Eckhart Tolle: Essential Teachings

This episode is a re-release; it originally aired December 22, 2022. In this podcast Eckhart discusses the path to awakening. He encourages listeners to detach from the mind, instead of being the mind. He says most of us get so enmeshed in our thinking we mistake it for reality. He also believes the mind tells us we need a long list of criteria to advance spiritually. But Eckhart says enlightenment is not something we attain in the future – in truth, full consciousness is closer than we think. We can break through our thinking to awaken, right here, right now.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired December 15, 2022. 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.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired December 8, 2022. 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.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired December 1, 2022. 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.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired November 24, 2022. 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.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired November 17, 2022.  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.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired November 10, 2022. 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.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired November 3, 2022. In this podcast Eckhart answers questions about dealing with grief consciously. He asks what does the grief process look like for an awakened person? Do we experience the classic stages of denial, anger and bargaining? Eckhart says even if we’re in touch with the transcendent dimension, we will still experience grief, it doesn’t disappear completely. He believes, however, the intensity will be less. Eckhart explains that facing the possibility of death is vital because it is the catalyst for the evolution of our consciousness and without that experience, there would be no expansion of our awareness.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired October 27, 2022. 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.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired October 20, 2022. 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.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired October 13, 2022. 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.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired October 6, 2022. In this podcast, Eckhart answers questions about the aphorism “be careful what you wish for.” He says when we attempt to manifest certain desires in our lives, it’s critical we discern whether the motivation is ego-driven or something more profound. Eckhart encourages everyone to be who they are at the deepest level. He says anything we achieve on the horizontal plane will also have a downside. Therefore, he encourages us to not get too attached to outcomes. He says as we reach a state of deeper consciousness, we learn to transcend the polarities of good or bad and we simply align ourselves with what is.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired September 29, 2022. In this podcast Eckhart talks with a live audience in Greece. He kicks off the session discussing the spiritual wisdom of ancient Greek philosophers. Among the most renowned was Socrates who humbly said, “I am the only one who knows that he knows nothing.” Eckhart believes Socrates meant that he was comfortable with the state of not knowing and the pure awareness connected to deep insight.

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired September 22, 2022. In this episode, Eckhart answers questions about conscious manifesting. He says it is part of our heritage that we have abundance in our lives. Eckhart describes it as what he calls “the fullness of life.” He believes the source for fullness is the vast underlying consciousness that is the foundation for everything which he calls “the being dimension.”

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This episode is a re-release; it originally aired September 15, 2022. In this podcast, Eckhart answers questions about the process of awakening and how to create more abundance in our lives. Eckhart says when we desire something we believe that we already have it. He says consciousness is the source from which everything flows. Eckhart reminds us that while we may want or need many things, we do not need certain outcomes for our fulfillment. He explains that on the inner plane we are already complete and have everything we need.

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Originally aired September 8, 2022. In this podcast Eckhart talks with a live audience. He encourages participants to release their thinking so they can become aware of their “being.” He says most of us have a mistaken sense of identity based on what we think about ourselves, but that’s not who we really are. Eckhart goes on to quote Jesus who famously said, “You are the light of the world.” Eckhart believes what he meant is that we are all are the light of consciousness and that is our true identity and the source of our deepest essence.

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Originally aired September 1, 2022. In this episode Eckhart answers questions about transcending our limitations. He says every human has certain obstacles in their life and facing them is part of the path to awakening. However, Eckhart warns that problems arise when our limitations become part of our identity. He believes we create a false narrative about who we think we are. Eckhart says while it’s important to surrender and accept what is, we do not confuse deeper acceptance with acceptance of the narrow concept we mistake for ourselves. Eckhart says we reach transcendence by letting go of those concepts. He believes we should embrace the “is-ness” of this moment and through that transform into the realm of spacious awareness.

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Originally aired August 25, 2022. In this podcast Eckhart answers questions on several topics including how to differentiate between a true creative impulse and the ego. Eckhart refers to his own experience of writing The Power of Now. While living in England, he says he felt called to move to Canada. He says he had to discern if the impulse was coming from a deeper place or just a passing whim. He also cautions against listening to the mind and its toxic narrative. After waiting several months, Eckhart realized the feeling was not fleeting but solid intuition. He eventually made the move, and his writing began to flow.

