Aren't Eckhart Tolle's teachings very repetitive?

[BojackHorseman]

When I first read his book/heard his videos, it felt really great, discovering such a basic simple truth, but the more I see other videos, the more I feel like everything can just be summarized into : be in the present moment (sort of).

Which of course is the only needed advice in life in a way, but also, once you get the idea, is there anything left to learn here?

Not saying there should be. Just considering not following him anymore, because it's just wasted time to me at this point.

Please note that I'm just talking about theory here, not practice.

[Leo Gura]

You're not being in the present.

[BojackHorseman]

3 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

You're not being in the present.

Never said I was

But more seriously, I could indeed be just present and listen to him basically say the same truth with different words, but at this point I'd rather learn something else that I don't know of in my spare time.

(By the way, I'm certainly not dissing him, I'll always be grateful for what he's doing. I just think at some point we gotta let go of some teachers)

[Leo Gura]

Tolle isn't a philosopher. He's doing very narrow nonduality. There's pros and cons to that.

Edited November 29, 2023 by Leo Gura

[BojackHorseman]

Certainly.
But the pros to me are just in introducing people to nonduality, and after that I feel like his work is done?
Now that I'm writing all that I'm not even sure what my goal was of that I was trying to say haha...If I feel like his teachings aren't useful to me anymore, I shouldn't ask for anybody else's opinion.
It just feels weird letting go of something you love, if that makes sense, so I was having contradictory feelings about that.
But there is just nothing here for me, it seems, so I should rather use my time to learn things I don't know about (and, well, practice, cause I won't lie, I'm a compulsive information hoarder)
 

[UnbornTao]

Experiencing something is different from intellectually understanding it.

For instance, you could live as a zen monk in a monastery for six years and increasingly deepen your ability to be present. It can be practiced and mastered, even if the idea behind it is easy to understand.

For example: Am I able to remain grounded in the midst of challenging situations? How good am I contemplating an object for 4 hours straight? Can I be intently present effortlessly, or do I struggle with a bunch of emotional reactions, distractions, pains, and imaginations?

Edited November 29, 2023 by UnbornTao

[BojackHorseman]

Certainly not 4 hours, I'm actually a total beginner and my longer meditations were around 30 mn
But I also have ADHD and anxiety (also 40+ and coming from a very anxious neurodivergent father and mother), so, the bar is probably very low for me.
My current challenge should just be meditation streaks. Even that gets harder these days.
 

Edited November 29, 2023 by BojackHorseman

[Osaid]

9 hours ago, BojackHorseman said:

once you get the idea

He's not teaching an idea. Ideas can help, but the goal is to get what he is actually talking about. As for whether he is a good teacher or not, no clue. I don't think he did much for me when I watched him.

Edited November 29, 2023 by Osaid

[UnbornTao]

21 hours ago, BojackHorseman said:

Certainly not 4 hours, I'm actually a total beginner and my longer meditations were around 30 mn
But I also have ADHD and anxiety (also 40+ and coming from a very anxious neurodivergent father and mother), so, the bar is probably very low for me.
My current challenge should just be meditation streaks. Even that gets harder these days.
 

It was an example. In any case this is a skill that can be developed regardless of where you currently find yourself at in life.

Everyone is going through their own process, remember to enjoy it.

Edited November 29, 2023 by UnbornTao

[Carl-Richard]

Different teachers teach using different methods (and teach different methods). Find some other teachers and see if they resonate more with you.

[Breakingthewall]

Tolle does a great work, instills in you an interesting idea about how the mind creates the appearance of an experience that takes place in time, about how the present moment is the absolute, but nothing more. He tells you: one day I wanted to commit suicide and the next day I was free of my ego. Oh, okay. That is of no use, he cannot teach you how to get out of the trap of the mind because he did not get out of the trap of his own free will, it was something spontaneous. The only advice he could give you to reach that point is: immerse yourself in a state of anxiety so horrible that you want to die, and then maybe your mind will free itself or you will commit suicide. that is of no use.

Ok, now you know that the present moment is the absolute. That is important, but you have to find the way to break the illusion of temporality and be the absolute present, open yourself to the total existence of the now.

