http://livingwithtolle.com The Teachings of Eckhart Tolle Applied to Daily Life | Podcast, Videos, and Articles Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:55:24 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 We explore "The Power of Now" and "A New Earth" and try to answer one practical question asked by many fans of Eckhart Tolle: How can you apply these teachings to daily life? In each podcast, hosts Greg Larsen and Leo Aristimuno guide you through relaxed conversations, interviews with special guests, practical spiritual practices, reflexive meditations, and simple recommendations for practicing presence and stillness in everyday life. For videos, articles, and information visit our web site please visit www.livingwithtolle.com Leo Aristimuno no Leo Aristimuno admin@livingwithtolle.com admin@livingwithtolle.com (Leo Aristimuno) Leo Aristimuno and Greg Larsen The teachings of Eckhart Tolle applied to daily life. Eckhart Tolle, Power of Now, New Earth, Meditation, Pain body, spirituality, Family, Zen, Happiness, Peace, Anxiety http://www.livingwithtolle.com/wp-content/images/RSS_graphic.png http://livingwithtolle.com TV-PG http://livingwithtolle.com/2011/08/10/podcast-episode-5-practicing-acceptance/ http://livingwithtolle.com/2011/08/10/podcast-episode-5-practicing-acceptance/#comments Wed, 10 Aug 2011 06:23:15 +0000 Leo http://livingwithtolle.com/?p=407 http://livingwithtolle.com/2011/08/10/podcast-episode-5-practicing-acceptance/feed/ 1 eckhart, tolle, power, now, new, earth, parenting, joy, presence, being, practice, fatherhood, peace, acceptance, On this episode of Living With Tolle we focus on "Acceptance," the first stage of "Awakened Doing," as explained by Eckhart Tolle in A New Earth. Practicing acceptance can help us cope with tragic loss, daily life, On this episode of Living With Tolle we focus on "Acceptance," the first stage of "Awakened Doing," as explained by Eckhart Tolle in A New Earth. Practicing acceptance can help us cope with tragic loss, daily life, and the challenges of personal awakening. Play Now or Listen in a new window (32 minutes) Right-click to save to your computer (44MB) If you enjoyed this podcast, you can share it with friends. Simply use the ShareThis button at the end of this post. Thanks! Key Insights From Our Conversation: Sharing transformative experiences with others feels good. The process of awakening, on a personal and spiritual level, affects you in unexpected ways. Personal Awakening is not about creating a fixed paradise, but about being in the process of continually creating paradise “Acceptance” can help you deal with and recover from loss and tragedies, such as hurricanes. The Ego creates itself through identification by attaching itself to form, to things around us, and even to our thoughts. When those are stripped away, we have an opportunity to realize “I am not my possessions” or “I am not my thoughts.” Even in the face of loss, you can still experience the present moment, inner aliveness, and the joy of being. An explanation of Awakened Doing: (from Chapter 10 of A New Earth) Step 1: Acceptance. Step 2: Enjoyment. Step 3: Enthusiasm. Begin with Acceptance: It is fundamental. [Watch Greg speaking about acceptance] How do you accept a flat tire? How do you accept cold soup at a restaurant? How do you accept your kids’ tantrums or daily messes? A state of non-acceptance is a state of resistance, which creates Negativity. Acceptance can help you listen to your kids, accepting their emotions, creating deeper empathy and better connections with them. How can we practice acceptance without “putting up with” undesirable situations and challenges? Acceptance is not about a passive resignation to life’s situations. Accept the situation, acknowledge the problem, then consciously correct the situation through acceptance. Though your conditioned way of being can react to problems by complaining, creating drama, anger, and frustrations, acceptance allows you to engage life’s challenges in more clear-headed, dynamic, and creative ways. Acceptance allows for clarity of mind. Don’t engage in drama, false stories, internal complaints, inaccurate interpretations of what’s happening around you. All this energy wasted in the drama can actually make the problem worse. Rather, accept the situation and the present moment as it is unfolding. The solutions you seek are more readily available through acceptance than through resistance. Questions to our audience: How is your inability to create acceptance wasting energy in your life? How is your resistance to life creating more anger or anxiety than necessary? How do you experience resistance in your life? How do you experience acceptance? What has happens when you have accepted the situation differently, more fully, without the resistance? Have our conversations helped you to reach that moment of acceptance? Please share your experiences and your feedback in the "Response" section below. As