A New Earth - Page 3

[MissSJ]

Papayapetunia - the info on labeling struck a chord with me too in a similar way. The night before dh and I were watching something on TV and someone was getting killed and the perpetrator was videotaping (YUCK - I KNOW!), I said to dh - how could someone kill for the thrill of it and want to relive it? We were both a little stumped but now I am pretty sure the "murderer" has attached some label(s) to their victim which dehumanizes them.

Originally Posted by papayapetunia

I just watched Ch. 3. Um, tons of a-ha moments. I liked the talk about overeating and overdrinking being related to the ego's need for more, more, more. I also liked the talk about individual and collective grievances and labeling. It's so true on an individual level that I can label someone an a-hole or something and then they become totally depersonalized to me. And on a collective level, an example I thought of was "terrorist." We have labeled large numbers of people terrorists, and so they are now depersonalized by us. We don't have to think, "How did they become this way?" Even worse, we have depersonalized entire races of people who look like "terrorists," and that's why it's so easy to carry on with our lives while 1 million Iraqi civilians have been killed. And it goes the other way too. The people who committed the 9/11 act had labeled all Americans in a certain way that depersonalized them. And many other different collective groups are perpetrators and victims of labeling: illegal immigrants, blacks, Jewish, Palestinian, etc. Anyway, it has been helpful to me to be able to apply this book to larger situations in the world than just my life. I think that is one of the reasons why it resonates with me so much.

[abandbunk]

This book has really been amazing for me. The toughest part is putting any of it into words though i try to explain it to people and i just sound like a rambling idiot lol, or my ego mind does anyway :P

[jamsmama]

Originally Posted by abandbunk

The toughest part is putting any of it into words though i try to explain it to people and i just sound like a rambling idiot lol, or my ego mind does anyway :P

OMG! I thought this was just me. I think it's because it is our own journey and when it comes to a book like this, the only real way for someone to "get it" is to read it??? kwim? Ok, so did THAT even make sense?

[Igraine]

I am listening to "The Power of Now" which is read by Eckhart. I love his voice!

Have any of you reading "A New Earth" read or listened to "The Power of Now"? I am curious if there is a big difference or if the same themes are there. I will probably read ANE once have completed The Power of Now, it will take me sometime because I am listening to each disk at least three times before I move onto the next one.

subbing...

[TranscendentalMom]

So glad there's a discussion on here. This book is so timely for me. I feel like I've lived my life by spiritual principles but still go thru periods of unhappiness. I also started noticing that many of my friendships develop a feeling of friction after awhile. I knew I had something to do with that but not what. Anyway, this book is really making me analyse myself and how I do operate on the level of the ego more than I'd like to admit...even ironically when the issue at hand is spirituality. I think Tolle does a good job of showing how this can happen in any area of life, even spiritual ones if the ego identifies with it...now it seems so logical - of course the ego loves to feel better than others at any cost and what could be a better way of elevating yourself than by feeling that you understand something other people don't.

Anyway, great book, I'm learning a lot. And Oprah rocks for getting this out there.

[mrsbrunette]

I am loving this book. I watch the web video when I can.

His book reminds me of Taoism philosophy.

[redsfree]

ANE is BLOWING my mind, too! And the webcast is so helpful and moving. Tolle explains everything so clearly and well. I've always been interested in this kind of teaching (Eastern philosophies and such), but I never realized I could incorporate it into my everyday life/moments. I thought I had to go off and meditate in some hut in order to become more enlightened.

I particularly loved the Ch. 4 web class about roles. I was so moved by Jenny McCarthy's guilt question. OMG, yes, all of us mamas feel guilt at some point. I'm always struggling with the balance between my DD, our home, and my free time and often feel guilty about it. And it is SO important to realize that all that negative crazy talk in our heads is just our ego making us feel bad. This awareness is so freeing to me (and I hope you, too!).

And then during the same class, Tolle responded to a mother with the 3 yo. I was blown away by his comment that being present with a DC, especially when he/she is challenging, can be regarded as a spiritual practice. That we as mothers don't need any other spiritual practice, or to be off meditating in some monastery somewhere. WOW!

[redsfree]

[papayapetunia]

I haven't been able to watch the internet sessions for a few weeks! Thanks, Annette, for posting that about being present with your child. As much as I want to glean everything I can from reading ANE, I can't, and it helps when people discuss things that are important to them. That point was an important gem that just clicked an aha! moment for me!

[ebony]

Originally Posted by Igraine

I am listening to "The Power of Now" which is read by Eckhart. I love his voice!

Have any of you reading "A New Earth" read or listened to "The Power of Now"? I am curious if there is a big difference or if the same themes are there. I will probably read ANE once have completed The Power of Now, it will take me sometime because I am listening to each disk at least three times before I move onto the next one.

subbing...

"The Power of Now" was a birthday present to me three years ago and I LOVE IT!!! The teachings in that book have stayed with me and I have returned to it many times.

Having said that, I do feel somewhat "ripped off" by ANE because it's so similar. I (or ego) was really expecting some new insights but found none. Even some of the examples Tolle uses in ANE were also used in Power. I feel that much of it was repetitive and had I known this I wouldn't have spent money on it but oh well.

While I respect all of the wonderful things Oprah does, I'm not really into her but I did try watching the first class because I really love Tolle and I love his demeanor. I got about 30 min into it when I was reminded of why I don't watch Oprah- she just talks too much! I mean she interrupted Tolle every single time I was really getting into what he was saying, and just loving listening to him. I just couldn't do it anymore

IMO, Power is light years more powerful than ANE; maybe because there is more explanation, or maybe because I read it first? I'm not really sure, I just know I resonate more with Power and have recommended it to everyone I know.