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Originally aired August 18, 2022. In this episode Eckhart answers questions about suffering as part of the human condition. He says many spiritual traditions focus on awakening as the end of suffering. Paradoxically, Eckhart says we need to go through a certain amount of suffering to realize we don’t want it anymore. He says oftentimes our suffering is caused not by our life situation, but our reaction to it. He believes much of our pain is generated by the mind and its toxic narrative. Eckhart says we can move beyond suffering by embracing life’s challenges. He says they are a doorway into the transcendent realm and that when we step into the light of consciousness, we are free from suffering at last.

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Originally aired August 11, 2022. In this podcast Eckhart answers questions about healing from childhood trauma. He says it’s important to acknowledge the trauma and to work through it, but not to get stuck in it. He believes while we may feel like a victim it is not ultimately who we are. Eckhart shares stories about his own childhood trauma. He explains that his father had intense anger issues and abandoned Eckhart and his mother when he was just eleven years old. As an adult Eckhart later realized that his father had been traumatized by his own childhood. He says dysfunctional family patterns are handed down generation after generation. He says healing happens when we break the cycle and that by practicing presence, we realize we are more than all the painful things we’ve experienced.

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Originally aired August 4, 2022. In this episode Eckhart talks about the importance of finding stillness. He says we are never more ourselves than when we are still. Eckhart then answers questions about what we can expect during the stages of awakening. He says as we become more conscious, we learn to respond rather than react to conflict. Eckhart explains we may feel the emotion, but it doesn’t take us over because ego diminishes as we step into the light of presence.

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Originally aired July 28, 2022. In this podcast Eckhart talks about our growing awareness and how it can be used in service of others. He says when presence is the foundation of our lives, we are more available emotionally. He explains why this is when the pitfalls of the ego no longer block us. Eckhart believes when we are confronted by the pain of others, if we have a clear channel connected to the source of consciousness, we will exercise empathy and compassion. In this state he says we will not be shaken when the winds of misfortune blow because we are rooted in the deepest part of our being.

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Originally aired July 21, 2022. In this episode Eckhart reflects on the power of the present moment. He then answers a question about the individual and collective pain bodies. He says we all have both and sometimes one is stronger than the other. He believes those with a strong pain body are often more likely to awaken than those who don’t have one. He explains that either way, the great danger is falling into the trap of what he calls “victim identity.” Eckhart says we need to take responsibility for the accumulated suffering inside ourselves and learn to heal from it. Eckhart believes our suffering is transmuted into awareness and that is the beginning of awakening.

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Originally aired July 14, 2022. In this podcast Eckhart talks with a live audience in Winnipeg, Canada. People from 30 countries around the world participate. Eckhart explains the reason they are there is to experience spiritual awakening. He says there is a hidden dimension to their gathering which is deeper than words. Eckhart believes part of his mission is to provide signposts which lead to a state of consciousness he calls Presence. Through the practice of Presence, Eckhart teaches we become aware of the deeper reality of life and the deeper, spiritual dimension that is within each one of us.

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Originally aired July 7, 2022.In this podcast, Eckhart answers questions about practicing presence and peace in a world fraught with conflict and chaos. Eckhart reminds us that we are not dependent on external conditions. He says it is possible to remain peaceful even in the midst of negativity and destruction. He explains we have the freedom to choose even though that choice may not be an easy one. Eckhart believes we don’t have to be drawn into dysfunction, but instead believes we can be the light of consciousness even during darkness.

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Originally aired June 30, 2022. In this episode, Eckhart addresses concerns about using conscious manifestation for both practical as well as spiritual purposes. Eckhart cautions listeners that awakening should not be something we put on our to-do list. He says it is not another goal that we attain. He believes when we define enlightenment in those terms it becomes an obstacle. Eckhart says awakening is not an achievement, it's a realization which really means it's already here.

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Originally aired June 23, 2022. In this podcast, Eckhart talks about overcoming obstacles to conscious creativity. He explains we may have a vision of what we’d like to create, but when we try to express ourselves the ego kicks up resistance. Eckhart says we feel attacked by inner voices such as, “Who do you think you are? You’re not ready for this” and then we self-sabotage. He explains how we doubt our talent and give in to our fears. Eckhart says when this happens, we must recognize it as the voice of the ego and in those moments we should practice presence. He shares that we need to release our negative thinking, allowing the creative process to flow through.

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Originally aired June 16, 2022. In this episode Eckhart leads a short meditation and then answers a question about our fear of suffering. Eckhart says suffering plays an important role in the evolution of our consciousness. He says without it, we would not grow in awareness. Eckhart believes, for many people, suffering is their primary spiritual teacher and much of our pain is self-created through dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors. He explains why the pain can also be a catalyst for spiritual growth. He says if we focus on the power of the present moment, our difficulties diminish and once we awaken we no longer need to suffer.

