the formless... the essence... consciousness...

When life takes away the forms that you thought were the foundation of your life, what's left? The life that needs no foundation—that is the foundation. The formless. The essence.-- Eckhart Tolle

Relationships are not here to make you happy-- they are here to make you conscious. -- Eckhart Tolle

 

Eckhart Tolle has long been one of my favorite spiritual teachers.  I began to read his books about ten years ago when they were first being published (THE POWER OF NOW) and the later best seller (A NEW EARTH)... along with his many video recordings.  Finally,  I was blessed to attend one of his live teachings at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in October 2007, along with my sister Rebecca Lenhard of Redondo Beach.  That was a high point in my spiritual journey in fact.  Being in Eckhart's presence was indeed like the darshan I had received in the presence of Hindu saints and satgurus, as well as saints of other religions, such as the Dalai Lama.  There is a certain "vibration", or spiritual energy, or "aura", that emanates from a true master,  and that energy is there in the presence of Eckhart.  

Eckhart's teachings borrow from many traditions,  but I feel the influence of the East throughout his many works.  He has taught me to live in the present moment, the eternal Now.