I have been listening to A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle, for the last two weeks each night before I fell asleep. I must admit, I was a little skeptical about this book, but I found it very soothing and relaxing at bedtime. The first chapter drew me in immediately. When I was finished, it really made me think about the concepts, and how I could immediate apply these concepts to my personal situation.

The audio book is read by the author, and is about 8-9 hours of listening time. This book was originally released in 2005, but has become an overnight sensation thanks largely to Oprah's enthusiastic endorsement. In fact, Oprah has hosted a 10-week web based course conducted by Tolle; some two million students participated.

According to the author, The key to more joy and purpose is by living in the present moment. Rather, "being" in the present moment. This is accomplished by slowly dismantling the "ego". Many authors have written about the desirability of living "in the Now," but few have laid out such a clear method that one can understand. The chapters are as follows:

* Chapter 1: The Flowering of Human Consciousness
* Chapter 2: Ego: The Current State of Humanity
* Chapter 3: The Core of Ego
* Chapter 4: Role-playing: The Many Faces of the Ego
* Chapter 5: The Pain-Body
* Chapter 6: Breaking Free
* Chapter 7: Finding Who You Truly Are
* Chapter 8: The Discovery of Inner Space
* Chapter 9: Your Inner Purpose
* Chapter 10: A New Earth

Although I really enjoyed listening to this book, I did find that some of the information seemed to be repeated a lot, but perhaps that was to reinforce the message. As an audio book, some of the concepts were a bit difficult to grasp and retain, so for the serious reader who wants to absorb every detail of Tolle's message, I would suggest getting the paperback copy as well to refer to.

This book is highly recommended.

Throughout 12 months of spiritual reading, A New Earth is the simplest, clearest book I have come across. This approach works for me, and will work for many. With an idea like "Awakening is the separation of thinking and awareness", awakening suddenly becomes very doable, and something you are perhaps already making progress with. I have read both the book and listened to the audio book, and I must say that Tolle's voice is beautiful to listen to. Anyway, there are my thoughts, I hope you find them informative.

If you want to try something new along a Taoist line, look at this linked book. It's a mix of Taoist, Psychology, and Social-Biology. A very good book, give it a try.
Tao Cycle Therapy: Natural Happiness via Self Directed Cure for Chronic Anxiety & Depression [Updated 2008 3nd Edition]

blah blah blah. And then more blah blah blah, blah laaaaaa Try this instead, Tao Cycle Therapy: Natural Happiness via Self Directed Cure for Chronic Anxiety & Depression [Updated 2008 3nd Edition]

I think the book is an excellent way to learn how important it is for each of us to know our life's purpose. I had the wonderful opportunity to read this book during the final months of the 2008 presidential election. As I read this book and watched the election process, I understood the life affirming principles and illustrations shared in this book and made the connection with millions of people around the world who chose to know our life purpose.

The book is timeless, comforting, and allows us to remember and tap into the richness within ourselves. Fear=ego and neither is an option to the path we will follow after reading this book. Instead, I hope that millions more will read this book and share it with others. It shows us how to we can "change our minds, change our world" to discover, live and pursue our own healthy, wise and fulfilling life purpose.

I have read this book three times since I bought it. Each time I get new ideas from it. For anyone who wants a life that is more fulfilled, who wants to contribute to the world in expanded ways, or who wants to step out of sadness or loss, this is the book.

After I read A New Earth I went back and purchased Tolle's previous book, The Power of Now.The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment It was a good read, but in A New Earth his concepts have matured, his descriptions are sharper, and he brings it all home in a more personal way. Read it with an open mind and a willingness to be honest with yourself and it will be powerful.

This life-changing book describes how we must live in order to stop the downward trend that mankind seems to be facing. The ego, that which currently rules mankind and is based primarily on materialism and self-interest, must die if we are to survive. Beautifully written, Tolle describes the urgent necessity of this change and how to go about it. He gives meaning to life and describes the only way to find true peace, contentment, and happiness.