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Originally aired June 9, 2022. In this podcast, Eckhart talks about fulfilling our desires and what we can do to make that happen. however he cautions against becoming dependent on external circumstances for our happiness. He says attachment to the outcome can actually become a barrier. Eckhart believes we must visualize that what we want is already ours. and that ultimately the external world is inseparable from our state of consciousness.

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Originally aired June 2, 2022. In this episode Eckhart reflects on what it takes to create a successful life. He says we must live with a foot in two worlds. We must learn to reconcile the everyday with the transcendent. Eckhart explains why we should consciously manifest our aims and aspirations while also practicing presence. Eckhart says the most important part of living in this world is bringing those two together.

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Originally aired May 26, 2022. In this podcast Eckhart talks about our dependence on people, places, things and concepts as the source of our identity. He says most of us derive a sense of self from our attachments. He believes the essence of who we truly are is much deeper. Eckhart calls it the alive stillness at the center of our being. Once we become aware of it, our attachment to external things fades and we discover our true nature. Eckhart illustrates this idea with the story of a Buddhist monk who sought to release worldly things. His difficulties were great, until he let go absolutely.

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Originally aired May 19, 2022. In this episode, Eckhart reflects on his signature teaching about being aware of the present moment. He says when we focus on the here and now our senses become heightened. Eckhart says when we give any experience our full attention, we are taking the first step towards what he calls “self-transcendence.” He explains why we need to release our limited perceptions and connect with the aliveness of the universe.

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Eckhart answers questions about our identification with the ego and our thoughts. He says the light of consciousness is relentlessly gobbled up by the mind and turned into thinking. He believes practicing presence is the only immunity against our thoughts. He says as we begin to awaken, we have glimpses of awareness. Eckhart says we don’t have to wait for those glimpses to arise spontaneously. He explains that we need to invite them into our lives so that awakened consciousness becomes an integral part of who we are.

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In this episode, Eckhart talks about expanding our consciousness. He says that we outgrow the limited perception we have of ourselves: a person with a personality and a product of our past. We need to get in touch with what Eckhart calls the “deep I,” or the transcendent self. He says we are more than our personalities and more than our bodies. Eckhart shares what we perceive with our senses is only a tiny fraction of what’s actually here. He believes what is essential in us is invisible to the eye and not something we perceive with our senses.

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Eckhart answers questions like… Is it possible to remain in a permanent state of acceptance? And how do we deal with our fears about what others think of us? Eckhart says it’s not realistic to expect that we will be consistently peaceful and harmonious. The challenges of our lives will affect us. but not at the core of who we are. We remain rooted in what Eckhart calls the being dimension. He explains we go beyond the duality of happiness and unhappiness to find peace. Eckhart says the degree to which we are free from the opinions of others, depends on our connectedness to the deeper dimension of who we are.

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Eckhart explains why becoming aware of the present moment is synonymous with connecting to the deeper dimension of who we are. He says we go beyond the personality to reach our transcendent self. Eckhart says we discover we are not just humans "doings" - we are human beings. He says our primary mission is to integrate the two. Eckhart believes this is the most important discovery we can make in our lifetime.

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Eckhart talks about our obsession with the future. He says if we’re always living for the future, we never experience the present because the future is only a thought. We spend our time waiting for a life that never arrives and end up with a life full of missed opportunities. Eckhart reminds us, the only moment we ever truly have is the here and now.

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Eckhart leads a meditation and then answers questions. He says the Essential Self is not defined by the personality, life circumstances or history. It’s the transcendent dimension beyond that which is the only place we will find lasting freedom and true happiness. Eckhart explains we may not have awareness of our essential self consistently. He says we will lose it many times, then regain it. He shares that finding awareness is a gradual process of waking up to who we truly are.

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Eckhart says sometimes in our efforts to become present we fall below thought. It happens when we’re consumed by negativity. He explains often people reach for something to take away the pain like alcohol, drugs or food. Eckhart says we may feel relief for a short time, but eventually discomfort returns. Ekchart shares what we need to do is resist the pull toward unconsciousness. And, to awaken spiritually we must rise above thought to a reach a state of alert presence.

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Eckhart talks about the importance of using our daily lives as spiritual practice which he calls presence power. Throughout the day, when we’re not challenged by difficult people or circumstances, we should invite presence into our lives. Like a muscle that gets stronger with use, it will become part of our daily routine. Then when challenges arise, we don’t fall into unconsciousness, we draw on our reserves.

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Eckhart leads a live meditation on pausing our thoughts without suppressing them. Eckhart says it’s more important to be aware of oneself as presence than to get lost in the mind. With practice, gradually the spaces between thoughts increase and more spaciousness grows within. This will cause our lives to become more peaceful and move us closer to a feeling of liberation.

