Rating: 
Summary: Required Reading!!!
Review: BEFORE ANY REVIEW ON MY PART I MUST SAY..IF YOU ARE EVEN CONTEMPLATING GETTING THIS BOOK...DON'T THINK ANOTHER THOUGHT..GET IT.
I bought this book on CD after it picked me (I reluctantly agreed). Never before have I encountered any information base that has made such a profound transformation in my ability to experience daily joy. I want to shout it from the roof tops. I want everyone to know how simple it is to come alive and shed the constant negative self talk (what an enormous waste of energy). If this were taught to children early on it might just save our species from self destruction. I listen to my cd's daily and wish I could convince everyone I meet to experience the power of this information. It truly breaks down all complications into an almost stupid simple relief. This is knowledge we have flowing within that is easy to recognize if given our full attention. ECKHART TOLLE HAS ACCEPTED THE CALL OF THE POWERFUL SPIRIT OF UNIVERSAL LOVE (GOD) TO HELP TIP THE SCALES AND PULL THE WHOLE OF THE HUMAN RACE OUT OF THE DEPTHS OF SEPARATENESS AND ALL THAT THAT IMPLIES. THANK GOD!
Rating:
Summary: A Gate for Internal and External CHANGE
Review: Eckard Tolle takes several tenets from universal philosophy, which can be found in different religions, but specially in buddhism. If you are kind of analytical person that would like to know step by step the process of how to liberate our minds, find inner peace, and feel 100% responsible of our lifes this is an excelent option. It is not an easy book, it might require time and previous self introspection. It will definetely require from us an unbearable life or thoughts which will be the driving force to get out of our hole and learn little by little how to live in a happier way. Let things happen the way they do is the "magic phrase" of the book, but the arguments that support it are what is meritorious of this book. Excelent book ... After reading it I could breathe that humanity is evolving, out there are numerous books with this topic, with a different approach of course, but this shows evidence that humans, we are looking for the next step in trascendence besides this pragmatic life.
Rating: 
Summary: I hate to love this book but love to hate it.
Review: When the love and hate disappear, maybe I'll understand it. Beware of this book people. Tolle didn't "become enlightened" by following his own method. His methods, if followed seriously, may, nay, probably will, drive you insane.
Rating: 
Summary: Definitely worthwhile
Review: I learned a lot of wise advice from this book. Overall it is well-written, although I disliked the question-answer format. I'd prefer a regular format, followed by question-answer sections in each chapter. I've never been exposed to such an emphasis on being in the moment. I have read up on Eastern wisdom, but have never experienced the point of being in the moment emphasized as vehemently as in this book. In particular, the following idea resonated with me, a paraphrased epitome of the entire book: anything we've ever experienced, or will experience, will happen in the now - therefore, resolve to live in the now, instead of the the imaginary abstractions of past and future. There were however a few sections where Tolle seems full of it- especially sections where he restates a profound idea (obtained from elsewhere) without sufficient references to the source. His casual references to saints and prophets was also annoying. I objected to these, since it sounded like he perceived the sources to be his peers. I prefer him to only focus on his concepts and stop sounding like he conceived the ideas, many of which he must've learned in traditional Eastern texts, without providing references.
Rating:
Summary: I liked it! It's been helpful on a practical level
Review: I enjoyed reading this book. It is basically a "how to" on living in the present moment, a practice which most of the world's religions would approve of. I am not a student of either Hinduism or Bhuddism (although I do plan to read the Bhagvad Ghita this year) but I think that Tolle has been deeply affected by both approaches. But he also has been influenced by A COURSE IN MIRACLES and by Christianity. I feel that the strength of his work is that he has drawn some principles on which most of these religions would agree. Although I'm not sure I see eye to eye with his overall view of God, there is a lot of good, practical wisdom on how to live in the now. One of the frustrations of my childhood was that I was always told to "trust" and to "believe" but was never told HOW to do it. Perhaps everyone needs to learn it for themselves -- but I found the ideas put forth by Eckhart Tolle to be very helpful. And as a natural born worry wart, I've found that his book gave a lot of helpful ideas. He cautions us not to put our identity in our minds -- thus trying to make the mind do for us what it was never intended to do. He encourages to be "silent watchers" of the our thoughts and behavior, and to stop investing the mind with "selfness." He also encourages us to connect with our "inner body" and to use the body as another way to connect to the "now." This of course just scratches the surface of what Tolle teaches. It is a valuable work that will help you improve your relationship to yourself and to others.