[redsfree]

Originally Posted by ebony

"The Power of Now" was a birthday present to me three years ago and I LOVE IT!!! The teachings in that book have stayed with me and I have returned to it many times.

Having said that, I do feel somewhat "ripped off" by ANE because it's so similar. I (or ego) was really expecting some new insights but found none. Even some of the examples Tolle uses in ANE were also used in Power. I feel that much of it was repetitive and had I known this I wouldn't have spent money on it but oh well.

While I respect all of the wonderful things Oprah does, I'm not really into her but I did try watching the first class because I really love Tolle and I love his demeanor. I got about 30 min into it when I was reminded of why I don't watch Oprah- she just talks too much! I mean she interrupted Tolle every single time I was really getting into what he was saying, and just loving listening to him. I just couldn't do it anymore

IMO, Power is light years more powerful than ANE; maybe because there is more explanation, or maybe because I read it first? I'm not really sure, I just know I resonate more with Power and have recommended it to everyone I know.

Yeah, I hear you about Oprah. On one hand, I love her for bringing these teachings (and other soulful subjects) to the attention of millions of people. But on the other hand, she is always interrupting her guests, or struggling with her ego, which irritates my ego. Anyway, while watching the webcast, I've tried to focus on Tolle and his reaction to Oprah. He seems so present and chill about her interruptions, so I think that has helped me. It does seem though that as the webcast goes on, Oprah talks more and more, like she's the teacher. I guess she's gaining confidence in her understanding, or at least that's my ego's interpretation of her incessant chatter.

Ebony, should I not bother with PON since I started with ANE?

[ebony]

Originally Posted by redsfree

Yeah, I hear you about Oprah. On one hand, I love her for bringing these teachings (and other soulful subjects) to the attention of millions of people. But on the other hand, she is always interrupting her guests, or struggling with her ego, which irritates my ego. Anyway, while watching the webcast, I've tried to focus on Tolle and his reaction to Oprah. He seems so present and chill about her interruptions, so I think that has helped me. It does seem though that as the webcast goes on, Oprah talks more and more, like she's the teacher. I guess she's gaining confidence in her understanding, or at least that's my ego's interpretation of her incessant chatter.

Ebony, should I not bother with PON since I started with ANE?

Yes, I love how Tolle just looks at her with compassion and this, "Oh, little grasshopper" expression. Kudos to those of you whose egos can deal with the chatter

I say read Power! I loved it! ANE almost had no impact on me. Power is, well, powerful: lol I also think it depends on what you're looking for. I wanted some really concrete processes to do to deal with an awful transition in my life and Power gave me that. I really think the technique staved off a psychotic episode for me. Maybe if I hadn't read Power, ANE would've been powerful but it just wasn't for me. The beginning of my awakening came with Power.

[redsfree]

Originally Posted by ebony

Yes, I love how Tolle just looks at her with compassion and this, "Oh, little grasshopper" expression. Kudos to those of you whose egos can deal with the chatter

I say read Power! I loved it! ANE almost had no impact on me. Power is, well, powerful: lol I also think it depends on what you're looking for. I wanted some really concrete processes to do to deal with an awful transition in my life and Power gave me that. I really think the technique staved off a psychotic episode for me. Maybe if I hadn't read Power, ANE would've been powerful but it just wasn't for me. The beginning of my awakening came with Power.

Yeah, Tolle ROCKS! Even if he doesn't want to be a guru, it's difficult not to admire him, you know?

Thanks, I will check out TPON for sure. The first time I heard Tolle, he was discussing TPON, and I immediately took to the teachings. ANE has definitely had a powerful effect on me, but I have no doubt that TPON would just continue with the A-HAs. Or it will at least pound some of the teachings into my soul hopefully.

[redsfree]

Originally Posted by papayapetunia

I haven't been able to watch the internet sessions for a few weeks! Thanks, Annette, for posting that about being present with your child. As much as I want to glean everything I can from reading ANE, I can't, and it helps when people discuss things that are important to them. That point was an important gem that just clicked an aha! moment for me!

Papayapetunia--or anyone else who wishes to share--what in ANE (or TPON) has struck a cord for you? That is, what's caused your A-HA moments?

Tolle's discussion of acceptance has also been very moving to me. I wrote the following down from a webcast...

The basis for your life is the present moment. The very basis for everything is to come to an acceptance of this moment as it is. If there’s dissatisfaction, that is not a good place, not a good starting point for changing your life. The ego may tell you that but it isn't. You need to find a place of acceptance. Acceptance of what is first. Then action comes out of the acceptance. It no longer comes out of resistance.

WOW!

[anitaj71]

I am listening to the webcasts on XM satellite radio. Loving it! On another note I have a good friend who is a christian and she sent me an e-mail from a religious organisation 'denouncing' Oprah saying she is starting a new, 'new age' religion and showing clips from the webcasts and her shows completely out of context. I didn't respond. New age Religion? :

I'm telling my ego to shut up and let it go. . . .

[ebony]

Originally Posted by anitaj71

I am listening to the webcasts on XM satellite radio. Loving it! On another note I have a good friend who is a christian and she sent me an e-mail from a religious organisation 'denouncing' Oprah saying she is starting a new, 'new age' religion and showing clips from the webcasts and her shows completely out of context. I didn't respond. New age Religion? :

I'm telling my ego to shut up and let it go. . . .

Have you seen those Mad TV skits where Oprah basically has a cult? And I can totally see that when I see her say stuff like, "Oooooooooh, we like this, don't we audience? DON'T WE AUDIENCE!?" And on Mad TV there's one woman in the audience who dares to disagree with her and Oprah's head starts to spin like in "The Exorcist."