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Eckhart answers questions on such topics as eliminating depression, dealing with a heavy pain body and why enlightenment seems to be such a rare phenomenon. Eckhart shares the story of his own pain body and how it finally pushed him into a state of presence. He says we are designed to awaken and that we are a part of the flowering of the consciousness in the universe.

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Eckhart answers questions on a wide range of topics like: What’s the function of the ego? How does it feel to be enlightened? And what’s the best remedy for loneliness and the pain body? Eckhart responds with his renowned wisdom.

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Eckhart says the world is not here to make us happy, it’s here to make us conscious. If we are looking for fulfillment in a particular relationship, job or life circumstances, we may find disappointment instead. Eckhart says we find peace when we let go of the demand that people and situations should fulfill us. When we accept what is, it becomes possible to find freedom in the here and now.

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Eckhart says sometimes we experience a gravitational force that seems to push us back into unconsciousness. When we feel overwhelmed by watching the news or experience a painful loss, these are the moments when we need to return to the practice of presence. Eckhart says there is a higher purpose at work and awakening is deeper than our suffering.

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Eckhart talks with a live audience about the paradox of suffering and awakening. He says the ego, in its attempt to strengthen itself, creates distress and eventually brings about its own destruction. For many, this cycle can be the catalyst to awaken. Eckhart says If we had not suffered, we would not find transformation. He believes this paradox is an intrinsic part of the plan.

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Eckhart discusses forgiveness. He says most of us carry resentments or grievances. Eckhart calls them internal dark spots that block consciousness from emerging and strengthen the ego. True forgiveness he says, is not something we make happen. It arises naturally when we’re connected to the deeper essence of who we are.

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Eckhart explains why our goal is to learn to access the transcendent part of ourselves which is beyond thinking. Most people have no connection to this state until some crisis pushes them to dig deeper. Eckhart says we must find spaces of awareness between thoughts which will eventually lead us to a state of being that is connected to the soul of the universe.

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Eckhart says the most important things we can do is transform our state of consciousness, realize our connection to the source and let go of our self-imposed limitations. He compares the transcendent realm to the sun. We are like a ray from that source, shining into this world. Eckhart believes everyone on the planet is a brief flicker of consciousness… here for a short time; but connected to the eternal.

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Eckhart quotes ancient Greek philosopher, Pythagorus who said, “Know thyself.” Eckhart says unfortunately our educational system is geared toward only one kind of knowledge: the intellectual. He explains how there is another knowledge based on wisdom and intuition. It’s that kind of inner-knowing he says we must embrace, not as a replacement for intellectual knowledge but as a much-needed addition.

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Eckhart asks, “When life’s challenges strike, how do we respond?” He questions do we rise above worn-out patterns with new awareness or do we spiral into the old unconsciousness. He says we shouldn’t blame ourselves when we relapse. Suffering and setbacks are a necessary and vital part of awakening.

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Eckhart discusses the path to awakening. He says there are two stages to a person’s life: waking up and growing up. Many start to awaken, only to later discover large parts of their personality lag behind; they haven’t really grown up. To reach maturity Eckhart says spiritual practice must encompass all of who we are and become an integral part of our daily lives.

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Eckhart says the beginning of liberation is when you realize you are not the thinker. He says many people derive their identity from what the mind tells them. For those who have not yet awakened that is where they find their sense of self. We free ourselves when we begin to realize there is a vast realm of intelligence beyond thought and that the things which truly matter like joy, love and inner peace arise beyond the mind.

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Eckhart discusses discovering the joy of being. He says in any given moment we have the chance to remain open to life, align with what is and experience a natural sense of peace and aliveness. Eckhart helps us release past conditioning to experience ourselves and our lives with a fresh perspective and sense of delight.

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Eckhart takes listeners through a live meditation inspired by a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The wick of individual life runs deep into the oil of pure being." Eckhart says we have great depth within. He encourages listeners to reach beyond the limitations of their personality to find what he calls the Deep I. He describes it as that aspect of ourselves which transcends the ego and is connected to the ultimate source of universal consciousness.

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Eckhart takes listeners through two live meditations about the stillness within. He says finding the transcendent dimension is the only thing that will satisfy us. He believes it’s not something we can achieve, it’s something we discover in the here and now. Eckhart explains why becoming aware of ourselves in stillness is the essence of all identity.

