health, pleasure and winning. There is also loss, failure, sickness, old age, decay, pain and death. Disorder erupts into everyone's lives." But these too are part of life, the shadow side we must also embrace and learn from. It would not be a fulness of life without them.
I have not bought any more of his books though, as I didn't find this as inspiring as I expected.
