In the Presence of a Great Mystery

In this talk, a brilliant summation of his teachings, Eckhart Tolle begins by describing a problem all humans face: a strict sense of self based in personal history, mental interpretations, and memories of the past; a sense that’s forever being reinforced through habitual thought patterns. When listeners identify with these thought patterns, they create what Tolle calls “the little me,” a person imprisoned within rigidly defined boundaries. Yet, as he explains, “the little me” is not the truth of who one is, but of who one was, and reflects a past that no longer exists. He gently guides listeners on a journey into the present moment, into that spacious stillness where they are more than they think — where they are, in fact, part of a great, mysterious whole. Achieving this transcendent state allows listeners to move beyond self-defeating limitations and live lives of grace, ease, and lightness.