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Eckhart answers questions on several topics, including one about addiction. He says people are addicted to many substances. But the greatest addiction of all is thinking. It’s like a drug…and people can’t stop.  They resist letting go because it shields them from the painful parts of their lives. Eckhart says the solution is presence. Becoming aware slows down an overactive mind. Our confusion dissipates…and thinking loses its ability to wreak havoc in our lives. 

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Eckhart addresses topics like surrendering the ego, what to do with anger and how to confront our fears. Eckhart says fear arises when we become drawn into negative thinking and project it into the future. He goes on to say that most of the time, fear has no basis in reality because when the future finally arrives, it’s actually the present moment again. And in the present there is usually nothing to fear.

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Eckhart leads a meditation and then answers questions from a live audience. He says the most important thing to achieve in our lifetime is stillness because without it we feel frustrated, angry and discontent. He says stillness is the answer that brings the sense of aliveness we feel when we’re free of thought.

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Eckhart talks with a live audience about the new consciousness he sees emerging around the world. He says one of life’s great mysteries is that the universe is conscious. While scientists struggle to define it and we can’t see it under a microscope, consciousness exists. Eckhart says we are living proof of that and we have a role to play. He quotes an ancient aphorism: “You are the light of the world.” He says what that means is we are the light of consciousness manifesting in the world.

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Eckhart talks with a live audience about letting go of our false sense of self. He says when we base our identity on externals: our looks, what we do and where we live - that’s the ego. In that state, we’re either inferior or superior; never equal. True relationships become impossible. But when we’re grounded in essential being, the need to compare disappears and we discover we are infinitely precious.

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Eckhart talks with a live audience about freeing oneself from the mind to find presence. He says, we must become aware of the harmful thoughts that hold us hostage. Life’s crises need not drag us into unconsciousness. We can stay alert, and let the rough times take us to a deeper state of awareness. Eckhart says while the path to presence is narrow, it ultimately leads to life. 

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Eckhart talks with a live audience about the process of becoming aware. When challenges arise, he says go with it. Learn to accept each moment as if we had chosen it. He explains that if you do this, what at first looks like an obstacle then becomes an opening into transcendence.

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Eckhart talks with a live audience about his belief that we are meant to bring consciousness to this world. To do that, we must keep the pathways clear. We rise above thought, not fall below it, which is what happens when we use substances like alcohol and drugs. Once we become free of that, Eckhart says we realize the essence behind the personality… which is pure presence.

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Original Air Date: September 30, 2021. Eckhart talks to a live audience. He says most of us are going through a transition in consciousness which he calls awakening. He sees that as the next stage of human evolution. There have been rare periods in history when collective awareness made great leaps forward. Eckhart sees a similar shift happening now. He says we must continue with our practice, release our inner turmoil and align ourselves with the inevitable now.

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Original Air Date: September 23, 2021. Eckhart talks with a live audience and urges participants to wake up from the delusion that the things we think will make us happy… won’t. Even if we get everything on our wish-list: wealth, fame, a life of ease, we feel unsatisfied. But Eckhart says the world is not here to make us happy. It’s here to help us evolve. He says whatever our situation is, we can surrender to life’s challenges and awaken right where we are.

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Original Air Date: September 16, 2021 In this podcast, Eckhart talks with a live audience about clearing away the obstacles to presence. Eckhart says the entire universe is awakening and is in the early stages of something vast. We are a part of that. To be spiritually awake, means releasing barriers created by the mind. Eckhart says while the ability to think is a great evolutionary achievement, people have become so enmeshed in thought, they’ve lost touch with their deeper essence and their spiritual legacy.

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Original Air Date: September 9, 2021 Eckhart answers questions from a live audience including healthcare professionals: doctors, nurses, and therapists. They ask questions about how to deal with the expectations of their patients who yearn for healing and wholeness. He emphasizes the importance of tending to one’s state of consciousness and getting the ego out of the way, so the power of stillness and presence can shine through. He says only then can we truly be of service to others.

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Eckhart talks with a live audience about the importance of cultivating wisdom. He says the first step is acknowledging the magnitude of all that we don’t know. Then we step out of our “thinking mind,” with its chronic judgments and interpretations, and step into what he calls aware stillness. It’s there that we have access to a much deeper intelligence, one connected to our higher purpose which Eckhart believes is to realize our oneness with the totality of the universe.

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Eckhart talks to a live audience about bringing meditation practice, inner spaciousness and what he calls presence, into our everyday lives.  However, he cautions against making meditation one more chore on our “To-Do” list. He says so often there is the underlying assumption that we must become good at meditation or succeed at it. That in itself can actually become a hindrance. The idea is not to do, but to be.

