Stillness Within Meetup: Our Shared Essence – Eckhart Tolle Talk

The Eckhart Tolle video meetup Saturday was rich with a playful yet sincere message for the six of us who came out to the gathering. Eckhart talked about inherent Presence in all beings, including plants and animals. He proposed that this “deeper I” exists apart from the structures of ego, personal stories, and even the concept of duality, and is sometimes referred to as “Buddha nature” or “Christ consciousness.” When we touch upon this boundless inner space, we can begin to see ourselves as an emanation from the eternal source of all things.

Practices included being with nature and in particular, sensing without thinking, the essential beingness of the natural world, whether it’s looking into a dog’s eyes, being present with a tree or even taking in the profile of a large mountain. He also suggested that we can draw on this spacious dimension in the midst of very busy environments, such as a downtown street or in a supermarket or airport – by noticing the space in which all activity is taking place. Noticing and becoming more attuned to the space invites a reduction in thinking and a full embrace of the current moment.

A number of group members after the talk expressed points that stood out for them. One member was appreciative of the depth of the talk’s contents (the two hours were definitely not an introductory talk). Another attendee felt that the reminder not to pay mind to every passing thought or reaction was helpful – the brain may chatter on but we don’t need to take it so seriously. One member felt that the inquiry process as Krishnamurti has taught, can complement the presence approach described by Eckhart (that is, noticing without judgement the internal mind and emotional processes, seeing how they emerge and what beliefs seem to be attached to them).

A very enjoyable gathering – thanks all for making it a success, to Louis for hosting us so nicely, and to the KECC for providing the space.