[Buddha-l] Eckhart Tolle

[Joy Vriens]

Hi all,

> It seems the people who talk most about enlightenment are the ones  who 
> are trying to "sell" you something--either literally or  figuratively. 
> I'm thinking primarily of the Transcendental Meditation  movement who 
> talk a lot about their Patanjali/Advaita version of  enlightenment, 
> often with a slew of pseudo-science and the occasional  actual science. 
> They do have some amazing research on the EEG  signatures for the 
> "sakshin" or witness-consciousness so prominent in  Advaita-Vedanta. Of 
> course this "scientific sell" is probably  necessary when you're 
> charging 3000 US dollars to learn intro. mantra  meditation.

There is a chance TM (c)(r) will be taught free in Dutch secondary 
schools as an optional course (keuzevak), part of philosophy. It is 
hoped this meditation technique will help to improve the learning 
performances of the students and give them a higher motivation. The 
project will start in the secondary school of Lelystad this year.
http://www.nieuws.nl/120909/Transcendente_meditatie_als_keuzevak

> These newer, new age Advaitins are selling the most ephemeral package  
> of all and if you don't "get it" you gotta come back for another  
> seminar or buy another tape. What is bizarre to me is the rapidity  with 
> which these people claim their own enlightenment. Of course then  you 
> can tell others about it. Start your own satsang. Share your new- found 
> non-dual awareness.

> And they do.

:-)

What always triggers off my alarms is the eagerness of teaching one's 
insights. I had a look at Eckhart Tolle's website and it all looks quite 
harmless to me. The only thing I found a bit surprising coming from 
someone who goes for a "lite" and low key approach in order to help us 
to cut quickly and directly through the layers of painful delusions is 
when he recommends his student/fellow teacher Kim Eng by saying:  "My 
blessings go with her and all the people she touches."
Perhaps an innocent manner of speech, or perhaps not. I would have 
picked other words.

Joy