Feature Friday: A New Earth
A New Earth...how can this be summed up? To sum it up would be to rob you of the joy and pleasure...but mostly confusion, were you to read it on your own.
Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now, is (was) back at it again with this guide on how to live on this new earth. This was published in October 2005 so coming up on 14 years now. I remember working at the bookstore when both titles were on the New York Times Bestsellers. I'd always wanted to read it, but you know how it is. There's a time for everything.
In retrospect, I realize its message would've been lost in translation, because I hadn't begun my journey into "spirituality". I'm only quoting this because I'm hesitant to say that I'm spiritual. I'm not sure why. I'll need to think on this a bit.
**update from only few minutes ago: I was reading Oprah's review on her 61st book club selection, and felt like sharing what she wrote about spirituality.
From this perspective, spirituality means paying attention to your life. Specifically, the present moment, the now, because in essence, that's all we ever really have. Nothing is a mistake - everything is a lesson. "What can I learn from this present moment?" is a great starting question to grow your sense of spirituality. Thanks Oprah!
I realized I had a poor definition of spirituality since it's often (incorrectly) linked with religion. They are two separate ideas, with religion conforming to a specific set of text(s), practices, and beliefs, whereas spirituality focuses on the person's (soul's) relationship with the world, namely conflicts and "transcendent questions" (Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose?) one encounters when one realizes they are only a tiny speck in a small universe in an endless cosmic space. We are insignificant in the larger picture. But that doesn't mean our actions and thoughts have zero repercussions. If there's anything to take away from this post or this blog, it's that everything is connected. The sooner you make that connection (tee-hee), the better off you'll be. Trust.
BRIEF SUMMARY
136,774 ratings. 6,689 reviews. Stats from Good Reads.com .
Think of the many other people who've read it and didn't review or leave a rating on this specific site, or gotten their hands on a copy and haven't felt called to read theirs (yet), or know of the title and always wondered with a distant curiosity what the book entailed. Also consider that this book has been translated into other languages, which means the actual number of readers is more than 5 million (the number of copies sold by 2009).
Tolle's guide focuses on the ego and the ways it manipulates our lives - through our thoughts and behaviors, our attitudes, our memories, and the ways we interact with ourselves, and the world around us. People, animals, ideas. Nothing is left unturned.
A New Earth also identifies the ego's counterpart - the pain-body - and offers the reader some advice and strategies for transcending the ego and progressing to a state of consciousness (awareness).
This Q&A succinctly sums up this spiritual guide. If you haven't read it yet, and you've been meaning to due to (insert some excuse here), go ahead and take back your time and start. If you aren't enthralled or feel any kind of way towards it except for contempt, leave the book alone, and come back another time when you're ready. You'll know. Or you won't. It depends entirely on you.
FOR WHOM DOES THIS BOOK RING TRUE?
This book is for anyone interested in the human psyche, behavioral psychology, or spirituality. If you're looking for a sign, if you're wondering if you're going the "right way" or if you've made the "right choice", like me, you're skeptically curious, this one's for you.
Although these ideas are not new, Tolle writes in a deceptively simple, straightforward way. The writing itself is simple, but the messages aren't. Like Peter advises above, try reading without judgement. Without ascribing meaning to the words on the pages. Without needing to have questions answered.
Because you'll have many questions. And they won't be answered. Accept the book for what it is, and be okay with unanswered questions.
 |
| Which way to go? |
Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now, is (was) back at it again with this guide on how to live on this new earth. This was published in October 2005 so coming up on 14 years now. I remember working at the bookstore when both titles were on the New York Times Bestsellers. I'd always wanted to read it, but you know how it is. There's a time for everything.
In retrospect, I realize its message would've been lost in translation, because I hadn't begun my journey into "spirituality". I'm only quoting this because I'm hesitant to say that I'm spiritual. I'm not sure why. I'll need to think on this a bit.
**update from only few minutes ago: I was reading Oprah's review on her 61st book club selection, and felt like sharing what she wrote about spirituality.
 |
| -Oprah's thoughts on Spirituality |
I realized I had a poor definition of spirituality since it's often (incorrectly) linked with religion. They are two separate ideas, with religion conforming to a specific set of text(s), practices, and beliefs, whereas spirituality focuses on the person's (soul's) relationship with the world, namely conflicts and "transcendent questions" (Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose?) one encounters when one realizes they are only a tiny speck in a small universe in an endless cosmic space. We are insignificant in the larger picture. But that doesn't mean our actions and thoughts have zero repercussions. If there's anything to take away from this post or this blog, it's that everything is connected. The sooner you make that connection (tee-hee), the better off you'll be. Trust.
BRIEF SUMMARY
136,774 ratings. 6,689 reviews. Stats from Good Reads.com .
Think of the many other people who've read it and didn't review or leave a rating on this specific site, or gotten their hands on a copy and haven't felt called to read theirs (yet), or know of the title and always wondered with a distant curiosity what the book entailed. Also consider that this book has been translated into other languages, which means the actual number of readers is more than 5 million (the number of copies sold by 2009).
Tolle's guide focuses on the ego and the ways it manipulates our lives - through our thoughts and behaviors, our attitudes, our memories, and the ways we interact with ourselves, and the world around us. People, animals, ideas. Nothing is left unturned.
A New Earth also identifies the ego's counterpart - the pain-body - and offers the reader some advice and strategies for transcending the ego and progressing to a state of consciousness (awareness).
 |
| Tip on how to read A New Earth |
This Q&A succinctly sums up this spiritual guide. If you haven't read it yet, and you've been meaning to due to (insert some excuse here), go ahead and take back your time and start. If you aren't enthralled or feel any kind of way towards it except for contempt, leave the book alone, and come back another time when you're ready. You'll know. Or you won't. It depends entirely on you.
FOR WHOM DOES THIS BOOK RING TRUE?
This book is for anyone interested in the human psyche, behavioral psychology, or spirituality. If you're looking for a sign, if you're wondering if you're going the "right way" or if you've made the "right choice", like me, you're skeptically curious, this one's for you.
Although these ideas are not new, Tolle writes in a deceptively simple, straightforward way. The writing itself is simple, but the messages aren't. Like Peter advises above, try reading without judgement. Without ascribing meaning to the words on the pages. Without needing to have questions answered.
Because you'll have many questions. And they won't be answered. Accept the book for what it is, and be okay with unanswered questions.
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