Rating: 
Summary: The quicker we can grow out of this the better
Review: This is an important book, because it scoops the cream of the crop of present spiritual insights. But Tolle sounds too much like 'Mr Logic', as he describes spiritual insights in such a clinical and detached manner, he seems to miss the essence of what it means to be human in the first place. At times, it's like reading a book by Bicentennial Man. Tolle might have sat on his park bench too long, and theorised about how spirituality should idealistically be adopted in the real world, whilst not really engaging with the real world enough. (Okay, so from the an "enlightened" point of view, this ISN'T the "real world", but come on, let's get with it. Let start ENJOYING the drama!) The chapter on enlightened relationships just made me cringe. (Poor woman!!) Anyway, it's all good stuff overall, and we know that Tolle has his ladder against the right wall. From a certain point of view, I thought that Tolle's writing was somewhat immature. There's plenty of room for growth, however, which is Good News. Organised religion is the way forward. This Buddhist stuff is getting boring. COME JC, COME!!!
Rating:
Summary: Lacks Depth -- Hippy-Dippy Wisdom
Review: I agree with the user who wrote the following: "When you claim well documented prior spiritual thoughts to be your own it only diminishes your credibility. I wish Tolle provided appropriate references - such as the Upanishads, the Gita, the Kashmir Shaivism, the Dhammapada and the Vigyana Bhairava Tantra. Enlightenment means complete dissolution of the ego -not the refinement of it -- so when I see Tolle trying to pass this stuff as his own - it just takes away of his claim of being enlightened. Tolle regurgitates in verbally articulate manner spiritual gossip or as another reviewer put it a rather funny manner superficial "Hippy-Dippy wisdom". " Ultimately there are many religions but spirituality is only one and the essence of it is documented in the Upanishads.
Rating:
Summary: Lacks depth -- "Hippy-Dippy Wisdom" :)
Review: I agree with the user who wrote the following and i take the liberty to quote: "When you claim well documented prior spiritual thoughts to be your own it only diminishes your credibility. I wish Tolle provided appropriate references - such as the Upanishads, the Gita, the Kashmir Shaivism, the Dhammapada and the Vigyana Bhairava Tantra. Enlightenment means complete dissolution of the ego -not the refinement of it -- so when I see Tolle trying to pass this stuff as his own - it just takes away of his claim of being enlightened. Tolle regurgitates in verbally articulate manner spiritual gossip or as another reviewer put it a rather funny manner superficial "Hippy-Dippy wisdom". " Ultimately there are many religions but spirituality is only one and the essence of it is documented in the Upanishads.
Rating:
Summary: A Nondual Sage for the Postmodern West...
Review: Eckhart Tolle is enlightened. No, he can't shoot fireballs out of his arse or rise from the dead (as far as I know). But he's got the secret- and the secret is awareness. "The Power of Now" repackages traditional spiritual teachings in a format that even a skeptic can digest without too much discomfort. Essentially, Tolle's entire message boils down to this- all of our major problems are caused by our lack of awareness and attention. By keeping ourselves focused on the present and upon our body, rather than projecting into time with our mind, we can overcome our conflicts and create a saner world for ourselves and others. Tolle isn't a fluffy "white-lighter", however. He's painfully aware of how sick and insane humanity is, and doesn't appear to have any illusions of how hard a task the one he presents is. He simply presents an honest glimpse at the true nature of reality, in a manner that the Buddha, Bodhidharma, and Ramana Maharshi would certainly agree with. At the very least, Tolle has written one of the clearest guides to overcoming depression and existential angst ever written. I can't recommend it enough- The Power of Now is a book that anyone should read. It can only help.
Rating:
Summary: The Passing Parade
Review: In practical terms life is like a passing parade and we are all children fascinated by the pomp and ceremony of the unfolding drama. Some of us get caught up in what has already passed us by and cannot see what should be plainly visible before our eyes. Others anticipate the coming events and miss the actual parade entirely. Mr Tolle says simply enjoy the parade as it proceeds, not as it was or as it will be. (...) A few critics claim he does not reference great books of the past or that his ideas are old stuff being rehashed. What they do not seem to understand is that they are not the only parade watchers. The part of the parade they have seen might be old to them but it is new to others and has not even begun for some. The entire parade is always unfolding "Now" even though each spectator sees it from his or her own particular viewpoint. Truth, wisdom, realizations and revelations, no matter where or when they first appeared are never old in themselves. They only seem old when the time bound mind looks back, and they are of no value whatsoever unless and until they are brought up to the Now and experienced in the Now. The ancient truths explained in "The Power of Now" are as new today as they have ever been or will ever be. Mr. Tolle presents them in plain and simple terms, easily understood by those with eyes to see and/or ears to hear. Events in the parade of life pass by us continuously. Some disappear into yesterday and seem to be lost in time. Others, frolicking in the playground of the wandering mind, called imagination, may appear to be coming tomorrow. But the actual parade, your own Parade of Life, mine, and Mr. Tolle's is unfolding now. Once we realize that time does not exist in the past or future we can experience the joy of our passing parade as it unfolds infinitely and eternally. Life is the only real event that is happening, and it is happening now. Mr. Tolle explains this in a most excellent way. The Power of Now cannot change your life. Nothing can alter perfection. But it can change your life situations if you let it. The book is excellent.
| 