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Original Air Date: August 19, 2021 Eckhart talks with a live audience filled with both patients and healthcare professionals, about the new consciousness emerging in medicine. Eckhart explains why there has been a lack of compassion, time and care of patients. He offers solutions on how doctors can be more fully present with their patients and get to know them on an individual basis. Eckhart also explains how illness can become an awakening, pushing us out of our ego and into a connection with our deeper self.

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Original Air Date: August 12, 2021 Eckhart talks to an international audience in Greece. He brings his renowned wisdom to everyday concerns: like how to quiet an over-active mind, what is the best way to set boundaries with friends and family and how we can use the practice of presence to create conscious relationships.

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Original Air Date: August 5, 2021 Eckhart Tolle meets with an international audience and answers questions on topics we can all relate to such as: are love and consciousness the same thing? Why do our egos drive us to be separate and define the people in our lives as “other?” He also addresses a subject that troubles parents everywhere…navigating screen time with our children and the overwhelming impact of technology. Eckhart says we can begin to help our children by tending to our own state of awareness and becoming more conscious parents.

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Original Air Date: July 29, 2021 Eckhart Tolle shares the story of his own personal journey and the spiritual transformation that led to his groundbreaking work. He recalls his childhood in Germany and Spain, his parents’ tumultuous relationship and subsequent divorce. At the age of 29, he experienced a soul-crushing depression that pushed him to the brink of despair. Out of that pain, Eckhart says he experienced a profound awakening that changed the course of his life forever. He went on to share his revolutionary ideas with others, which ultimately set him on the path to becoming a best-selling author and one of the great spiritual teachers of our time.

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Original Air Date: July 22, 2021 Eckhart Tolle talks about the path to Inner Peace. He emphasizes that our inner state is not contingent on outer circumstances. Our job is to align with what he calls the “Is-ness” of the present moment, release excessive thinking and refrain from reacting to the external conditions of our lives. We accept whatever is happening in the here and now. Eckhart says our true purpose is to awaken to who we are beyond our three dimensional form. There is more to each of us than the person, our personality and our personal history. The path to leading a truly satisfying life lies beyond… it’s what Eckhart calls timeless consciousness.

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Original Air Date: July 15, 2021 Eckhart Tolle talks with a live audience about a phenomenon he sees unfolding: which is the awakening of individuals around the world. He jokes that he could call them The United States of Awareness. He says awakening humans are like hybrids experiencing a metamorphosis, like caterpillars becoming butterflies. He encourages everyone to tend to their state of consciousness and to make it a practice. He says whatever happens in our lives, accept that it’s exactly what we need for our spiritual growth.

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Original Air Date: July 8, 2021 Eckhart Tolle begins his talk joking with a live audience about a video game reviewed in the New York Times called Stillness. He laughs and wonders if his work is having an impact on mainstream culture after all. He says one thing is certain, the world is definitely growing in awareness. Eckhart ponders the fact that all the qualities that are deeply essential in us are invisible to the eye: our consciousness, our sense of aliveness, our love and our joy. Eckhart goes on to answer questions on such topics as: trusting our feelings and how to eliminate conflict in our lives, especially when the opinions of others differ from our own. His answers, rooted in both practical and profound wisdom, not to mention his dry sense of humor, will surprise you.

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Original Air Date: July 21, 2021 

Eckhart Tolle touches on the purpose of human existence which he sees as evolutionary, awakening, to become fully human. He then answers related questions from a live audience on a wide range of topics: How much of our lives are within our control? Can we really plan for the future? How do we deal with the pain-body and also stay conscious? Eckhart says if we align with the “is-ness” of the present moment and pay attention to our state of consciousness, the future will look after itself. It’s only by embracing the here and now that we have the opportunity to lead lives with clarity and purpose. We also must learn to accept each moment as if we had chosen it. Because we did.

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Original Air Date: June 24, 2021

In this podcast, Eckhart Tolle answers questions from a live audience about issues we all can relate to… like what to do when we compare ourselves to others, how to turn family arguments into opportunities for conscious relationships and how anger can actually be used as a tool for spiritual growth.  Eckhart says comparison is one of the favorite devices of the ego.  He says when we get in touch with the essence of who we truly are, the dysfunctional dynamic of comparing and despairing becomes unnecessary and meaningless.  

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Original Air Date: June 17, 2021 

Eckhart Tolle talks with a live audience about the importance of living in the now. Drawing on ideas from his best-selling book, The Power of Now, Eckhart encourages participants not to linger on past mistakes, but to learn from them and then let them go. He says we must remember that there is only ever now, not as a memory, but a live realization. Situations arise in our lives, but only in the present moment. And we should not let our life situation obscure the bigger picture of who we are or our sense of aliveness, spaciousness and presence.

