Eckhart Tolle voted "most spiritually influential person in the world"

In the most recent addition of Kindred Spirit magazine there is an article which claims just that, that Eckhart Tolle has become, according to a recent survey The Most Spiritually Influential Person in the World. I have not read this article but its contents where brought to my attention via another source.

I have read both The Power of Now and a New Earth and found both books life changing. His teachings offer a very simple guide to spiritual enlightenment . He helps us cope with the minds ego, the pain body and leads us to our true inner spiritual Being. He guides us to look within, to our deep radiant Being of joy that resides there and shows us that enlightenment is simply our natural state of felt oneness with Being.

" Enlightenment is a state of connectedness with something immeasurable and indestructible, some thing that , almost paradoxically, is essentially you and yet is much greater than you. It is finding your true nature beyond name and form."

- Eckhart Tolle The Power of Now.

Eckhart shows us enlightenment is not some superhuman achievement that is beyond most people but that it can be obtained by all through breaking attachment to the mind.


I find myself agreeing with this surveys result that he has become the most influential spiritual teacher of our time.

reply to post by Stillness


are u his publisicst?

seems like more of the same give me cash for cliche writings...

reply to post by Stillness


And how many people from India and China or Russia were in that poll?

I can guarantee that more people know/follow Baba Ramdev or Sri Sri Ravi Shankar then that dude you mentioned. India alone has a population of more than a billion, and I am certain majority of that population know who those two I mentioned are, plus millions of others worldwide.

