Rating: 
Summary: Unfortunately, you won't find the truth here
Review: Eckhart, like others, states that problems are "mind-made". This reminds me of the theory that there is no such thing as good and evil. He claims that problems are "only situations to be dealt with now, or to be left alone and accepted as part of the isness of the present moment until they change or can be dealt with". I thought the truth would be easier to understand."...You cannot fight the pain-body. Trying to do so would create inner conflict and thus further pain. Watching it is enough". In other words, if a criminal breaks into your house with the intention of harming you, don't fight him, this would create conflict, just watch him harm you because "you cannot fight the darkness". Even though he managed to 'reach enlightenment' shortly after suffering from anxiety and suicidal depression, he somehow still believes that we cannot fight the darkness. He later states that 'the way of the cross' is the old way to enlightenment. Isn't the way to enlightenment the same for everyone? If Eckhart believed in equality and fairness, he would also believe that there is only one way to enlightenment. Besides, if Eckhart really has reached enlightenment, why is he still alive? Surely there would be no reason to have a physical body once having reached enlightenment. The book's main message is: practice 'awareness'. Though an important practice, there is no need to write a whole book on it. Awareness can be taught in one short sentence: Be aware of your surroundings, what you are doing, and the information from your five senses. Arnold Krumm-Heller, Helene Petrovna Blavatsky and Samael Aun Weor's books sound a little closer to the truth to me. Any particular book? I'd recommend Revolutionary Psychology by Samael...
Rating: 
Summary: A few more things....
Review: Aloha,I apologize for not getting this in one post!Eckhart states essentially that the mind is always causing problems, is always tricking you, and that the heart and body are always telling you the truth. This is a very odd distinction to make given that the mind, heart and body are one entity. And in that oneness, each element has its share of truth and falseness. It's unbalanced to soley focus on the mind as the villian.Also, Tolle states that in the years to come many women are going to experience full enlightenment during their menstration period. That whole section really left me scratching my head. In essence, if you follow his reasoning, gay women who are having their period have the greatest potential for enlightenment. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with being a gay women having their period. Yet Tolle's reasoning about how this relates to one's potential for spiritual advancement is nothing short of very, very, very bizarre. The cover of the book contains a quote of endorsement by Deepak Chopra, one of the most prominent and blatant charlatans of the past century. Chopra passes himself off as a spiritual teacher, when in truth he is simply an editor of eastern esoteric texts. He reads them, and then reduces it down to a reader's digest version for a western audience. There's no great insight of his own. On top of that, Chopra then has turned these cliff notes of eastern mysticism into a multi-million dollar greedy business which seeks to take advantage of the spiritual vacumn found in the west. While such capitalism may be the American way, one certainly must question the sanctity of such a greedy movement as it relates to the spiritual. Shouldn't we expect more out of spiritual leaders?Also, there are numerous reports on the web about the blatant abuses by Chopra towards his staff written by ex staff members.The point being, why has Tolle featured Chopra on the cover of his book? Why feature an example of what a spiritual teacher should not become? Just to sell more copies of "The Power of Now"? One can only hope that Eckhart doesn't succomb to the greed that has toppled so many spiritual teachers. One can only hope.Ok, enough for now......
Rating: 
Summary: Make the most of the present moment
Review: Eckhardt Tolle discusses the value of staying in the present moment in a gentle, soulful and helpful manner. No-one can deny the importance of being fully present! I found this book interesting and recommend you read it along with Optimal Thinking: How to Be Your Best Self. You will know how to be your best in the present moment and throughout your life when you read these books.
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Summary: My Amazing 4 years with Eckhart Tolle
Review: I was lucky enough to find this book in it's first month of print from a friend in Canada. What a journey! I have seen this (yes) "enlightened," "self-realized" man many times and listened to his tapes over and over without ever tiring of them. I have heard many people, from all religious and spiritual persuasions say "it's the purest essence of what we believe." Don't let it's simplicity fool you..it is NOT "new age palaver." It's depth is profound and I learn something new everytime I listen to the book on tape, because something new has opened up within me that allows me to hear it for the first time.
I would like to comment first hand on some of the things people have said in their reviews. No, Eckhart does not live in a mansion. He lives in a small apartment in Vancouver. He has worn the same two jackets, slacks and sweaters every time I've seen him for the past four years. He is brilliant, his message is unerringly consistent, as is his compassion, humor and understanding. His love is palable. His bearing is holy. He teaches in at least three maybe four languages but you don't need to even understand what he is saying to feel his amazing presence. But, most importantly, don't be concerned with his human form, behavior or what he does outside of teaching. It doesn't matter. His state is your state, not yet realized. His simple, beautiful teaching can take you there.
My life is transformed, my suffering greatly diminished because of his "practices." I can looking past the suffering of the world and see that all IS well in this divine game called life. Let this become YOUR experience too.
Rating:
Summary: Rise above being present
Review: I was not excited by this book because I learned about witnessing emotions and thoughts (instead of letting them controlled me)30 years ago. Tolle recommends being present which is also nothing new. If you are really interested in experiencing your best self and making the most of your life, read Optimal Thinking, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. They give you down-to-earth tools and take you above touchy feeling mumbo jumbo.
Rating:
Summary: A spiritual Gem--Filled with depth and perception!