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Original Air Date: June 10, 2021 
Eckhart Tolle talks with a live audience about our tendency to manufacture stories...about ourselves and others; our desperate need to be right and to make others wrong. Eckhart says having a story actually strengthens the ego and keeps us stuck. However, we don’t have to stay there. He says we can learn to shift our inner narrative, release the ego and align ourselves with the peace of the present moment.

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Original Air Date: May 21, 2021 

Eckhart Tolle elaborates on the paradox of order and chaos that exists in our world. For many of us, especially this past year, living through the pandemic has wreaked havoc on our lives. We’ve experienced loss of socializing, income and perhaps the loss of someone we love. While we might be tempted to despair, Eckhart says order and chaos are an essential part of a higher order. He says there are larger forces at work in the Universe and if we can surrender to that, life’s challenges have the potential to transform our consciousness.

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Original Air Date: May 27, 2021 

Eckhart Tolle says that we should not panic when life’s difficulties arise. He says adversity actually plays a critical role in the evolution of our consciousness. Without it we would not learn to lead what he calls an awakened life. Eckhart quotes an ancient Roman aphorism: Per Aspera Ad Astra... which translates into, “It is through adversity that we reach the stars.”

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Original Air Date: May 21, 2021  

Eckhart Tolle shares his wisdom on living through challenging times. Whether it’s political upheaval, the pandemic or a personal crisis, Eckhart explains why adversity can actually help us to awaken to the deeper dimension of who we are. 

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Original Air Date: May 21, 2021 

Eckhart Tolle elaborates on the paradox of order and chaos that exists in our world. For many of us, especially this past year, living through the pandemic has wreaked havoc on our lives. We’ve experienced loss of socializing, income and perhaps the loss of someone we love. While we might be tempted to despair, Eckhart says order and chaos are an essential part of a higher order. He says there are larger forces at work in the Universe and if we can surrender to that, life’s challenges have the potential to transform our consciousness.

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Original Air Date: May 21, 2021

Eckhart Tolle shares his wisdom on living through challenging times. Whether it’s political upheaval, the pandemic or a personal crisis, Eckhart explains why adversity can actually help us to awaken to the deeper dimension of who we are.

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In this podcast, Eckhart talks with an audience in Hawaii and then answers questions. Someone asks if the human race is going to survive. Eckhart explains if humanity is aligned with the purpose of the universe, which is the evolution of consciousness, we will continue. He says what needs to happen is that a sufficient number of people reach the next stage of development. He warns, if we remain stuck in the ego, we risk destruction. Eckhart explains evolution happens through disruption of order and then chaos. Things break down, then a higher order emerges. Obstacles, difficulties and all the things that seem to block the evolution of consciousness are actually necessary for its progress. Eckhart says we are on the way to metamorphosis because disorder precedes transcendence. 

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In this episode, Eckhart elaborates on the narratives we create called My Life. He says these stories are really a work of fiction. It’s like we’re following a script. We play our part and go through all the motions. He explains when we identify with these scripts, we’re unconscious and stuck in the grip of the ego. These patterns may go back generations and include family dysfunction and that too becomes part of our story. Family members have their scripts, and we have ours. Eckhart says when we argue with each other, that strengthens the ego. We must realize there is an aspect in all of us that transcends any narrative. Eckhart calls it the spiritual dimension. We find freedom when we grow towards greater consciousness.

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In this episode, Eckhart talks about the Being dimension which is where we find our true essence. However, for many of us Eckhart says our beingness gets lost in thinking. Our job is to separate the two. We reclaim consciousness from the mind because he explains this separation is the essence of all spiritual practice. Eckhart describes his own awakening as an example. This liberation transformed his life. As a result, Eckhart went on to become one of the great spiritual teachers of our time.

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In this podcast, Eckhart talks about how difficult life circumstances often trigger awakening. Whether it’s a life-threatening disease, loss of a loved one or break up of a marriage he says pain is the touchstone to all spiritual growth. Eckhart says many people eventually become grateful for their problems because without them they would not evolve. Eckhart also describes it as liberation from the burden of oneself. When the hard shell of the ego cracks open, we discover a realm of consciousness we haven’t known before.

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In this episode, Eckhart explains that it is the destiny of all people to awaken from the conditioning of their minds and to free themselves from compulsive thinking. He explains when we resist awakening, we create suffering for ourselves and others. But even then difficulties can eventually bring about spiritual growth. He says the process is gradual and there will be many setbacks because humanity is not a finished product. Eckhart explains the entire universe is moving toward higher consciousness. We are a part of a vast evolutionary movement.

