In the Presence of a Great Mystery

December 4, 2006
This is a concise but intensive recorded excerpt from a 2002 seminar by the noted spiritual teacher and author of The Power of Now
. Tolle, born in Germany and educated at the universities of London and Cambridge, weaves together familiar threads from both Western and Eastern faith traditions into an eclectic tapestry of insights concerning human nature. Tolle guides his audience to carve out new "space," a heightened awareness of the present moment made possible by moving beyond our conditioned thought patterns. The "little me," according to Tolle, represents the sum of our shortsighted perceptions, which left unchecked add up to an all-consuming personal story of pain and conflict that makes embracing the here and now impossible. Tolle deliberately—and effectively—leaves significant pauses between sentences and even individual words. He utilizes these moments of silence to model his approaches for the audience, given that many in contemporary information-age society may have few concrete examples for peaceful reflection in their daily lives. While Tolle holds built-in appeal to New Age spirituality enthusiasts, listeners steeped in the self-help and personal growth genres may also experience enlightenment.

Tolle's philosophy is relatively simple to understand and offers a perspective on self, others, and the mystery of being. For an introduction to Tolle, there are better choices. Always low-key and understated, his presentation in this book does not have the energy of his other audio presentations, and his understated humor is less prevalent. His intense but extemporaneous style is generally disarming, but in this production it becomes a bit tedious. Generally, there is little distraction from the audience; however, the laughing that is heard at times does not provide the listener with any feeling of inclusion in the retreat and seems quite out of place. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine