"A NEW EARTH --- Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle

Is humanity ready for a transformation of consciousness, an inner flowering so radical and profound that compared to it the flowering of plants is only a pale reflection?

Let's start with the flower, those fragrant beings that would come to play an essential part in the evolution of consciousness of another species -- humans.

Over a million years ago the first flower ever to appear on the planet opened up to receive the rays of the sun. This first flower represented an evolutionary transformation in the life of plants even though the planet had been covered in vegetation for millions of years. The first flowers were a rare and isolated phenomena since conditions were not yet favorable for widespread flowering to occur. One day, however, a critical threshold was reached and suddenly
there was an explosion of color and scent all over the planet. Ever since humans would increasingly be drawn and fascinated by them. They have provided inspiration to countless mystics, poets and artists. Jesus even tells us to contemplate the flowers and learn from them how to live.

Can humanity awaken to a new and enlarged consciousness? Can we defy the pull of materialism and rise above the power of the ego which keeps us imprisoned within our own personality? The possibility of such a transformation has been the central message of the great wisdom teachings of humankind. The great messengers -- Jesus, Buddha and others were humanity's early flowers, yet in their day widespread flowering of humanity was not yet possible and their message became largely misunderstood and greatly distorted. Are we more ready now than at the time of those early teachers?

One of the most powerful components of this book is how Tolle brilliantly characterizes the egoic state and shows the main aspects of the ego and how they operate in the individual as well as in the collective. This is critical in understanding ourselves for two very important reasons: The first is that unless you understand the basic mechanics behind the workings of the ego, you won't recognize it and it will trick you into identifying with it again and again. The second is that the act of recognition itself is one of the ways in which awakening happens. You cannot fight against the ego and win, just as you cannot fight against darkness.

This book is written to awaken, to help bring about a shift in consciousness -- not convince the reader of anything or to add new information or beliefs. If you don't know what awakening means, read this book. Tolle writes that the time has come -- we awaken or die. We are at a crossroads. We no longer have the luxury of living this deep seated collective delusion that lies within the mind of most human beings.

This is Tolle at his best. A powerful book and one that comes highly recommended.

Judith Krantz, posted 12/23/07