Eckhart Tolle and Oprah Winfrey?!?

[Angela]

The Power of Now goes mainstream! Oprah has selected A New Earth for her book club, AND they're doing a joint webcast seminar of some sort. Amazing!

Reserve Your Seat for Oprah's Book Club Live Webcast Classes

[Dan.Linehan]

Hmmm, I went to sign-up and got:

500 Internal Server Error

java.util.MissingResourceException: Can't find resource for bundle oracle.security.sso.server.mesg.ServerMsg, key
at java.util.ResourceBundle.getObject(ResourceBundle. java:326)
at java.util.ResourceBundle.getObject(ResourceBundle. java:323)
at java.util.ResourceBundle.getString(ResourceBundle. java:286)
at _jsp._error._jspService(_error.java:90)

[Angela]

Dan, did you try going in through the main website, Get Health, Beauty, Recipes, Money, Decorating and Relationship Advice on Oprah.com.

[Dan.Linehan]

There's a page up now..

Message from Oprah.com

Due to high traffic demands, this Oprah.com feature is temporarily unavailable.
We are working to resovle this quickly. Thank you for your interest and your patience.

They should work to resolve how they spelled resolve while they're at it.

[Angela]

There you go.... all you have to do is get Oprah behind you, and the next thing you know, you're a household name.

We should get Oprah here on these forums.

[Erock]

Well great, a couple million Americans will be "living in the now" for about 3 weeks...

Erock

[Excellent Lodestar]

Originally Posted by Erock

Well great, a couple million Americans will be "living in the now" for about 3 weeks...

Erock

LOL! no doubt! I'm kinda surprised by eckhart/oprah....if people followed eckharts teachings, it would kill the self help empire oprah has built.
I'll bet we never see Byron Katie on oprah... LOL!

[Andrew Brunelle]

I just saw the Oprah and Eckhart Tolle connection on Amazon.com. It's kind of weird that someone like Oprah would pick a book by Tolle. I am not really aware of her previous selections, though. But she does talk an awful lot about remembering your spirit. Well, it is encouraging that Tolle is now getting further into the mainstream. He truly is a prolific writer.

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by Angela

We should get Oprah here on these forums.

I don't doubt that happening for a second.

I signed up for the web seminar, thanks for the link!

[Angela]

Me, too. Maybe we should do a thread (He's Present/She's Present!) tracking what we get out of it. What do you think?

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Hmmm, I wonder why people find it so strange that Oprah chose Tolle's book? Or why we wouldn't see Byron Katie on her show? Both seem right up her alley to me.

Anyway, I think it's great to bring attention to A New Earth.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

It's a ten week webinar! That's pretty cool.

[Angela]

I agree, aspiring. My experience of Oprah is that she's totally committed to personal growth and making a huge difference in the lives of others. Also, her magazine is wonderful! So full of living a life you love. To people who criticize her: I think she's doing the best she can, despite her billions. And her best seems pretty damned good to me. I really admire her. (I'm not willing to watch her tv show, though.)

And I'm glad about the Tolle connection. How cool is it to have the most influential person in media advocating waking up to the moment?

I have a feeling that when people hear, "...finding your purpose in life", they may be a bit disappointed to learn that it's the same for all of us -- being Present -- as opposed to the individual life purpose, like the one Steve helps people find. And I'm sure there will be people who will stand up and say, "He's Wrong! He must be discredited! What a fraud! He is the devil incarnate!" That will be fun.

[Angela]

By the way, I'll bet we DO see Byron Katie doing something with Oprah soon. That's a pretty natural combination, I think.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

That would be awesome.

I think I'll sign up.

[Excellent Lodestar]

Originally Posted by Angela

By the way, I'll bet we DO see Byron Katie doing something with Oprah soon. That's a pretty natural combination, I think.

I would love to see Katie with oprah as well but...I read somewhere ("the work" forum I believe) that Oprah's people have been inundated with requests to have Byron Katie booked...for years now. Clearly Oprah has checked out Byron Katie; Oprah is well aware of what's on the scene...Something must rub Oprah or her people, the wrong way. My guess would be that in Byron Katie and Eckharts work, there is the "reward" of total inner peace...but there's nothing in it for the ego. self realization doesn't sound as "fun" as a BMW. Oprah's down with what changes lives, but she's also hip to what people are "ready for" maybe it's as simple as marketing. Maybe she believes people just won't get it;that people won't believe truth can be so simple. I don't know...Katie can be pretty relentless with the four questions!
I'm curious to see how Tolle's work goes over. It's long overdue, for sure.

[Liara Covert]

Raising spiritual awareness is all about expecting the unexpected. We redefine what we would like to experience, expect it, and voila! The unexpected becomes the expected. Its like a way of turning your percpetion around for the better.

[Groundless]

Originally Posted by Liara Covert

Raising spiritual awareness

Oprah is helping people do this. Kudos for her using her influence to possibly make a few people wake up. It is a noble cause, one in which I am in alignment with.

[Maguru]

My experience of Oprah is that she is a still a frightened insecure little girl which even her huge empire cannot assuage. She believes she has found her true calling and she needs everyone else to see it too, then she will be crowned "Earth Mother"
It's only a feeling and not meant as a put-down. This is from my observations only. Can anyone else relate to this?

