What time is it? It is now-o'clock. Now is all we have. Now is all that matters. Now is where you'll find your balance. Now is when and where you will find your answers.
This book is about more than the timeless now. It's about being.It's about the distinction between you 'the watcher' and your physical 'pain body'.
One thing I like about Eckhart is that he often reminds the reader that words are just a human device in an effort to communicate ideas or feelings. Sometimes words mean different things to different people. This includes words like, 'God' or 'spirit'. He'll often use words in an unconventional way, so you'll need to keep this in mind as the book progresses. As in the book's subtitle, 'a guide to spiritual enlightenment', the word 'spiritual' likely means something different to Eckhart than it means to many people.
In some reviews of this book, you'll often see the term, 'mumbo jumbo'. For the first chapter or so, this was my first impression - mostly due to my skeptical nature. Eckhart's voice also threw me for a loop. I had never heard him speak before. He narrates the whole audio book. He does sound a bit odd at first, but you get used to it. He speaks slowly like you would expect a spiritual teacher to speak. There's even a audible chime between chapters in the audiobook.
I identify what a lot of what Eckhart says while some passages either I didn't wholly agree with or didn't quite understand. It may deserve another read-through.
He presents a straightforward path to enlightenment. It's not something you need to search for or work a lifetime to achieve. You just need to be. Exist in the now. Be present. Become conscious and avoid being ruled by your thoughts. It's simple and elegant, but I don't know if it's pathway for everyone. It also seems to be a self-centered approach. We all have different life experiences from Eckhart. Many people may be able to identify with him and his thoughts, but many people may not. He does make it sound like this enlightenment is achievable by anyone if you follow his steps. This is part of the reason my score of the book isn't higher. Perhaps I'll find some of the answers in his other works.
I like his sentiment, 'you are not your mind'. Most (if not all) suffering exists in the mind. Separate (or differentiate) from your mind and you can avoid suffering. Your mind is a powerful thing. It can also be a dangerous, self-harming device if you allow it. I agree with Eckhart that you need to treat your mind as a tool. Your mind is part of you, but you aren't your mind. Thoughts often flow like a leaky faucet. Or perhaps a waterfall that you can't stop. If you can't stop the thoughts, weather they are positive or negative, you can at least observe them as an objective third-person.
“I have lived with many Zen masters, all of them cats.” - Eckhart Tolle
Another thing that bothers me about supposed 'zen masters' is that they claim the ability to judge the level of enlightenment of others. While I like the quote above about cats, how does he know cats aren't actually suffering from mental illness? Most cats look content just being, but how do we know?
Eckhart seems like a humble person. He does speak with conviction, which I'm sure a lot of people like. After all how could you believe someone if they don't seem confident in what they are saying? However, there are some claims which I feel are matters of opinion and should not be treated as fact. I would like Eckhart more if he didn't make such bold claims.
With that said, I highly recommend this book to anyone. Read/listen to it with an open mind. Give it a chance. During the first chapter, if you've never heard of E. Tolle before, you may think it's a gimmick. Read a few chapters before making that judgment. Think about what is being said, but don't think too much. As Eckhart explains - don't think, feel. Like anything, you don't need to agree with it all to gain from it. This was time well spent. It forces you into a self-meditation. It's a habit I already had before reading this, but especially after having read it, I recenter myself whenever I feel overwhelmed or flooded with negative thought.
Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eckhart_Tolle
Website: https://www.eckharttolle.com/
