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Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle Quotes

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Famous Eckhart Tolle Quotes

“Words reduce reality to something the human mind can grasp, which isn’t very much. Language consists of five basic sounds produced by the vocal cords. They are the vowels a, e, i, o, u. The other sounds are consonants produced by air pressure: s, f, g, and so forth. Do you believe some combination of such basic sounds could ever explain who you are, or the ultimate purpose of the universe, or even what a tree or stone is in its depth?”

MindBelieveHumansRealitySpiritualPurposeUniverseLanguageSoundFiveAirTreeStonesUltimatePressureWho You AreDepthCombinationHuman MindVocalCordsVowelsConsonantsVocal CordsAir Pressure
Book:A New Earth (Oprah #61): Awakening to Your Life's Purpose
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“You may remember the paradox of time we mentioned earlier: Whatever you do takes time, and yet it is always now. So while your inner purpose is to negate time, your outer purpose necessarily involves future and so could not exist without time. But it is always secondary. Whenever you become anxious or stressed, outer purpose has taken over, and you lost sight of your inner purpose. You have forgotten that your state of consciousness is primary, all else secondary.”

MayStatesRememberSpiritualPurposeLostConsciousnessTakenSightForgottenPrimariesParadoxAnxiousTake TimeStressedStates Of Consciousness
Author:Eckhart Tolle
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“It is precisely through the onset of old age, through loss or personal tragedy, that the spiritual dimension would traditionally come into people's lives. This is to say, their inner purpose would emerge only as their outer purpose collapsed and the shell of the ego would begin to crack open. The emphasis shifts from doing to Being, and our civilization, which is lost in doing, knows nothing of Being. It asks: being? What do you do with it?”

PeopleKnowsAgeSpiritualPurposeAsksLostLossCivilizationEgoTragedyOld AgeDimensionsCracksShellsEmphasisSpiritual DimensionsPersonal Tragedy
Author:Eckhart Tolle
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“The beginning of freedom is the realization that you are not “the thinker.” The moment you start watching the thinker, a higher level of consciousness becomes activated. You then begin to realize that there is a vast realm of intelligence beyond thought, that thought is only a tiny aspect of that intelligence. You also realize that all the things that truly matter – beauty, love, creativity, joy, inner peace – arise from beyond the mind. You begin to awaken.”

MindMatterMomentsSpiritualJoyRealizingLevelsConsciousnessCreativityHigherAspectTinyInner PeaceAriseRealizationRealmsThinkerHigher LevelPower Of NowBeauty Love
Book:The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
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“Inner resistance to whatever arises in the present moment pulls you back into unconsciousness. Inner resistance is some form of negativity, complaining, fear, aggression, or anger. This is important because whenever you complain about what somebody else does you're already beginning to fall into that trap of unconsciousness.”

DoeImportantMomentsSpiritualFormFallComplainingAriseResistancePresent MomentAggressionNegativityTrapsUnconsciousness
Author:Eckhart Tolle
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“Not to be able to stop thinking is a dreadful affliction, but we don't realize this because almost everyone is suffering from it, so it is considered normal. This incessant mental noise prevents you from finding that realm of inner stillness that is inseparable from Being.”

ThinkingInspirationalAbleSpiritualSufferingSpiritualityRealizingNormalFindingsNoiseRealmsStillnessAfflictionInseparableIncessant
Book:Practicing the Power of Now: Essential Teachings, Meditations, and Exercises from the Power of Now
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“The story of the Zen Master whose only response was always "Is that so?" shows the good that comes through inner nonresistance to events, that is to say, being at one with what happens. The story of the man whose comment was invariably a laconic "Maybe" illustrates the wisdom of nonjudgment, and the story of the ring points to the fact of impermanence which, when recognized, leads to nonattachment. Nonresistance, nonjudgement, and nonattachment are the three aspects of true freedom and enlightened living.”

MenFactsStoriesShowsHappensSpiritualThreeEventsMastersAspectResponseRingsEnlightenedCommentImpermanenceTrue FreedomZen MasterLaconic
Book:A New Earth: Create a Better Life
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“So love is the recognition of oneness in a world of duality. This is the birth of God into the world of form. Love makes the world less worldly, less dense, more transparent to the divine dimension, the light of consciousness itself.”

