Eckhart Tolle
I don't have any comments, it speaks for itself.. But I find it interesting that Eckhart has a way of not giving credit in his lectures and his books to his teacher, or the other spiritual paths that he borrows heavily from. Enjoy.
Labels: video
posted by Wonji Dharma at
June 25, 2009
7 Comments:
Thanks for this. "Sponsored by Chevy."
Well, I have to say I do think Tolle is teaching some important things to a lot of people who may never step into a zendo, church, or other spiritual community.
But yes, I find all this marketing, expensive retreats, and Oprah's involvement in general to be very disconcerting. Having read or listened to a fair amount of Tolle's work, I've also always felt that he fails to address the social, collective part of life as well. I always wonder "where's the sangha in all this?" And what about the great social issues of our day?
Thanks for posting this.
If i'd never been exposed to some of these pop culture folks like Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle, and others...I might never had opened up to the yoga sutras, vedanta, [different teachers(alan watts, j. krishnamurti,R. maharshi)] and eventually buddhism.
I eventually figured out that many new age folks borrowed from Buddhist thought. Even the new "religion" scientology....which is a money scam(imo), if you didn't know already. IMO, Scientology is an extreme example of what can happen when people are driven to use these things(incorporating eastern thought) for the wrong reasons(money/power). Manipulation and control over people....(in my opinion). See, i fear being sued or attacked by scientologists just posting a comment on someone else's blog. They're a TYPICAL cult.......imo. Money gives them a chance to put on a better front than most others....they tapped into the movie stars' pockets by selling them water and convincing them they're still a little unperfect....."not there yet." Thanks for posting. Peace
I agree with Nathens post.
"Sponsored by Dukkha."
I don't understand the antagonism Zen-types and Buddhist have to Tolle for not acknowledging some supposed debt when any student of philosophy could tell you Tolle borrows much more from Heidegger and Meister Eckhart (thus, his new name), than from Buddhism. Yes, he traps his "teaching" in eastern cloak in part because, ironically, westerners have come to believe (erroneously) that there is deeper wisdom in orientalism than in the Greco-Roman-Christian tradition that gave the world democracy, human rights, the dignity of man, gender equality and science.
But if you compare "The Power of Now" with Heidegger's Being and Time, the former is really a pop version of the latter with a few silly Zen bells added for marketing. Chopra, on the other hand, is a fraud from start from finish.
Marcus is spot on. He is basically paraphrasing Being and Time with some mysticism / philosophy of mysticism a la Miester Eckhart, Bataille and Derrida. For people that are not philosophy students his work is insightful and accesible (via Oprah). Not necessarily a bad thing.
Marcus: Thank you indeed for such relevant insight ..
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