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In this episode, Eckhart talks with an audience in Prague. He explains what happens as we become more conscious. He says we suddenly recognize our Beingness, in addition to the human aspect of ourselves. We become aware of the transcendent realm that Eckhart describes as an emanation from the one source of universal consciousness. Eckhart says we can also call this God. Clarity emerges, because our mind is free of compulsive thinking. We sense more deeply the aliveness of everything around us. We experience the sacredness of another person, a tree, a flower. Eckhart says the secret of life is to continue giving our fullest attention to whatever is in front of us. He explains there’s beauty in the simplest things when they’re done consciously.

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In this podcast, Eckhart talks further about a necessary shift in consciousness. Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Christianity and Hinduism all point to this message. Collectively, we’ve been reaching toward enlightenment for millennia. The Buddha taught that we are here to awaken. Jesus also emphasized the importance of staying awake. Each of these traditions suggests there is a higher level of consciousness beyond our waking state. But Eckhart says for most of us that lies dormant because we are enmeshed in the ego. He explains suffering is inseparable from the ego identity and once we realize that, we will find the path to liberation.

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In this podcast, Eckhart talks with an audience in Prague. He explains that most people are searching for an identity. For many that leads to disappointment. Eckhart uses the word dukkha which in Buddhism means suffering. He explains most of us are consumed with thoughts about our problems which become part of our identity. We also define ourselves through externals: our bodies, possessions, even our ancestry becomes an identity. Eckhart says many people don’t realize they are unhappy because they think it’s a normal state. Eckhart explains we’re looking in the wrong place because when we discover our true identity, we awaken spiritually.

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In this episode, Eckhart talks further about freeing ourselves from the ego. He says while it served a powerful purpose for our spiritual growth, it’s now time to let it go. Eckhart explains one of the pitfalls of the ego is our emotional reactivity. He says challenges have the potential to pull us into anger and fear. When we react, we’re at the mercy of situations and other people; they affect us internally. But they don’t have to because Eckhart says it's an enormous discovery to finally realize difficulties don’t have to derail us. Things can still go wrong but we don’t have to react and instead practice presence. Suddenly we find we’re more conscious because he says as we grow in awareness our emotional reactivity recedes.

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In this episode, Eckhart talks about the two different aspects of knowing: conceptual knowing and a deeper kind of intuitive knowing. He says indigenous cultures and people in the ancient world were deeply familiar with the idea that everything has a soul. They shared a profound empathy with nature and felt its aliveness. Eckhart says we have lost touch with this kind of knowing in current times. Through the overdevelopment of thinking, we have reduced the natural world to mental concepts. Today we think of evolution as a random process devoid of meaning. Eckhart says it’s the price we’ve paid for the over-emphasis on science and technology. To illustrate his point, Eckhart recalls a tour through a magnificent forest.

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In this podcast, Eckhart says as we grow spiritually, we approach the challenges in our lives differently. We may encounter obstacles or difficult people, but he says we don’t get discouraged. We should face the issue in front of us consciously because we’ve learned to accept the present moment with ease. The ego believes fighting against situations is real power, but the opposite is actually true. The ancient romans had a phrase: Amor Fati. Eckhart says it means to love what is. He explains true power comes when we love the Is-ness of the present moment, no matter what.

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In this episode, Eckhart talks with an audience in Hawaii. He jokes that while many are reluctant to leave the island paradise, their task is to bring expanded consciousness to every area of their lives. Eckhart explains as awareness grows, we add a dimension of presence to everything we do. We may work the same job, but we do it in a different way. We become still and then take our insights into action. Eckhart says giving the fullest attention to our performance in the moment is critical. Then whatever task we perform has purpose whether it’s creating a work of art or running a company we release excessive focus on the outcome.  The Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Hindu text, referred to it as Karma Yoga because Karma means action. When we attend to our daily lives whatever action we take becomes part of our spiritual practice.

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In this episode, Eckhart explains once we accept that life is here to challenge us, we can let go of our resistance. When adversity shows up, including the difficult people in our lives, we can recognize them as a catalyst for change. Eckhart says no one can act beyond their level of consciousness. And when we expect others to be more aware than they are, it’s a recipe for suffering. Eckhart admits we all will experience conflict in relationships with family, friends and colleagues. He reiterates that life is not here to make us happy, it’s here to help us awaken. He says no one awakens in their comfort zone. So, when difficulties arise – surrender because it’s the quickest path to peace and perhaps enlightenment!

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