This is a good second book for Eckhart Tolle, he really comes alive in this one as he shares more of his pre-enlightened life, making it clear that he is an ordinary man just like anyone. This reinforced the understanding in me that anyone can become enlightened, and not just spiritual teachers. Another great book which breaks down false beliefs structures around enlightenment and strongly highlights the true simplicity involved in enlightenment is Finding Reality 'Awakening to Spiritual Freedom' Both books compliment each other very well and together have all you need on this subject.

This moving and transformational books offers real-life, concrete solutions to managing the stress of modern living. Where traditional therapy ends (understanding the "why" behind our misery) Mr. Tolle's book and mindfulness begin, by teaching the "how". How to find meaning in the present moment. How to stop looking for happiness in external things. How to learn to appreciate the true self and live a life of intention and kindness. Mr. Tolle gives the reader a wonderful introduction to Buddhist and mindfulness principals, and he also shows how all the major religions are more alike than they are different. His book is an inclusive, welcoming, and loving invitation to change the lens through which you see yourself and life. Highly recommended.

If you are a deep material reader then you will really enjoy Rumi & Self Psychology (Psychology of Tranquility) and Sara's Therapy: A Way to Purity. These books are unique, easy to read, full of information, and just amazing; and you can not put them down.

Tolle, supposedly a humble person, considers himself enlightened enough to tell everyone else how to be enlightened. He even says that if the Buddha didn't agree with him, Buddha would be wrong.

There is no evidence in the book that Tolle is enlightened at all. I studied and learned all this stuff back in the late 70s and the 80s; Tolle is merely throwing up a mish-mash of Buddhist-New Age thinking that he swallowed years ago.

It's sad that people think this spiritual wisdom when, in fact, it's full of inherent contradictions and self-refuting statements.

Tolle makes an amazing statement when he says that "at the heart of the new consciousness lies the transcendence of thought, the newfound ability of rising above thought" and we will no longer "derive [your] identity" from the "incessant stream of thinking."

And yet, what is this but a thought?! What is this whole book, but words and thinking? He also downgrades words to mere sounds, but of course, his book is in words!

Go figure!

Tolle needs to go back to the drawing board and get basic logic right before he claims to be enlightened.

The time of awakening has come. I have felt the shift, and for every ego that is weakened, the world will become a better place. This is a critical read for anyone searching for happiness.

Mark Meincke
Author:
Why not Me? The keys to unlock your power and release your potential

Although it calls upon thought to counteract thinking (an oxymoron), it really helps in bringing the mind into present reality. It's a book I will read again (or portions of it) whenever my mind starts to take me into a negative pattern. Highly recommended.

One of the best books I have ever read that really helps me to understand the world around me and ultimately myself. I keep it handy to refer to on a regular basis, though I confess I have been back-sliding the past few weeks and the anxiety is returning. The real gift of this book is that it puts everything in perspective. That relieves the anxiousness that so seems to pervade our world which leads to wrong perceptions, violence, stupidity, etc. I have given the book as gifts to 3 people so far.
Thank you

Eckhart Tolle speaks from a place of love and consciousness that is truly expanded. Our divine nature is within us, ready to be remembered if we can only move past the pain and drama that we have mistaken for "US".
If I was on a desert Island, this would be the one book I would want to have.
Light and love to you all
Karen

I loved this book. The information itself I have been hearing and experiencing for many years as I personally open and grow. It's about waking up people! Becoming conscious and remebering who you are. Thank you Eckhart Tolle for bringing this out in such a big way as we are all in a time of big change.