we continue to develop our site, your comments on everything from content to design will be very valuable. Thanks for listening. Peace. Leo & Greg Larsen and Aristimuno no 31:58 http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/06/04/inspiration-and-creativity/ http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/06/04/inspiration-and-creativity/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:41:35 +0000 Leo http://livingwithtolle.com/?p=1226 http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/06/04/inspiration-and-creativity/feed/ 3 Eckhart Tolle, Power of Now, New Earth, Awareness, Economy, recession, presence, inspiration, creativity, opportunities, bold action On this episode of Living with Tolle we discuss how the teachings of Eckhart Tolle can help you to find inspiration for creating beautiful, new things in your life. We discuss how to triumph over the constrictions of complaining and fear. On this episode of Living with Tolle we discuss how the teachings of Eckhart Tolle can help you to find inspiration for creating beautiful, new things in your life. We discuss how to triumph over the constrictions of complaining and fear. We explore how to cultivate acceptance and presence to help you find inspiration and new opportunities with a sense of purpose in your everyday life. In this special video podcast from California, we begin by sharing how life has been calling us to serve through unique projects that are independent of Living with Tolle, but were inspired by Tolle’s teachings. Greg talks about his song Better Friends, his new recording, music video and website www.happyashumanlypossible.com. Leo talks about his work designing two new Eckhart Tolle iPhone Applications: The Power of Now Meditation Deck and The Power of Now Inspiration Deck. In the second half of the podcast we elaborate further on the teachings and how they can be used to inspire creativity around the key question: How is life calling me to serve? Play Audio Now Episode 15: Inspiration, Opportunity, and Service or Listen in a new window (39:53 minutes) Right-click to download to your PC, or [ctrl + click] to save to Mac (45.7MB) Watch the Video of This Episode: [flash medium=6 f={shownavigation=true&showstop=true&showdigits=true&usefullscreen=false&autostart=false}] Key Insights From This Episode: Minutes 0-18: Greg's new project: Better Friends Leo's iPhone apps: The Power of Now Meditation Deck & The Power of Now Inspiration Deck Minutes 18-40: The value of being open and receptive, even in time of a crisis, so you can harness the opportunities or solutions that are available to you. Reflecting on deeper questions of life, such as “how is life calling me to serve?” and cultivating presence so you can be in a space to allow creative reply from Life to flow into your life. Your deepening presence will also allow you to sense the egoic driven fears and then rise into action from a state of conscious awareness. By accepting the fear, or the crisis that may be triggering the fear, you will more easily discover the solutions to alleviate it. As you grow in what Tolle calls “presence power” you will naturally become more receptive to how Life is calling you to serve and live a life of deeper meaning and purpose. Complaining or venting may appear to be “letting off steam,” but in reality, it ends up contaminating your field of presence and preventing the solutions from being perceived and put to use. Complaining does not solve anything and shuts down the full potential of your creativity. It is fuel for the ego and all complaints, big or small, keep you from living your full potential. New opportunities to create and contribute are always available to you. A constant focus on the past or future, or a continual complaint about the present moment, close off the doors of opportunity and those “beyond my imagination” discoveries. Accepting and being fully present in the Now will raise your awareness of the many opportunities for play and creativity offered by Life. Questions for Deeper reflection: How have the teachings of Eckhart Tolle inspired you to create? How have they inspired you to take bold massive action and to follow new opportunities? How are anxious, constricting thought patterns keeping you form fully experiencing life? How are you nurturing your creativity? Items mentioned on this episode: Greg's new song & web site: Better Friends Leo's Eckhart Tolle iPhone Apps:The Power of Now Meditation Deck and Inspiration Deck These are available exclusively at the iTunes Store. Sign up here to be notified of our official release. Eckhart Tolle on Oprah Winfrey's "A New Earth Webinar" Deepak Chopra on The Ellen Show Print Products Mentioned: Ekhart Tolle's Power of Now Inspiration Deck (the print version) is available from New World Library. L. Aristimuno and G. Larsen no 39:53 http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/04/24/living-with-tolle-14-awareness-in-hard-economic-times/ http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/04/24/living-with-tolle-14-awareness-in-hard-economic-times/#comments Fri, 24 Apr 2009 06:03:35 +0000 Leo http://livingwithtolle.com/?p=1168 http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/04/24/living-with-tolle-14-awareness-in-hard-economic-times/feed/ 9 Eckhart Tolle, Power of Now, New Earth, Awareness, Economy, anxiety, recession, presence On this episode of LWT we discuss the economy. How can the teachings of Eckhart Tolle help us understand our relationship to the economy and to our individual economic situation? We discuss ways of dealing with the current economic situation using awa... On this episode of LWT we discuss the economy. How can the teachings of Eckhart Tolle help us understand our relationship to the economy and to our individual economic situation? We discuss ways of dealing with the current economic situation using awareness and presence. Play Now Episode 14: Awareness in Hard Economic Times or Listen in a new window (30:16 minutes) Right-click to download to your PC, or [ctrl + click] to save to Mac (34.6MB) Key Insights From This Episode: How you approach your situation from a state of presence will depend on the level of presence you were cultivating before this situation came to you. Use awareness, be the silent watcher, watch and question your thoughts, do not let them control you. Witness how your pain body is activated, how your deepest fears are agitated, and how you are reacting to the economic situation around you. Cultivate acceptance to foster a more conscious decision making process as you face economic hardships. From this state of acceptance, not resistance, you can interact with your life situation dynamically and will be open to discovering new ways in which life is calling you to serve. We have an opportunity to look at our deeper purpose in life. Be aware of how your sense of ego or your "economic self" is shaping the ways you face your current situation. Realize that you are not your life stories, or the past, or the future, or your home, or your career, or your economic situation. Look beyond your individual sense of self. Look beyond our collective definitions of who we are - they are temporary (and unsustainable). Connect to a deeper level of life and move beyond the thoughts and stories of your ego. You are life itself. Life expressed in form. There is no lack in life force. The one Source of Life that is never ending, never depleting, never in a recession. It is ever-flowing. Items mentioned in this episode: Living With Tolle: Episode 5: Practicing Acceptance Deepak Chopra on Ellen Eckhart Tolle's Finding Your Life's Purpose (DVD) Eckhart Tolle on Avoiding Identification With Content and Fear of Loss We both really enjoy Leo Babauta's: Zen Habits blog. Check out the "finances & family" category for great practical tips. Questions for deeper reflection: 1. As I face the new economic landscape before me, how can I practice acceptance? How can I use my economic situation to cultivate awareness? 2. How can I play with form? How can I re-invent myself? How can I explore this world of forms differently? How can I connect with my family, with my community, with other forms around me? How can I be a better friend? 3. Who am I? What am I? What happens once I realize that I am not my life stories, but that I am Life itself? Let us know what you think. If you have a question or if you want to share your experience, please use the comments section below to share and continue the conversation. If you enjoy this podcast, please look us up in the iTunes store and write a quick review! Thanks! L. Aristimuno and G. Larsen no 30:16 http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/04/02/lwt-13-the-pain-body-in-others-spring-fund-drive/ http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/04/02/lwt-13-the-pain-body-in-others-spring-fund-drive/#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:44:04 +0000 Leo http://livingwithtolle.com/?p=1104 http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/04/02/lwt-13-the-pain-body-in-others-spring-fund-drive/feed/ 26 Eckhart Tolle, Power of Now, New Earth, Intuition, Fear, Family, Pain Body, Living With Tolle, Practice, Acceptance On this episode of Living with Tolle we discuss other people’s pain bodies. What can you do when you see the special people around you suffering and you want to help? What can you do to support them in their awakening? This month, On this episode of Living with Tolle we discuss other people’s pain bodies. What can you do when you see the special people around you suffering and you want to help? What can you do to support them in their awakening? This month, we're also holding our Spring Fund Drive! Play Now Episode 13: The Pain Body in Other People & Spring Fund Drive or Listen in a new window (40:37 minutes) Right-click to download to your PC, or [ctrl + click] to save to Mac (46.5MB) Summary