Review: I don't know where to begin with this book. I will start by saying that one of the many things that makes the Power of Now a gem of a book is how Tolle has taken the core of ancient wisdom and churned out a real masterpiece without very mystical or religious concepts.
This is definately a book for someone who is into self realization..IT IS NOT A POP PSYCHOLOGY BOOK OR A NEW AGE BOOK as some in the negative reviews have claimed. That is the problem with being on a best seller list like Tolle now is, the book is being read by people who normally wouldn't read something like this and "give it a shot cause it's kind of popular now" and are faced with talk on "Ego, trancending mind chatter, enlightenment, how the past/future are only mental creations etc." This is a book for people who are willing to take a moment to understand the premise...your true nature is beyond body, mind identification/constructs. Not in a very mystical way-in very natural way, one can even say a scientific way, the science of all religions before they became organized religions--the message of true self realization.
Of course the book takes a certain EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE. We hear over and over that we are all ONE and that our true nature is beyond the body but how many of us truly get that in an experiental no nonsense way? Very few. The Power of Now's core teachings are a deep inner path not a quick-pop book.
In conclusion, Tolle has a great ability to communicate with very deep perception and the book is nothing short of brilliant.
The premise is--Suffering is due to the mind made self, the Present helps one transend the false self. Once transended...the discovery of Timeless NOW free of mental anguish...Sorry to sound weird.
Please read this book with patience and keep a Zen like mindset to get into the tone.
Rating:
Summary: The power of words
Review: Tolle's words bridge the gap between reality and illusion by explaining that it's the "now" which forms the basis of our spiritual self. Excellent read. And if you're in the mood for another thought-provoking book, then I'd recommend I Wish I Never Told My Father I Didn't Like Cheesecake, by Simon Waters, M.D. Incredible tale of love and inspiration.
Rating:
Summary: Powerfully packaged concept; cult guru in the making?
Review: This is indeed a good book, making an established spiritual concept easily digestable. It will surely help some people to feel better and take on a new perspective, at least for awhile, and that is a good thing. It will be interesting to see if this best seller begins to corrupt the teacher and his organization. Typically, the following herd becomes more and more worshipful, as the pedestal that the teacher sits on gets higher and higher. Already the web site speaks to more distance between Mr. Tolle and his corresponders and the "enlightened one's" every interest is examined. While those are certainly cynical thoughts, I have seen it happen too many times. The true measure of the veracity of one's teachings is weather or not one's enlightenment story REALLY happened. If it didn't, the teachings should be taken at another level, as words for guidance, and a way to salve the author's ego and wallet, but not as ultimate truth.
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Summary: Did I Miss Something?
Review: This refers to the audiocassette recording of "The Power of Now". This review is in the way of an open letter to Mr. Eckhart Tolle. I have many thoughts about your work The Power of Now - wait... bad start - shouldn't I be in a thought-free and ego less state of being in order to produce a worthy comment that reflects truth in all its untarnished glory. Let me try again. I instinctively "know" that the thesis that you present in your book is as "right as rain" or at least as right as that limited mind orientated concept can express. (Life gets complicated in the realms of the "Now and Not Now".) I also feel that your simply and direct presentation of Eastern esoteric philosophy is brilliant and moreover that you yourself must be an enlighten being and if not, then you ought to be. Forgive the cynicism but that is the result of the discomfort that this imperfect comprehension of mine felt at the close of your work. You see, this precarious mind of mine is all I have and it was God given. Insane, unconscious or destructive as you claim it might be, apart from some intuitive something that's going on in my personal universe, it's all that I have. As good as you are at representing the case for the sublime entity; apart from one passing mention of "lila" - the divine drama, you seem to overlook the fact that it was the good Lord himself who created humanity and then placed it well and truly in the mud of time/space and physicality. Did I miss something? I'm not blaming you personally for what appears to this defective consciousness as faults in cosmic design, my problem is with the creator himself - which probably comes down to the same thing. Why, oh why Mr. Tolle, why all the suffering - why the fear, why create deluded and imperfect creatures in the first place whose pain is very real. "A divine game" is that the best that you can come up with. Excuse me, what is divine about suffering and what kind of sick game is it where humanity can only achieve redemption by an act, which according to the best of its understanding is clearly suicidal. Maybe Saramago's Jesus had a point when he beseeched humanity to forgive God, as he didn't know what he was doing. Once again, forgive the cynicism if I say that this is not a judgement; humanities pain and discomfort is a God inflicted fact. And when I am most aware of the limitations of my intellect and my ego frailties and have a glimpse of something beyond, it terrifies me that the only explanation in the offering is that the whole of creation is nothing more than an act of cosmic masturbation. And yes, I would recommend this work, as I instinctively feel it is brilliant.
Rating:
Summary: The Power of Now
Review: In reading this book, I felt as though there is only way to achieve more conscienceness...getting your mind out of the way. And there was only one goal...being. There was no getting there or journey. There was no exploring, just the goal, no path. I think life is all about the trip, not the ultimate destination, and I think this book is all about the destination. This is too much 0 to 100 in ten seconds. I think Judith Wright's book, There Must Be More Than This considers that the reader is on a journey to conscienceness and writes with that in mind. I liked her book better.
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