The bestselling writer of The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle, expands on the themes he brought up in his earlier book in A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. In this visionary work, Tolle suggests that humanity is changing, and we can participate in this change to bring about a world that is full of compassion and goodness. At present, people are too involved in their individual thoughts and emotions, identifying with them to a great extent. However, thoughts and emotions are fleeting, and you have to look deeper to figure out who you really are.
Tolle also writes about the "pain body" i.e., the weight of past hurts that people carry around with them, once again believing that this is who they are. We don't have to keep our pain inside; we can let it out and become lighter. Eventually, Tolle brings up the three modalities that will lead us to a better existence: acceptance, enjoyment and enthusiasm. An individual can begin to accept things in his/her life even though they may not be to his/her liking. This is the first stage in awakening, and soon, it will be possible to move on to enjoyment where everything in life becomes pleasant. However, the third and most powerful stage is when you are filled with enthusiasm for everything you do. This is when you've truly awoken to your life's purpose.
Like The Power of Now, A New Earth is an intensely powerful book which will make you think about things that you've never considered. We take it for granted that we are the sum of our experiences, but Tolle shows us that we have far greater depths than we've ever imagined. We are all capable of so much more when we work in conjunction with the universe, and together, we can achieve goals that, at present, seem impossible.
Eckhart Tolle was born Ulrich Leonard Tolle in Germany in 1948. He had an unhappy childhood during which his parents fought a lot and eventually separated. He moved to Spain to live with his father and eventually moved to England where he attended the University of London and earned his Bachelor's. He was granted a scholarship to keep studying, but, at the age of 29, he experienced an epiphany which left him feeling blissful. He lived like a hermit for several years before finally getting engaged in the spiritual life in England. Then, he moved to North America where he met his wife-to-be and wrote his first book. A New Earth was chosen as one of Oprah's picks and has been on the New York Times bestseller list.
"This is not a book...it's a manual for life. I read it again and again, and each time I do, I discover something new about myself and how I view the world around me. It's not easy reading - very deep and profound. I recommend you "study" it rather than pick it up for a light read."
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Vicki (5 out of 5 stars)