- Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle makes me laugh. Not just because he is funny, which he is, but because he sheds such clarifying and humorous light upon the human condition. Here we are, frantically trying to escape ourselves, desperately wanting to flee and/or resist the present moment. We are always looking to get to the next moment, which is futile and paradoxical, of course, because it is always the now.

Our overactive minds are always judging, evaluating, criticizing, commenting. We spend our time reviewing the past or projecting ourselves into the future, fearing what could happen, or imaging the next wonderful thing we might attain. Clouded as we are by our history, our conditioning, our unresolved wounds, experiencing our lives in the present moment without constant, continual mind chatter, is an experience that remains elusive.

And because the present moment doesn't strike us as being extraordinary, rather it often seems all too ordinary, like hamsters on a wheel, we are always seeking the next thing that could bring us fulfillment. When I have that new relationship...that new job...that new house...then I'll be happy. And what makes me laugh is not that he is describing the dilemma of so many humans, he is describing me!

A late comer to the teachings of Eckhart Tolle, I have been enjoying his many teachings and talks on youtube. Listening to him has opened me up to a different way of being. Learning to become more present, more able to simply enjoy the present moment, I find myself sitting for stretches of time, mind quiet, lost in the experience of appreciating the light as it streams through my window, savoring the rich depth of the colors of autumn foliage, or the blueness of a spacious, infinite sky.

So, I am grateful that after all these years, I'm finally beginning to learn how to live in the now.

To connect with the work of Eckhart Tolle, visit his website ~ www.eckharttolle.com