en.wikipedia.org...
en.wikipedia.org...

~~~

The Dalai Lama, the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury must be crying their eyes out.
(Second line: a star for anyone who can come up with a good punchline for "The Dalai Lama, the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury walk into a bar....")

Originally posted by DJW001
(Second line: a star for anyone who can come up with a good punchline for "The Dalai Lama, the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury walk into a bar....")

We have plenty of spirits....?

Really?...Who is he?

Seriously, I've never heard of him before. I'd be willing to bet most of the people I know do not know him, either.

Influential spiritually...what does he believe?

Originally posted by AlreadyGone
Really?...Who is he?

Seriously, I've never heard of him before. I'd be willing to bet most of the people I know do not know him, either.

Influential spiritually...what does he believe?

ANYONE who knows anything about literature, psychology or spirituality will know who he is...

the 2 books mentioned are very famous and held in high regard within the "book" world.


i have read those books, which in my opinion is no mean feat, they are actually very difficult to read, someone not into this subject would find it virtually impossible.
whilst i disagree he is the most spiritually influential person in the world, as mentioned above we have some real spiritual figures out there.. and even if we were to change the word person with the words western author i would personally opt for paulo coelho to top that list.

seems like more of the same give me cash for cliche writings...

you couldnt be more wrong..

"The Dalai Lama, the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury walk into a bar....")

I've read several of his books and I have to agree. His teachings have had
a huge impact on my life as well. Matter of fact I think it's time to reread
The Power of Now.
Both my son and I have given his books as gifts to many of our friends and
I'd highly encourage everyone to check him out.
And no I'm not doing PR for the guy. Just like the OP, I found his books
incredibly helpful in my own life and only want to share the love.

Originally posted by AlreadyGone
Really?...Who is he?

Seriously, I've never heard of him before. I'd be willing to bet most of the people I know do not know him, either.

Ask jim carrey lol

www.youtube.com...

Originally posted by AlreadyGone


Influential spiritually...what does he believe?

He believes the Now is all we have and we should strive to stay completely focused in the Now. Many people spend their lives "mentally" in the past or future which dont really exist, only the Now exists. People who constantly live in the past or future dont then actually really live at all, they are living in their mind. One way of understanding this is to ask yourself what did you ever do in the past or future? The answer is nothing, everything we do is always done in the Now. The minds ego can not survive in the Now so its constantly leading us into the past or future to enable its survival. These false time states are mind created and they cause much suffering.

His teachings are that our true spiritual essence lies beyond mind, that the mind is our greatest obstacle to enlightenment, and that by stilling the mind we find inner peace and joy in pure Being (Source, Creator, God, Consciousness) . It is the identification with the mind (ego) and its shadow that it casts on our life (pain body) that holds mankind back from connection to our true eternal spiritual Self. The mind is seen as the false self and our dissociation from it can lead to spiritual enlightenment.

Meditation is taught as a way to break the minds constant chatter that has become compulsive in mankind. This constant mental noise is preventing us from finding that realm of inner stillness that is also pure Being. He states the mind compulsion we are under also creates a false mind made self that casts a shadow of fear and suffering. This fear and suffering is stopped once the attachment to mind is broken. As Buddha said "enlightenment is the end of suffering" Eckhard states that suffering is caused by the false self, made of mind .

The mind is a tool that when used correctly is wonderful, in modern man the mind has now become his master, a master man is finding harder and harder to switch off and silence.

People will condone and ridicule that which they do not understand Eckhart Tolle is not asking anyone to believe in his teachings he is asking that you find your own truth and live that truth .

I am not surprised that Tolle is very popular now. I have read the Power or Now and LOVED it. I would like to read his other one.

In my life, it's important that I read all I can and learn from many different teachers. (We're all each others' teachers) like Tolle, Deepak Chopra and Anthony DeMello. I've learned a LOT from these three.

Here's the top 100 list: Click for List

I notice that Oprah Winfrey is in the top 10 and I'm not really surprised at this either. Her new network has so many wonderful and enlightening shows. She really is sending a message of love, acceptance and compassion to the world through her network She is a student of Tolle's. .

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
I am not surprised that Tolle is very popular now. I have read the Power or Now and LOVED it. I would like to read his other one.

In my life, it's important that I read all I can and learn from many different teachers. (We're all each others' teachers) like Tolle, Deepak Chopra and Anthony DeMello. I've learned a LOT from these three.

A New Earth focuses on the flowering of the new consciousness that is now awakening in mankind.

It is good to have many teachers of which the ones you list are also excellent bringers of Being. Everyone and everything around us is our teacher including ourself, the trick is learning to listen. Once we realize all is our teacher and how to listen the world becomes very vivid and alive.

Originally posted by Stillness
In the most recent addition of Kindred Spirit magazine there is an article which claims just that, that Eckhart Tolle has become, according to a recent survey The Most Spiritually Influential Person in the World. I have not read this article but its contents where brought to my attention via another source.

edit on 1-10-2011 by Stillness because: spell

Voted? By survey?

Fascinating.

I guess that settles that, then.

I need to have a complete psychotic breakdown too, so that I can become whatever it is that Mr. Tolle has become - allowing, of course, for the possibility that he's not just this century's Sylvia Brown.

To be honest, if I were to embrace Tolle's lack of definition concerning reality and my own lack of unique place within that completely undefinable reality, I'd find his notions to be life-changing as well. Like a bad car accident can be just as life-changing as winning the lottery.

Hey, good for him though. Whatever it takes to be a success in this world. God love him for the impact he's having (or whatever God does for and to people who do what Tolle has been doing). I hope it all works out for him in the end.

Originally posted by orbitbaby
I've read several of his books and I have to agree. His teachings have had
a huge impact on my life as well. Matter of fact I think it's time to reread
The Power of Now.
Both my son and I have given his books as gifts to many of our friends and
I'd highly encourage everyone to check him out.
And no I'm not doing PR for the guy. Just like the OP, I found his books
incredibly helpful in my own life and only want to share the love.

Same here i think i may revisit my copy of The power of now. I will never forgot the first few paragraphs when he talks about feeling suicidal and "not being able to live with me anymore" as if there was another person inside him, when really there was only him, and he had the power to change his feelings.

For me, it sounds as ridiculous as: "Ford make the best vehicles in the world.".

Well, Mr Tolle has some good ideas... and I am not one to poo poo on anybody's parade or beliefs.

However, I am fairly well read...just not in psychology or spirituality... and the majority of people I know are not likewise enlightened. That being said, I would argue that other "spiritual" guides are far more influential than Mr Tolle...

In order to be influenced by an individual, you need to be aware of who they are and what they believe... or at least of the ideas they subscribe to. I would dare say that Billy Graham is as influential as Mr Tolle...or even Anton LeVey... I think that's how you spell his name...of the Church of Satan. There are those that could reasonably argue that Jimmy Buffet is a spiritual guide, the Spirit of Margaritaville...and as such, he would probably be as equally influential.

Even the Book of Ecclessiastes, in the Old Testament, mirrors a lot of the ideas of Mr Tolle.... live for today, enjoy your life and make the most of it, focus on the here and now...the big difference is that there is a future... there is a tommorrow.... there is an eternity in some form or other.

I guess my biggest argument is Mr Tolle is not the most influential person in the world spiritually.

reply to post by AlreadyGone


In rereading the previous posts and explanations of his beliefs, it seems he is taking the long way around the barn to say...get in touch with your innerself, know who you are and what you believe, don't get wrapped up in the things of this world, don't sweat the little things or the big things, always do yoyr best at whatever you are doing, don't be afraid of who you are, live for today but not foolishly.... hmmm, sounds like wisdom from my gran'pa... and he never finished school and never wrote a book... and neither he nor I have ever considered suicide.

What does it mean if you are happy, non suicidal, nonconformist, live for today, and have never heard of Mr Tolle nor his spiritual ideas?

Originally posted by AlreadyGone
What does it mean if you are happy, non suicidal, nonconformist, live for today, and have never heard of Mr Tolle nor his spiritual ideas?

What it means is nothing. No one is claiming that Tolle is the ONLY teacher in the world. As I said before we are ALL each others' teachers. The fact that you are on your path is a credit to YOU and your willingness to do the work we're here to do.

Many public figures have written and spoken about personal spiritual enlightenment and growth. I think the best way to learn is to listen to all and develop my personal beliefs based on what resonates with me (regardless WHO says it) and what I discover about myself on my journey.

Originally posted by AlreadyGone
reply to post by AlreadyGone

 

In rereading the previous posts and explanations of his beliefs, it seems he is taking the long way around the barn to say...get in touch with your innerself, know who you are and what you believe, don't get wrapped up in the things of this world, don't sweat the little things or the big things, always do yoyr best at whatever you are doing, don't be afraid of who you are, live for today but not foolishly.... hmmm, sounds like wisdom from my gran'pa... and he never finished school and never wrote a book... and neither he nor I have ever considered suicide.

What does it mean if you are happy, non suicidal, nonconformist, live for today, and have never heard of Mr Tolle nor his spiritual ideas?

He is indeed saying look inside, instead of putting all your attention and focus on the physical world turn your focus inwards into the spiritual. Man places all his attention outwards to the physical plane that he has forgotten about the spiritual plane. It is there that your true Self resides and not the false self. The way to do this is to silence the mind and focus on the stillness that follows. He also claims to not have anything to give to anybody but to look inwards to discover our own treasure that is always there, we carry it around with us everyday but we are just so unaware of its presence.

In Tolles opinion the single most vital step on our journey towards enlightenment is to disidentify from the mind. Every time we do this and cause a gap in the stream of mind the light of our consciousness grows stronger. This I have also found to be true, by becoming our minds watcher we enable consciousness to grow.