Originally Posted by Angela

I agree, aspiring. My experience of Oprah is that she's totally committed to personal growth and making a huge difference in the lives of others. Also, her magazine is wonderful! So full of living a life you love. To people who criticize her: I think she's doing the best she can, despite her billions. And her best seems pretty damned good to me. I really admire her. (I'm not willing to watch her tv show, though.)

And I'm glad about the Tolle connection. How cool is it to have the most influential person in media advocating waking up to the moment?

I have a feeling that when people hear, "...finding your purpose in life", they may be a bit disappointed to learn that it's the same for all of us -- being Present -- as opposed to the individual life purpose, like the one Steve helps people find. And I'm sure there will be people who will stand up and say, "He's Wrong! He must be discredited! What a fraud! He is the devil incarnate!" That will be fun.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Maguru

This is from my observations only.

What observations, exactly?

[Maguru]

From the way she lives. From all the hangers on who you wouldn't see for dust if she was skint and not a celebrity. From her discomfort when she is not in total control. The way she has to control. The way she feeds on being adored. The look on her face when she speaks of her true calling. The people pleaser in her. The power she has to make you or break you. The power she wielded in the way she whipped up a 'lynch mob' mentality to catch the perpetrators.
I connect with people at an emotional level, not on behaviour alone. Many are fooled by the outside persona, Oprah is one of the foolers.

Originally Posted by Angela

What observations, exactly?

[Angela]

Hmmm. I don't see what you see. I don't know her personally, but I see a woman who is making a difference in the world, who is doing her best to live a life she loves, who produces informative and entertaining material, who has a sense of humor, and who seems excited, exciting, and vital.

She may be fooling me, but I don't think so.

[Maguru]

Originally Posted by Angela

Hmmm. I don't see what you see. I don't know her personally, but I see a woman who is making a difference in the world, who is doing her best to live a life she loves, who produces informative and entertaining material, who has a sense of humor, and who seems excited, exciting, and vital.

She may be fooling me, but I don't think so.

I"m not denying any of those things you see. But we all have an exterior and interior self. In some areas of her beliefs (how she is helping the kids in Africa, claiming to be as their mother) they don't equate with her lifestyle. Don't you see how much of a personal fortune she has amassed?

Would any mother live in such oppulance whilst her children starve? I know this doesn't sound good because it isn't. She spends more on her eyebrows per week than I have to live on for a year and I am one of the lucky ones.

She may not be fooling you but she is fooling herself. I call ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, oprah! She's helping herself more than she is helping anyone else.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Maguru

Would any mother live in such oppulance whilst her children starve?

Have you seen the school?!

Anyway, I just came back to the thread to say that Oprah interviewed Pema Chodron for the February issue of her magazine and it was great. She's hitting all my biggest current influences. Hopefully Katie will be next.

[Angela]

Maguru, are you saying that Oprah should not have amassed her fortune, or that she should give away more than she keeps?

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by Angela

Hmmm. I don't see what you see. I don't know her personally, but I see a woman who is making a difference in the world, who is doing her best to live a life she loves, who produces informative and entertaining material, who has a sense of humor, and who seems excited, exciting, and vital.

I see this, too.

Her feeling guilty for enjoying a nice life won't help anyone out there. She is doing a marvelous job, and I find myself touched again and again by her kindness and strength.

[Maguru]

Originally Posted by Angela

Maguru, are you saying that Oprah should not have amassed her fortune, or that she should give away more than she keeps?

What about giving what she doesn't need?

[Maguru]

Originally Posted by {aspiring_to_clarity}

Have you seen the school?!

If oprah promoted herself to grandmother, she would realize her adult children are the most important people in these children's lives, not her or new schools. A mother would know this.

Their parents need help now, not when some lucky kid manages to get a good job, which are scarse anywhere.

What's with all this protecting of Oprah? The truth is the truth no matter how it smells. I'm not judging her as a bad person at all.

I know as a mother and a grandmother that there is no way I could have such riches and pretend/believe that I am the mother of the african children and declare it is my calling from god.

You only see one side of Oprah because she reflects your hearts. I see the negative side for the same reason.

[Angela]

Maguru, I think you should sign up and to this Eckhart Tolle webinar thing with us. You can turn the sound down when Oprah comes on.

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by Maguru

If oprah promoted herself to grandmother, she would realize her adult children are the most important people in these children's lives, not her or new schools. A mother would know this.

Their parents need help now, not when some lucky kid manages to get a good job, which are scarse anywhere.

What's with all this protecting of Oprah? The truth is the truth no matter how it smells. I'm not judging her as a bad person at all.

I know as a mother and a grandmother that there is no way I could have such riches and pretend/believe that I am the mother of the african children and declare it is my calling from god.

You only see one side of Oprah because she reflects your hearts. I see the negative side for the same reason.

I highly doubt that Oprah is helping the children without helping their families. Not every good deed must be publicized.

You see Oprah's negative side because you are negative? No one here is denying that Oprah (and every human on the planet) has a shadow. It is simply how one chooses to live that makes the difference.