Dan Sabbagh: Analysis
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It is known simply as the Oprah effect, but a personal recommendation by Oprah Winfrey is the most powerful commercial force in world publishing. A recommendation by the talkshow host will give an enormous boost to the sales of any title – although the popularity of Eckhart Tolle is said by American retailers to be unprecedented.
Oprah’s Book Club began in 1996, concentrating on fiction, although for a year she gave up books in 2002 because the demands of finding six to ten titles a year was too great.
A New Earth has been helped by Oprah’s own expanding media empire, which has seen deals to set up her own satellite radio and cable television stations – and develop her website, oprah.com.
The self-help book is being promoted with the help of ten live online seminars with Mr Tolle, and readers have raced to pick up the title ahead of the first session last night.
All the figures show that the spiritual title has struck a chord with Americans, with Oprah gushing on air that “being able to share this material with you is a gift and a part of the fulfillment of my life’s purpose”.
Such evangelising has persuaded more than 700,000 people to register ahead of the online seminar. Even if only half that number viewed the webcast, it would have been one of the most-watched events on the net.
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I dont agree with everything he says, but for the most part, it is great to learn. I am Catholic who believes in God, but I also believe in spirituality. I think you need a balance of the two.
Jessican Williamson, San Diego , USA
The three keys to enlightenment (nonattachment, nonjudgement, nonresistance), I bought this ring to remind of the keys. http://www.enlightenmentring.com. Hopefully everyone enjoys the book as much as I do, take care.
Jessican Williamson, San Diego , USA
Eckart Tolle is food for people lazy to read and hear what ancient teachings tell everybody from hundred of years ago. Americans rush to try to find the fountain of happinness, Eckart Tolle, is a smart man that understood that america was the land to become millionaire with his books. Americans are so lazy that even to become spiritual they have to have a summary of the ancient spiritual texts in Cds to hear or a few pages book. Eckart Tolle it is not telling anything new, he just reproduces in an easy to read text, what we all know from always. Who reads Tolle, will read another guru, and another and another..Gurus, fade and nobody becomes enlightened, because enlightenment it is not a pill like Ibuprofen or Prozac that you can buy , it is something you experiment when you do not avoid the contact with everything what happens around you, when you do not live superficially.
Zeishi, Scottsdale, Arizona
Is there anyone in Eugene oregon who might know of a study group of Tolle awakening?
Barbara, eugene, oregon
To David Kraan & Maria Eugene Oregan,
Please stop the hating. The man is not pretending to be God or Jesus! He was simple imspired by the good book! And so, he wrote a book with the attempt of sharing is enlightenment with others. Church leaders as been doing this since the beginning of time! Some people, don't want to read the bible! If this Mr.Eckhart Tolle, has found a way to share stuff that he learned from the bible and the same people whom don't touch the bible is now reading and learning from his interputations! what's wrong with that!??? I would love to read his book, but I can't afford it! Just for the record before my accident several uears ago I live and work as a journalist in Italy! Today I am penniless and I am sure if I had any kind of guidance I would have a different lift to day. But people like you who are selfish and hateful alway, knock the few people down whom is thying to make sence of this world. So, what if he makes some money!You try living Life without it!
lorraine, new york, ny
Unfortunately, it appears that the people that could benefit the most from Eckhart's teachings - that is to say the people most caught-up in their own egos and mental positions - are the ones that are not ready/open for his teachings. I would strongly recommend his books/teachings to anyone that has an open mind towards spirituality.
For those that don't have an open mind towards spirituality - I would suggest reading New Earth and Power of Now - as those books provide great insight into why the typical human mind (ego mode) operates the way it does - E.G. Why we are always trying to protect our ideas/thoughts/positions.
Steve, Scotts Valley,
The book is not "new age" and doesn't claim to be. Eckhart Tolle simply distills ancient wisdom from a few religious sources, spelling it out in plain English to make the knowledge more accessible to a wider audience.
He's not advocating a new religion, but shedding more light and adding depth of understanding to existing religions and other spiritual paths. If you think otherwise, you haven't read his book nor watched the class. He's crystal clear about his intent in both.
You can watch the netcast on Oprah.com or download the podcast to iTunes and watch it that way.
Maria, Eugene, Oregon
It was called flower power, and the age of aquarius in the 60's. and as they say" a rose by any other name".
Love , love, love of that era only brought us harmful drugs, and many s.t.d.'s ,
Wake up people, Jesus never ever told anyone to "contemplate" on flowers. The verse is actually from the book of Matthew 6:28 and on.
This is how new-age lies work, because people see Mr. Tolle associating himself with real greatness, and believe this is what Jesus meant. Mr. Tolle has turned this verse to suit his own needs.
People, at least have an open mind, and check things out for yourselves. New age thought is just that "New" to suit peoples own thoughts.
The words of Jesus do not need to be made new to
suit this age. The truth needs no adjustment.
The God, and father of the true Lord Jesus give you wisdom.
David Kraan, Oshawa, Canada
How do I register for the on line seminar?
Laura Mostardo, Addison, Illinois
I would like to participate in this seminar in ordere to strengthen me in my attempt to create a world where everyone wins.
Daniel F. deCaussin, Louisville, USA / cOLORADO