Eckhart Tolle showed me a new way of experiencing the world. I read his book New Earth at 29 years old, while I was in the hospital undergoing leukemia treatments. My life has never been the same.
Some changes were immediate: more conscious awareness, an attraction to mindfulness practices, increased curiosity about consciousness, ego, & presence. Many more changes were planted like seeds, sprouting & growing over time. I believe my spiritual awakening dawned during my leukemia treatments, & Eckhart Tolle was a major catalyst in that process.
The main lesson I take from Echkart is that at any time, no matter the circumstances, we always have the power to connect with the present moment, with the unfolding now. It seems obvious, almost frivolous. And yet I wonder whether there's a wiser teaching.
The notion of unconditional love can seem so grand & impossible. What if the root of unconditional love is an unconditional willingness to be present here & now, to fully & immediately engage the unfolding moment? What if love is our true nature, our inherent wellspring, & engaging the present moment is like opening the faucet & letting it flow?
Eckhart's words opened my heart & mind to this liberating outlook on life, & I'm forever grateful.
