A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle

I finished A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose
last night, but I've actually been reading it since Potlatch. It might have even been before that, I just remember lying in my tent and reading it while I mentally prepared for our quarter final. So not a quick read, but worth a look if you get a chance (or want to borrow it).

Maybe you have read Eckhart Tolle's other book, the The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
? I hear it's quite popular, and I think this book is the follow-up, but I actually haven't read that one.

This is an atypical book for me to read, but that was part of my reason for reading it. I like to try and mix it up. Other reasons I read it:

• The author is German.
• It has an 'Oprah's Book Club' sticker on the front (I've liked others).
• Who wouldn't want to awaken their life's purpose? (How do you wake up a frisbee? JK)
• It was on sale at the Superstore.

Tolle touches on material from his first book, talking about how to be at peace and live in the present moment. He expands to talk about how to reach a new state on consciousness. My interpretation of what he is saying is that if you momentarily let go off all of the 'classic' ways your define yourself as you, if only for a brief moment in time, you can connect with a higher level of existence. For example, you are supposed to try and create gaps in your conscious thoughts were you no longer focus on your name, occupation, age, etc., at just tap into the fact that you are alive right now.

I've butchered that explanation, and I don't think I'd do much better trying to describe it in person. Did I mention I've been reading it for months? It's had to compete with German Harry Potter, which is tough.

I liked the positive message, as well as the part about coincidences as the world trying to tell you something. I am a first believer in this!

I don't like the parts were he gets a little scary, for example quoting Jesus many times. Yikes.

Overall: 6.5 out of 10. Don't go buy it (save a tree, read my copy), but you just might learn something if you read it.

Sept. 16, 2008: On my walk in to work today, it popped into my head that I should have only given it a 6.5. Officially downgraded. Also, I forgot to mention: I used a parking ticket for a bookmark while reading this book, which was unintentially, but ironic.