Review: A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

One of my network connections introduced me to Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth. The author of the famous The Power of Now, Tolle invites us to look at how human beings are evolving mentally and spiritually. This is a book that points out the ways that shifts in consciousness have happened before in the past. The purpose of the book is to raise the question: Are humans ready to enter a new realm of spiritual enlightenment? Are they also ready to enter the state of collective consciousness-- referring to the state of mind that goes beyond the ego and allows humans to recognize their unconsciousness and to listen. Tolle also explores how our personal issues and the contemporary issues that we experience every day are all linked to the emptiness that human beings fear and that which they desire to fill. Ultimately, Tolle's argument is that human beings are entering a new level of consciousness...one that will change the course of human history, evolution, and existence itself.

What I love about this book is that Tolle uses a variety of disciplines to make his argument. He references history and how the human ego has been the catalyst of the world's most deadly conflicts especially in our era. Recognizing the ego's role in forming thoughts and feelings that are often wrapped into identity, we can break free from the self-destructive practices that lead us to so many human concerns. He also references biology, behavioral science, paleontology, and more! By using these different disciplines he is able to paint a clear picture about how the evolution of consciousness is pinnacle to the survival of humanity and the planet itself.

Tolle not only uses a variety of disciplines to tell us obtaining higher consciousness, but also uses his own personal narrative. His narrative features situations where he was a teacher helping others to achieve this greater sense of awareness. There are also moments where he tells us stories about how he learned to gain this comprehension from his teachers and instructors.

One of my favorite quotes from this book goes:

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”

By understanding who we are and what we have, we gain a greater sense of who we are in the grander scheme of things. We also recognize that what makes us is not how much we own or where we come from. Instead, who we are is a measure of the person that we choose to become.