[An young being]

Sometimes the important things have to be repeated again and again in order to etch it in our mind. I bet atleast 90% of the people who knows the importance of being mindful don't practise it.

[Thought Art]

That’s the whole point I guess. Ego wants complexity. But, he says just be here now. If you want complexity you’re going about his work wrong. 
 

though, I do think in reality it’s more complex then he teaches. Well-being is as simple as being here now. Or is it? 

[gettoefl]

he teaches everything is ok ie acceptance ... this doesnt take you all the way ... you need forgiveness,  ie everything is supremely perfect, now live thus

he is step 1

Edited November 29, 2023 by gettoefl

[Lila9]

I love his teachings because they are simple and direct. The absolute truth can only be found in the present moment, and he is doing a great job of delivering it in his gentle and calm manner.

He is not a philosopher and doesn't emphasize thinking. However, he differentiates between monkey and compulsive thinking and between practical, productive, and necessary thinking. He emphasizes that the former is unnecessary and can be solved by being more present and aware, but it doesn't mean that the latter is bad or isn't necessary.

[CARDOZZO]

On 11/28/2023 at 10:17 PM, UnbornTao said:

Experiencing something is different from intellectually understanding it.

For instance, you could live as a zen monk in a monastery for six years and increasingly deepen your ability to be present. It can be practiced and mastered, even if the idea behind it is easy to understand.

For example: Am I able to remain grounded in the midst of challenging situations? How good am I contemplating an object for 4 hours straight? Can I be intently present effortlessly, or do I struggle with a bunch of emotional reactions, distractions, pains, and imaginations?

Always on point.

Thanks for your POV.

[UnbornTao]

3 hours ago, CARDOZZO said:

Always on point.

Thanks for your POV.

Appreciate it, you're welcome. 

[eputkonen]

On 11/28/2023 at 7:49 PM, BojackHorseman said:

When I first read his book/heard his videos, it felt really great, discovering such a basic simple truth, but the more I see other videos, the more I feel like everything can just be summarized into : be in the present moment (sort of).

Which of course is the only needed advice in life in a way, but also, once you get the idea, is there anything left to learn here?

Not saying there should be. Just considering not following him anymore, because it's just wasted time to me at this point.

Please note that I'm just talking about theory here, not practice.

The best teachers are repetitive because they stay focused on the main points.  Ramana Maharshi just kept saying "who am I", self-enquiry, and abide in Silence.  Someone once came to him and asked "who was I in my past life" and Ramana responded, "who are you now?"

Zen Master Bankei is a favorite of mine and he more or less did the same lecture for over 40 years.  He had villagers say, "you said this the last time you came here, so why are you saying it again?" and he responded, "that is because you still don't get it".  (paraphrased of course).

Eckhart Tolle's main point is being present.  So if you live being in the present now, then you have nothing more to learn.  If you still have compulsive thought, mental rumination, fixation on past or future, etc., then you still need his pointers (or others) about being present.

Edited December 6, 2023 by eputkonen

[Yimpa]

Santa’s favorite little helper. Ho ho ho!

[Bazooka Jesus]

On 29.11.2023 at 7:52 PM, Thought Art said:

That’s the whole point I guess. Ego wants complexity. But, he says just be here now. If you want complexity you’re going about his work wrong.

Exactly.

There is incredible depth in Eckhart's simplicity. I can listen to him over and over again and always get something new out of it... the more you progress, the more you will be able to draw out of his teachings.

But I also understand the desire to hear something slightly more "advanced" at certain points of the journey - which also has the advantage that you will hear Eckhart's truisms with fresh ears afterwards. If you listen to the same thing over and over again, it kind of loses it's meaning and impact after a while... the same way that when you repeat a certain word fifty times in a row, you'll start to wonder "uuuuummm, what does that word mean again?" So it's good to mix it up every once in a while.

One of my favorite teachers after I (thought I) had transcended Eckhart's teachings was Adyashanti; his talks and books are especially useful if you already had your first glimpses but now feel like you're stuck in post-awakening limbo where you have realized the Absolute but somehow still are waiting for something to "happen". (Check out The End Of Your World... it's one of my favorite books about the awakening (non-)journey.)

Cheers!