In his bestselling book, A New Earth, spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle writes about the importance of uncovering true stillness and the power of living in the present. Yet, with all of life's chaos, it's often a challenge to cut through the clutter and experience a moment in complete peace. Is it an achievable reality in today's frenetic modern world?
Yes, according to Tolle. The key, the author tells Oprah during an "A New Earth" special, is to practice being "conscious of being conscious." To illustrate how this practice works, Tolle shares a simple exercise anyone can do any time.
"If you look at a flower and you sense yourself as the presence that is looking, that is making the perception possible, then you have two dimensions. You're conscious of being conscious, and you're conscious of what you're looking at," Tolle explains. "You live in two worlds at the same time."
What this does is open you up to the stillness deep within. "In the background of your life, there is suddenly a vast but intensely alive peace," Tolle says. "Being conscious of being conscious is very peaceful. That's where the true inner peace arises."
If you don't take time to find that space where your inner peace resides, the consequences can be profound. "Then you lose yourself in things," Tolle says simply. "You lose yourself in the world and you lose yourself in your own mind."
The discussion continues on "Oprah & Eckhart Tolle: A New Earth" on OWN this Sunday, May 11, at 12 p.m. ET, when it also streams worldwide on Oprah.com, Facebook.com/owntv and Facebook.com/supersoulsunday.
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