The mystery of popularity-Eckhart Tolle & Thomas Moore

[RussellSD]

Something is puzzling me regarding the overwhelming popularity of Tolle in view of Tom's work.

To be honest I've not read any of Tolle's work. I have gleaned some of its highlights and it would seem that Tolle is saying what has been said for many many years--essentially nothing new from my perspective (please, I'm not attempting here to diminish the importance of Tolle's work). On the other hand, Tom's s work, especially his newest book, A Life at Work, seems to present new material--or at the very least material presented in a wonderfully novel way. Truthfully, I believe Tom's work is some of the greatest stuff available for all of humanity. Tolle is #1 on Amazon & elsewhere; Tom, (presently) is not. Is it all due to Oprah? I'd say no, because Tolle was gaining in popularity prior to Oprah. Has Tom's work not been sufficiently promoted by the publisher? Are Tom's supporters just a smaller more unique group of people?

[RussellSD]

Thanks for your thoughtful input Ken and Robin. Of course I am biased towards Tom's work because I see it as very appropriately attending to the notion that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. He treats both aspects as equal, and that an immersion into either is both an spiritual and human act...which for me, is truth. So much other work (Tolle?) seems to teach a transcendence rather than an immersion. I am wondering, could some of Tom's work simply be ahead of its time? Sort of the Copernicus syndrome where it took several hundred years for the world to accept the idea of a solar, and not a geocentric system?

Just thoughts...

russ

[Julianne]

I think it's difficult to compare two writers, especially when they are writing about different things, and in a different style.
Tolle has taken one concept and elaborated on it, basically, the practice of mindfulness. And he does a good job. It's simple and effective. But after reading his one book, I don't feel the need to read any others.
Thomas Moore, on the other hand, writes about complex topics that ask for our contemplation and participation, both spiritual and intellectual, in applying them to our own lives. And when I've read one book, I look forward to reading the next.

[Waking]

Russell, Thank you for staring this discussion. I have toyed with the thought of starting one myself and am happy to see someone take the initiative.
First, let me preface that despite the critical discourse that follows the paragraph below, I have been enjoying my attendance in a “Tolle Silent Meditation” group for about the last 10 months. It’s a nice group of like-minded folks who meet in the house of a mature married couple who graciously host the meetings with warmth, thoughtful and loving consideration for their guests. We practice a sort of non-affiliated, self-directed, simple meditation in order to acknowledge and hopefully quiet the busyness of our thoughts and orient ourselves to the present moment. After about 10-20 minutes of silent and peaceful meditation we watch about 50 minutes of Tolle’s workshop/retreats recorded on DVD. The hosts are big on Ramana Maharshi as well and we’ve watched a wonderful video about his life and teachings as well. We then have a group reading from “The Power of Now” where everyone reads a couple paragraphs and then we collectively reflect on the experience of presence in the reading & listening experience. We then have an open discussion and end with another 10 minutes of silent meditation. So you see I’ve spent some time actively involved with Tolle’s work and the people who constellate around him.
Now to your questions. Tolle’s popularity is undoubtedly due in part to the two-fold observation (made in this discussion) that he has the answers. This along with Oprah’s approval which launched a bright and shiny bandwagon to promote his work (I suspect he’s now several million dollars richer due to Oprah). The other factor, as Ken observed, is that Moore “isn't spelling out some program that promises a way out of our difficulties or making life less complex.”
I’ve sensed the same lack of popularity relative to James Hollis opus. www.jameshollis.net/welcome.htm (See for example the negative book reviews on Hollis’ book Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life at Amazon – these people want the answers spelled out or spoon-fed to them without having to abide in what the poet John Keats called, “Negative Capability”.)
Both Moore and Hollis paint a picture that isn’t all about feel-good, pop-psychology (read: ego-psychology) & obtaining fast-food like en-lightened spirituality. Their work intimates complexity, work, and suffering. Both acknowledge the shadow-side of humanity and don’t presume to finesse their approach to transcend from the soulful ground of necessary darkness to becoming children of light. Now there’s also a lot of blatant ego-bashing in Tolle’s circles - especially in his “new” book, “A New Earth”. (Note bene, ego consciousness is absolutely necessary to function in modern culture.) However, with Tolle, “ego” is wholesale meant in the negative pejorative sense of egoism, ego-inflation and egotistic personality issues. His work does not explicitly address the necessary role of the unconscious in creativity and wholeness. It seems to intimate we simply label all shadow material as “the pain body” and check out of life’s complexities. There’s not a lot of holding the tension of opposites here. And this is what bothers me about his popularity. Notice also Tolle’s work almost never acknowledges the necessity of healthy ego building in the first half of life, much less the wonders of childhood itself? It’s all so seemingly pat.
I recall Jung’s cogent observation that, “There is no light without shadow and no psychic wholeness without imperfection.” (CW 12, 208)
Ok, enough critical reflection on this otherwise helpful resource.