It is wonderful that Oprah Winfrey had the author Eckhart Tolle on
her class. But you notice how no one reported lots of success with
her class. This is because of the very deep mistake made by Tolle and
even Wayne Dyer. They are EGO-BASHING speakers and authors who
mistakenly say the EGO is the cause of people's problems. This is false.
The EGO is simply the TOTAL PERSONALITY which includes good habits or
bad habits, faults or talents. But when we are NOT SELF REFLECTIVE, we
allow the bad habits to rule, not realizing they are located in our brain
and are not caused by outside person place or thing. Voila. Failure of
the "positive thinking" to work.
Also they claim (especially Wayne Dyer) we all have FREE WILL. This is
also untrue. Only until self reflection does anyone have the choice to
change their thinking to change their life. Until SELF REFLECTION AWARENESS OF AWARENESS there is no chance of changing your thinking to change your life. You are just lying to yourself. Thinking and growing rich won'twork because as you think "I am rich!" the unreflective part of your ego says "Liar, liar pants on fire." ok? When self-reflective you can then think 1. Where is the feeling of poverty? Answer: Inside 2. Can I change that feeling somehow? Answer: Well, I will try!" so you have the keys to the kingdom. This is also true of the book THE SECRET and why there is not a lot of success with that book either. My book SCIENCE AND THE UNITY OF CONSCIOUSNESS explains all this. Dr. Lou Nitti DctrLouis@att.net

This year has been a potporri of severe physical and emotional pain for myself- after reading A New Earth- I feel so much better knowing "suffering is OK" (burning off of the ego) and knowing that if other people (or yourself ) are very unusually quiet- it is one of two things- they are dwelling on the past or worried about the future. I have always thought that the "unseen" is all there truly is in life- and everything else is a passing illusion.
"What we see will only last a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever." 2 Corinthians 4:18

This was a most worthwhile read. As others more knowledgable on the subjects Tolle covers have pointed out, the book certainly is not perfect and to some is merely a rehash of principles that they are already well aware of. However, for someone like me, who stumbles upon this book front and center aisle at Target while the kids are checking out the pc games, it is a breath of fresh air whose positives greatly outweigh its negatives. I don't expect complete synthesis with any non-fiction work. (If I want a perfect read, I'll read Emily Bronte). With a book like this, I am looking for something, anything, to enlighten or illuminate or stir or enhance or give some kind of guidance in a positive direction to what goes on in my mind and in my interaction with others. We all know that feeling; when something we see or read has a
profound effect. If it is just one sentence or one page, it will have been worth the read. This book achieves that effect many times over.

One thing of note; this book was definitely written by someone who does not speak English as their native language. Doesn't matter how well one learns a language; if it's not your native tongue there will inevitably be subtle nuances that are lacking. For a book like this, maybe that is a good thing because there is no clouding of the issue with elaborate or artful phrasing. Some passages come across rather bluntly. Perhaps this bluntness is misinterpreted by some as a lecturing style of pompousness or self-righteousness. I saw neither of the two; to me the book was simply observation after observation. And some of the observations were truly eye-opening, such as the idea that "man made God in his own image" - what a potent observation! Also, Tolle's advice to avoid dealing with and looking at others in the context of roles, and more so as fellow human beings instead. There is no denying the validity of advice like this.

I really don't know much, if anything, about Buddhism or Hinduism. This book made me want to learn more. Tolle has great respect for the world's religions, and he successfully points out their interconnectedness to each other. We truly are all members of the same species. I really appreciated his insights into Jesus Christ's teachings, not just on a religious level for me as a Christian but on a much broader level for us as human beings. I don't know what or any religion Tolle practices, but it didn't matter. Much of the wisdoms of the world's religions transcend their own followers and are beneficial to all.

Again, some or all of this may have already been covered by others, but for me Tolle laid it out quite nicely and I am grateful for it.

The ideal way to read this book is once through, and then a second time with a highlighter, noting passages and insights that you find inspiring or thought-provoking. That makes it easier to go back and experience the best the book has to offer whenever you "need" to, so to speak.

This book is really helping my husband and me with our relationship. It is an interesting read and I would recommend it to anyone with an open mind.

Man, this author is full of himself. Every other philosopher and religious tradition has it wrong, according to Tolleson.

Lots of philosophers have ideas and manage to share them without the wholesale dismissal of every other idea. Why does Tolleson have to state that everyone else is wrong and he is right? Somehow, it reminds me of those folks who are never open to discussion on any point... you know who I mean. Anyway, I mostly hated this book, in spite of the few good points that he made just because it is so pompous and self-righteous. I guess I missed why Oprah recommended this book.

Ladies and Gentlemen who reviewed Tolle's latest with one star, just let me share that I gained more wisdom from your comments than anything of Tolle's I've read. You all sound like fine, balanced people and should get together and write your own book. Well done!

Ladies and Gentlemen who reviewed Tolle's latest with one star, just let me share that I gained more wisdom from your comments than anything of Tolle's I've read. You all sound like fine, balanced people and should get together and write your own book. Well done!

Very helpful, it has changed my life. I think anyone would benefit from reading this book.

He's right. It's so nice to have some confirmation about things that I feel to be true. Especially things that cannot be explained (or explained away) by logic. Maybe this book is not for some others, but I can look back to when I was a little kid and know that I felt what he is saying to be the REAL TRUTH, even then. I started questioning my Catholic upbringing at a very young age and I started reading a lot of spiritual books, too. They confirmed some things for me, but I am (lol I have thought of myself as?)a thinker through and through and it's been very hard to give myself permission to let go of that. Scary, actually, as any of you who find value in this book can attest. His advice definitely also has practical application. Will it be easy to follow? I'm not so sure. I will try.

The book actually was not for me, but my husband. He's being through a difficult transition in his life. This book guides him very well. He said he loves this book, it's very interesting.

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.

I started to flip through "The Power of Now" because of the fuss about it at the time, and to my surprise I finished it easily. Here was someone who had been through a real and fascinating spiritual experience.
The teachings were simple and repetitive, but that's what works today: few people have the patience to unravel the complex, beautiful, elliptical spiritual teachings of slower ages. There was nothing new in them, but that was also good. Spiritual teachings aren't supposed to be new.

You are not your body or your thoughts; you are not any form that can be indicated. You are the timeless Presence beyond all this. The past is only thought: memory, regret, nostalgia. The future too is only thought: hope, expectation, fear. Presence exists only Now, in that instant finer than a hair that is yet vast enough to contain Eternity.

So the practice is to stay in the Now unfailingly. This is like Buddhist Mindfulness, but notice the crucial difference of aim. Buddhism teaches No-Self: the point of Mindfulness is to see that There Is Nothing beyond passing thoughts and sensations. Tolle, like Hindu Nondualists, teaches Presence: Something rather than Nothing.

But with This book I'm afraid he lost me. Hate to gloom everyone out, but I see no sign of a New Age, a Global Spiritual Awakening. Ask the people in Iraq, Palestine or Somalia about a New Age; ask slum-dwellers in Cairo, Delhi, Manila, Saõ Paulo.
More important, why is a Nondualist telling us this? Why this interest in a Coming Age, in the future, in time at all? Whatever arrives is certain to depart again. What Is always Is.

When he began to describe the "pain body" I gave up. Scores of vague psychological entities have been hypothesised since the days of Freud: this is one of the least interesting. It's hard not to feel he's pandering to an audience absorbed in their own emotional lives and problems.
Try Hindu Nondualist teachers like Ramana Maharshi or Nisargadatta Maharaj. They are just as accessible, and they'll be around a lot longer.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 attain 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: his definition of enlightenment as "presence" or "staying in the Now," and some new terminology that make the whole thing easier to understand (and feel.) Otherwise, staying " present" is an ancient 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 very much doubt that all or even most human beings will succeed in reaching "presence" and become a better species.

I was intrigued by this book when I heard about it on "Oprah" and had the strong feeling to get myself a copy. This is one of the best spiritual books that I have read recently. I have already read about the ego and books on how to change one's life perspective to a more positive one, but this book had many unique insights that are very applicable. The author talks about what he calls "the pain body" and how we are attracted to others that magnify our pain bodies/push our buttons. This was extremely fascinating and helpful part. It took a few chapters to get into the book; but once I made it past some of the introductory insights, it really turned into a life changing book for me. I even bought several copies for my friends and family, hoping that they appreciate it as much as I did.

