Eckhart Tolle: Essential Teachings

In this podcast, Eckhart talks briefly about what he calls the beingness behind our five senses which lead to the deeper essence of who we are. Eckhart then answers a question about forgiveness. He says until we are strongly connected to our deeper self, all of us will act out unconscious patterns that cause suffering. Eckhart says eventually we wake up and ask, “How could I have done that?” He says recognizing our unconsciousness is forgiveness. He believes once we realize we can make amends to those we’ve hurt and learn to forgive our unconsciousness, we understand that we didn’t have the awareness to make a different choice at the time.

In this podcast, Eckhart answers a question about overcoming suffering and finding happiness. Eckhart says the world is not here to make us happy, it's here to make us conscious. He says the beginning of awakening is the end of suffering. We are liberated from the demand that anything should make us happy. Eckhart explains the world does not have the power to make us happy. But it is a wonderful catalyst to help us awaken.

Eckhart begins this episode discussing the purpose of suffering. He says suffering is the great awakener, that cracks the shell of the ego. He believes through the crack something beautiful and profound emerges. Eckhart describes it as our true essence. He says as we become familiar with this deeper dimension, we discover the very same “beingness” exists in others. He says recognizing the essence of who we are in everyone, is just one of the joys of spiritual awakening.

In this podcast, Eckhart gives a brief talk about the difference between being versus becoming. He says when we focus on becoming, we look to the future for our fulfillment. We lose sight of our being which is connected to the now. Eckhart then answers a question about the need to be right and winning an argument at all costs. He explains as we grow in presence the drive to be right diminishes. The ego loosens its grip, and we discover we might even be willing to admit we’re wrong. He says that is a sure sign of spiritual growth.

In this podcast, Eckhart answers questions about addiction and facing illness consciously. Eckhart speaks with a woman who had cancer fears its return and the possibility of an early death. While difficult, Eckhart encourages her to practice presence by staying in the moment because he explains then there is less opportunity to play out scenarios where death seems imminent. He urges her to release the mental gymnastics that plague all of us. He says it’s imperative that we work with life’s challenges and allow them to push us into awakening.

In this podcast, Eckhart encourages participants to start with a moment of stillness. He says through quiet and calm we get in touch with that part of ourselves Eckhart calls “The Deep I.”  Eckhart believes that by reaching beyond our personality and our physical bodies we will discover a deeper dimension to who we are. He says it’s here where we transcend the old inner narratives to find liberation from ourselves. 

Eckhart, a spiritual teacher and author, discusses how grief is experienced by awakened individuals, emphasizing that even in touch with the transcendent dimension, grief does not disappear completely. He believes facing death is crucial for consciousness evolution, leading to expanded awareness. The podcast explores the essence of spirituality, self-awareness through stillness, transcending concepts through nature, navigating grief, and the themes of eternal life and the deathless realm.

In this episode, Eckhart answers questions about why it’s important to seek awakening and how we can learn to function in a world that seems chaotic. Eckhart says we must learn to awaken to free ourselves of suffering. It is part of our legacy to realize a sense of peaceful aliveness that is independent of our external circumstances. He believes when challenges arise, we shouldn’t spiral into unconscious reactivity. He says that only amplifies the problem. Instead, Eckhart suggests we should release our ego and move towards transcendence.

In this podcast, Eckhart talks with a live audience in Greece. He cautions participants against the belief that enlightenment is somewhere ‘out there’ or is something to be achieved in the distant future. He says we don’t have to go through a long process of ‘becoming’ to find liberation. Eckhart explains the irony is that when we look to the future, we miss the opportunity to find freedom right here in the present moment. He urges all of us to wake up and to realize we already are who we want to become. 

In this episode, Eckhart reflects on the power of presence and the accompanying state of stillness. He says it’s in those moments when we’re not thinking that we experience pure awareness. He then answers questions about what presence is not. He says it is not about monitoring our inner state or exercising control over our thoughts or feelings. Eckhart also explains it’s possible to be fully awakened and still enjoy the things of this world.