WorldLightSpiritualFormLove IsConsciousnessDivineBirthOnenessRecognitionDimensionsWorldlyTransparentDualityDenseNew Earth
Book:A New Earth (Oprah #61): Awakening to Your Life's Purpose
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“I don't want it to end, and so, as every therapist knows, the ego does not want an end to its “problems” because they are part of its identity. If no one will listen to my sad story, I can tell it to myself in my head, over and over, and feel sorry for myself, and so have an identity as someone who is being treated unfairly by life or other people, fate or God. It gives definition to my self-image, makes me into someone, and that is all that matters to the ego.”

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Author:Eckhart Tolle
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“Fear arises through identification with form, whether it be a material possession, a physical body, a social role, a self-image, a thought, or an emotion. It arises through unawareness of the formless inner dimension of consciousness or spirit, which is the essence of who you are. You are trapped in object consciousness, unaware of the dimension of inner space which alone is true freedom.”

ThinkingSelfBodySpiritualFormSpiritSocialFearSpaceEmotionConsciousnessRolesObjectsMaterialsEssenceWho You ArePossessionAriseDimensionsAssetsTrappedIdentificationPhysical BodyTrue FreedomMaterial PossessionsUnawarenessSocial Roles
Author:Eckhart Tolle
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“Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of control. It believes it is real and tries hard to maintain its supremacy. Negative states of mind, such as anger, resentment, fear, envy, and jealousy, are products of the ego.”

ThinkingGivingTryingMindBelieveRealHardStatesSpiritualFearParticularProductsEgoNegativeWesternEnvyState Of MindResentmentIdentificationSupremacyBeliveWestern SocietyJealousy And EnvyAnger Resentment
Author:Eckhart Tolle
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“See if you can catch yourself complaining in either speech or thought, about a situation you find yourself in, what other people do or say, your surroundings, your life situation, even the weather. To complain is always nonacceptance of what is. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself a victim. Leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness.”

PeopleIfsSpiritualSpiritualitySituationAcceptingSpeechNegativeMadnessVictimComplainingWeatherUnconsciousCarrieFinding YourselfSurroundingsPower Of NowPower Of Now Book
Book:The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
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“Enlightenment means rising above thought, not falling back to a level below thought, the level of an animal or a plant. In the enlightened state, you still use your thinking mind when needed, but in a much more focused and effective way than before.”

ThinkingWayMindMeanStillsStatesUseSpiritualFallSpiritualityAnimalLevelsNeededEnlightenmentPlantFocusedAwakeningRisingEnlightenedRise AboveThinking Mind
Book:The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
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“Those who have not found their true wealth, which is the radiant joy of Being and the deep, unshakable peace that comes with it, are beggars, even if they have great material wealth. They are looking outside for scraps of pleasure or fulfillment, for validation, security, or love, while they have a treasure within that not only includes all those things but is infinitely greater than anything the world can offer.”

IfsWorldLoveHappinessSpiritualJoyFoundWealthPleasureGreaterSecurityMaterialsOffersTreasureFulfillmentBeggarScrapRadiantValidationPower Of NowUnshakableTrue WealthMaterial Wealth
Book:The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
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“All cravings are the mind seeking salvation or fulfillment in external things and in the future as a substitute for the joy of Being. As long as I am my mind, I am those cravings, those needs, wants, attachments, and aversions, and apart from them there is no "I" except as a mere possibility, an unfulfilled potential, a seed that has not yet sprouted.”

ThinkingWantNeedsMindLongHappinessSpiritualJoyPossibilitySalvationMereSeekingSeedsFulfillmentAttachmentSubstitutesCravingAversionUnfulfilled Potential
Book:The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
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“Your mind is an instrument, a tool. It is there to be used for a specific task, and when the task is completed, you lay it down. As it is, I would say about 80 to 90 percent of most people's thinking is not only repetitive and useless, but because of its dysfunctional and often negative nature, much of it is also harmful. Observe your mind and you will find this to be true. It causes a serious leakage of vital energy.”

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Author:Eckhart Tolle
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“The mental suffering you create is always some form of non-acceptance, some form of unconscious resistance to what is. On the level of thought, the resistance is some form of judgement. The intensity of the suffering depends on the degree of resistance to the present moment.”

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Author:Eckhart Tolle
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“Space has no "existence." "To exist" literally means "to stand out." You cannot understand space because it doesn't stand out. Although in itself it has no existence, it enables everything else to exist. Silence has no existence either, nor does the unmanifested.”

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Book:The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
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