I was intrigued by this book when I heard about it on "Oprah" and had the strong feeling to get myself a copy. This is one of the best spiritual books that I have read recently. I have already read about the ego and books on how to change one's life perspective to a more positive one, but this book had many unique insights that are very applicable. The author talks about what he calls "the pain body" and how we are attracted to others that magnify our pain bodies/push our buttons. This was extremely fascinating and helpful part. It took a few chapters to get into the book; but once I made it past some of the introductory insights, it really turned into a life changing book for me. I even bought several copies for my friends and family, hoping that they appreciate it as much as I did.

I tried reading the book but found it difficult to maintain my attention since the material is so dense. However, the CDs are excellent and helped me understand better what the author was trying to convey. I highly recommend it.

I tried reading the book but found it difficult to maintain my attention since the material is so dense. However, the CDs are excellent and helped me understand better what the author was trying to convey. I highly recommend it.

The audio of this book has been much more enjoyable for me than the written text. Author reads well, has nice English accent. I feel more conected to the guidance and thought provoking words.

Everyone on the face of this planet needs to read this book. Especially overly-marketized Americans. This is stuff that rings so true, stuff we already knew, stuff we have forgotten along the consumeristic-lifestyle waystyle. Thank God for this book. I am at peace with myself and the world after reading this book. I want to read this book over and over and over!

This is the most fantastic book that I bought in the last 12 months. We really can apply what we learn in New Earth! It worth!

I've been a seeker my whole life. Did the est training, became a seminar leader for Landmark Education, and have done a tremendous amount of work on myself. This brings it all together. Dollar for dollar, it's the best money I've ever spent. I strongly recommend the CD over the book (and this CD over "Power of Now"). Listening to it added a whole other dimension. I'm incorporating his work into my site that supports people in relationships (www.lovepong.com) because the only way to be powerful in a relationship is to be highly conscious. Wonderful!

jamie at home cookbook-i really love jamie at home or any of his books. i also loved the cooking of the recipies on food network too! it showed several recipies on how to cook them and what they looked like too! jamie's joy of cooking, love of cooking came thruogh and i was wanting this book from the get go. i have already used a few recipies and loved them!

sincerely,
vicki

This book was recommended to me(by my hairdresser who loves these subjects) because I love the fact that I want to be grounded and find out who I truely am. I found the book very deep with so much information that it was hard(for me) to remember everything,so I decided to read a chapter at a time and discuss it with someone who also read the book, and it helps me to understand it better. I think it would be a good book for high school kids to read to reinforce them on finding out so many things about themselves. I found that I really have to go slow with this book before I am ready to go to the next spiritual book.

A book full of "aha" moments, and once read you can never go back. An inspiring and poignant read.

I've never said this about a book before, but this book changed my life. Beautifully written, every page brimming with wisdom and in insight. I cannot recommend more highly!

This book is a profound insight into changing the way that we think to Be a catalyst for a universal awakening into the eternal. It will either activate the spiritual in you or get your mind to delve deeper into an awareness of the process of thinking. It reinforced my own awakening and bought a peace that indeed life is not random, but organized and intricately designed by the Master. Read and be challenged to see the vision of God, "outside the box!"

If you are thinking about reading this book - then you should - you need to be ready for this book albeit most people just like reading a lot - this book is chalked full of information that you need to be ready to receive.

Good Reading

Jan Simpson

I guess I'm one of the people who get absolutely nothing from this book. I purchased this book with high hopes, but after the first four chapters I couldn't convince myself to keep reading. I don't really get how this book is supposed to be revolutionary or life-changing. It better much rehashes things I've already heard before.. I wouldn't wait my money on this book...Sorry

This is a great book and I highly recomment it. I read it in one day and gave it to my sister-in-law to read. She agrees with me that everybody should read this book.

Nauseating New Age pablum for the porridge-brained. It was a gift from a clueless and flakey acquaintance so I tried to read it but it was just terrible. I'd have never imagined this hokum would lure so many people. I might write one of these and cash in on the trend if I didn't feel so sorry for the types who fall for this psychobabble. But someone has to take their money, I suppose . . .