and Key Insights From This Episode You Can Help Us Grow We begin this podcast by talking about our Spring Fund Drive. During the month of April, you, our listeners, can help us grow by making a donation online. To show our gratitude, we are offering two special thank you gifts for those who donate: a video meditation and a tele-seminar led by Greg. Thank you in advance for all your support and for helping us continue to grow. The Pain Body in Those Around Us (at Minute 9:00) We begin the discussion by sharing that a lot of recent listener feedback has been around the topic of other people’s pain-bodies. The common refrain in all of these inquires has been: “I see them suffering and I want to help.” As we awaken, through the teachings of Eckhart Tolle or other teachings, and cultivate a deeper level of awareness into the causes of our suffering, we naturally want to extend this wisdom or knowledge to those that we love and see suffering. And if the teachings of Eckhart Tolle have triggered your awakening and his insights into the pain-body have been part of a deeper shift, then seeing someone suffer senselessly is not easy to deal with. Clear insights into the workings of the pain-body in your own life can lead to revelations into your condition and finally enable you to create what Tolle calls “space.” You are finally able to witness the pain body creating havoc within you and for the first time in your life, you can practice being “space” instead of the conditioned reaction. As you create a greater degree of space, then less of your life energy is tangled up in the pain body. How do I share my insights with those I love? If you have experienced an awakening, but your spouse, partner, child or parent has not, then how do you share the teachings or insights with them so that they get it? You may be in a similar situation. Most people report that the other is not interested or won’t listen at all. They remain stuck in their unconscious ways and do not want your input or advice. So the best thing you can do is take your focus off of them and re-direct it back to yourself. If your pain body is being triggered by another person’s pain-body, then the problem is not their pain body but yours. You need to grow in presence power so you can be “space” for the other person. When their pain body is active or acting out, can you be in complete acceptance and offer the “space” to be, for the energy of the pain body to rise and fall? The pain-body in most people will always return to a dormant state, and so it is a matter of not reacting and allowing that energy to subside. Leo emphasizes that this is not about getting people to “believe in Tolle.” He shares about his own past transformational experiences and the resistance me met from those around him after such growth. Keep in mind that after any sort of deeply transformative experience, the other people in your life will still be at their current level of transformation. How can being in acceptance of the situation help? If the other person is not willing to change, or if they have not entered their season of awakening, then resisting their current state of consciousness will only drain you of energy. If you are exerting all of your energy in an attempt to force the person to bend when they are not ready to bend, you will expend much of your precious life energy. If you were to take that life energy and re-direct it back into your own conscious growth, Aristimuno and Larsen no 40:37 http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/02/24/reflecting-on-avoiding-confrontation/ http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/02/24/reflecting-on-avoiding-confrontation/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:23:40 +0000 Leo http://livingwithtolle.com/?p=844 http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/02/24/reflecting-on-avoiding-confrontation/feed/ 8 http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/02/12/how-am-i-doing/ http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/02/12/how-am-i-doing/#comments Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:21:52 +0000 Leo http://livingwithtolle.com/?p=771 http://livingwithtolle.com/2009/02/12/how-am-i-doing/feed/ 4 http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/11/11/living-with-tolle-8-practicing-presence-at-work/ http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/11/11/living-with-tolle-8-practicing-presence-at-work/#comments Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:13:25 +0000 Greg http://livingwithtolle.com/?p=458 http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/11/11/living-with-tolle-8-practicing-presence-at-work/feed/ 0 eckhart, tolle, power, now, new, earth, job, work, joy, presence, practice, news, peace, larsen On this episode of Living with Tolle we talk about “Work” and how to apply the teachings of Eckhart Tolle towards a more fulfilling relationship with our jobs. We examine how acceptance, our