A little Eckhart to Eckhart

I approached Martin because I was drawn by the cover of his book - I thought it was beautiful. Found out that Martin is reading Meister Eckhart's "Selected Works". I paused because the name reminds me of Eckhart Tolle and as I was thinking this Martin asks if I'm familiar with The Power Now. I let out a little laugh and told him that I was just thinking of Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now and A New Earth. At first I thought Martin was going to tell me that Meister Eckhart is a nom de plume of Tolle's but it turns out that Eckhart Tolle read Meister's works and have been a huge influence on his works. (I think Meister was around in the late 1200s).

Martin found out about this book from going to an Eckhart Tolle group meeting where the reader's discussed and practiced Tolle's teachings. There he met a woman who was reading Meister Eckhart and explained the connection between the two. Martin loves to read books by his favourite authors along with the authors who influenced his faves, and so on and so forth. He finds it interesting to see where ideas sprout from, the little nuances, and loves tracing the literary paths.


We got into this discussion about the two Eckharts and about the power of language. Martin says that while Eckhart Tolle avoids direct usage of the term "God" (using "presence" or "being" instead), Meister Eckhart goes right ahead and uses "God" in his writing. Tolle seems to lean towards the general "god" or higher spiritual being. Then Martin goes on to say that people are intimidated by certain terminology. Once someone hears "religion" or "God" they are turned off because the topic feels so .... heavy. The power of language! So with Eckhart Tolle's books, they touch on all encompassing ancient truths and beliefs that can all be found in all religions.

I ask if he preferred The Power of Now or A New Earth and he chooses the former. He tells me how so many people are reading these types of books now but it isn't for everybody, he says. Some like them, some don't, - it all comes down to timing and when you're ready to let these practices into your life. "If I had read these books when I was 21 I would have put it down right away. I just wouldn't be interested in them. And it's true. I got these books a few years ago and didn't take to them. Then I picked them up 2 years later and now I'm hooked!"

We talk about how the books are everywhere, how everyone is reading it, and then we discuss the Oprah touch! A New World was one of Oprah's picks and once Oprah endorsed it, as per usual, everyone had to read it! Martin read it before it got the O stamp of approval. He also adds that he tries to stay away from books on her list once she's held it up to the world. Why? Just a certain stigma about it. I guess one could compare it to music...how we love having it as our own but once it gets mainstream it's tainted in our eyes, it belongs to everyone, it's now our own. So we move on to the next "new" thing.

I bring up the book Eat Pray Love (another Oprah book, right?) and tell him about a "theory" the book club gals came up with - that it's a total "girl" book but if we recommended it to a guy, would he like it? But since he is into spiritual books I thought maybe he would be into the book. He smiles and says I am the 2nd person who has mentioned to him recently. A girl friend of his says EPL is one of her fave books right now and recommends it to him. Now he feels compelled to read it after hearing about it from her and now me!

We go on to talk about the "ego" and how people need to learn to detach themselves from it. Martin gives an example of someone who he feels is ego-less. "Take a look at Barack Obama. He is a perfect example of someone who is disconnected form his ego. He is just so calm, he has this coolness, and it's all natural. Nothing seems to bother him. I think he is a good example of being ego-less, in my opinion, at least..."

If he were to write a book of his own it would deal with his struggles with trying to live an ego-less life but sometimes straying back into his ego. He whips out a marble notebook and tells me that he writes down random stream-of-conscious things and how he'd incorporate it all into his book if he were to write out. But it won't be autobiographical because that would be feeding into the ego, he says. The book would be a general overview and would discuss struggles towards living a successful (in spiritual sense) life.

Does he read anything besides books about spirituality? Sometimes he reads fiction but feels like his time reading them could be spent reading more spiritual books. It is his passion so he must streamline! You can find him reading 3-4 books at a time. He calls himself a "book addict" and carries a few books with him everywhere. He just has to consume books at all times!


Are you more/less likely to read books that Oprah endorses? Do you have feelings for/against/neutral about the Oprah touch?

I will say that it is good to see that Oprah has gotten many people to read...