Ken, I resonate with your history. I've come through one dark night of the soul (amongst others, past and future)

[Waking]

(due to limitations on the length of text one can post, I've had to carry over the remaining part of my post above here)

I've come through one dark night of the soul (amongst others, past and future) having once been proselytized and fully immersed in a charismatic-fundamentalist cult-like religious organization. Not long after indoctrination, I jettisoned myself from the organization as if my sanity, life & soul depended on it. Because of this, I harbor a healthy wariness of spirituality that claims all the answers and one popular amongst the masses…

Julianne, thank you for temperance in reminding us their work is directed in different vectors and difficult (but not impossible) to compare the two. I agree, Tolle’s work is about mindfulness. I choose to gather threads from many other ancient and contemporary predecessors in order to weave my meditation mat.

Namaste,
Andy

P.S. I want to share a bit of humor to lighten up this otherwise gloomy post of mine.
In a couple of his lectures, James recites a funny poem his friend, Tamera Miller Lee, wrote in response to negative reviews of his recent book, Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life.

As James reports, the negative reviewer suggested, amongst other things, that he get rid of the "big words, hire a ghost writer, and not ask so much of people.”

So with kind permission of the author, I present to you, at no extra c....

[RussellSD]

All,
Thanks for all of the thoughtful replies. They all make good sense to me. On Friday I raised this question with the person who cuts my hair. She too was aware of Tolle and was likewise not motivated to delve into his work. But she remarked that an older client of hers, "a Republican" as she described her (smiling), had been following the Tolle podcasts and was, for the first time in her life, considering the affect of her ego (as Tolle uses the word). My hairdresser's comment was that perhaps Tolle was reaching a necessary, large part of the population. Perhaps.

I do recall that Care of the Soul was on the NY Times best seller list for (I believe) more than a year.

Warmest regards

[Barque]

Barque members may be interested in a recent Publisher Weekly article, “New Age Pragmatism” by Juan Martinez, dated Sept. 22, 2008. It’s subtitled, “Crystals and tarots give way to more practical and mainstream subject matter.”

“According to Jo Ann Deck, publisher of Celestial Arts and Crossing Press, the new New Age reader is “more practical and less interested in nebulous philosophical and spiritual exploration.” As a result, the genre reads more like Dr. Phil and Jack LaLanne than Carlos Castaneda and Ram Dass.”

The piece includes a sidebar about the popularity of Eckhart Tolle's books.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6597626.html

[RussellSD]

Great...thanks for finding and sharing this...

Now, everyone: Vote for Obama....!

[Waking]

would it be the height of inappropriateness for me to respectfully ask that we leave our personal politics (however slight) out of these discussions? if so, i apologize.

[RussellSD]

Dear Waking,
Thanks for making such a polite and gentle request. I pulled that statement out of the blue and I apologize if I offended you. This does prompt me, however, to begin a new discussion on the candidates and how we might relate them to Tom's work.

Warm regards

[Waking]

thank you RussellSD for your thoughtful response!
i wasn't really offended - i'm just kind of weary of the political polarizations and presumptions of concurrence in political/tribal associations i'm subjected to every day...and i sensed your remark was done in a spontaneous spirit and can appreciate that.
i think that’s a good idea about having a dedicated discussion in a separate thread…go for it!