state of presence, On this episode of Living with Tolle we talk about “Work” and how to apply the teachings of Eckhart Tolle towards a more fulfilling relationship with our jobs. We examine how acceptance, our state of presence, and our sense of purpose can guide us in answering that nagging question “what am I doing here at this job?” This episode was inspired by a question posted by a listener through our comments section. If you’d like to ask questions or share your thoughts and experiences, please write us a brief comment in the section below. Key Highlights From Our Conversation:   How to practice presence at work - especially when faced with the complex issues that may arise in a work environment. The best approach is from a state of acceptance. We are not talking about being resigned or depressed, but in a dynamic state of openness that enables new ideas to flow and the energy to put them into action How to truly shift your attitude at work and about your job. Have you made choices in the past to embrace a new approach to your boss, co-workers, projects or tasks? How did it go for you? Since work can trigger strong feelings around primal emotions such as security, work can be an environment that fosters reactivity. Indeed, our work environment can sometimes feel like a trap where we may feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled. So, will an intellectual "attitude" shift suffice? Or is a deeper shift required to align your work life with your life’s purpose? To authentically shift how you relate to the various aspects of your work, you must cultivate your state of presence. What is your life’s purpose? And once you find it, what do you do about your job? What is the best way to approach making a career change or job advancement? Instead of being fixed on what you want to do (a sign your goal may be ego based) approach your through hold in a state of inquiry. Instead of demanding your career should give you this or that, it is better to be in a constant state of inquiry. Ask yourself this question: How is Life calling me to serve? How can I serve by sharing my unique gifts and talents? These questions will shift your approach to daily life from one of resistance to one of discovery, service, and fulfillment. If you already have a vision or goal for the future, but resist where you are at now, how does that resistance serve your expansion, evolution, or emergence? Honoring the present moment is what enables the greater vision to unfold with greater creativity and less stress. The only reality is the present moment, and honoring the present moment through complete acceptance frees up space in the head for ideas to flow freely and frees up energy in the body to put those ideas into action. In this state of acceptance and presence, you will be able to creatively assess your daily life, your role at work, and the opportunities for change. As always, we invite listeners to send us questions and feedback, to share their experiences, and to suggest topics for future episodes. Use the section below to add your comments. Till next time, Peace. Larsen and Arisimuno no 35:16 http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/10/13/podcast-episode-6-the-economy/ http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/10/13/podcast-episode-6-the-economy/#comments Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:02:37 +0000 Leo http://livingwithtolle.com/?p=422 http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/10/13/podcast-episode-6-the-economy/feed/ 3 eckhart, tolle, power, now, new, earth, economic, crisis, joy, presence, practice, news, peace, larsen On this episode of Living With Tolle:  We explore how Eckhart Tolle's teachings can help us deal with the stresses and anxieties of our current economic situation. - Key Highlights From Our Conversation: - Dealing with the News (3:30 - 11:30) On this episode of Living With Tolle:  We explore how Eckhart Tolle's teachings can help us deal with the stresses and anxieties of our current economic situation. Key Highlights From Our Conversation: Dealing with the News (3:30 - 11:30) How can Eckhart's teachings help us deal with the fear & anxiety created by "News Overload," by the torrent of negativity behind the current "Economic Crisis." Cultivating Awareness From Our Real Life Economic Strains & Challenges (11:30 - 17:00) There are real problems and hardships happening. People are having a hard time meeting their payments, dealing with rising costs of food and gas. How can deal with these real life strains? How can we use these situations to cultivate awareness, acceptance, and presence? The "Return Movement" (17:10 - 22:45) In Chapter 10 of A New Earth, Tolle discusses the concept of the Return Movement. Everything expands and then returns: age, health, friends, family, even the universe. There is a natural flow back and forth. It is a natural cycle. Our culture is obsessed with the expansion, not the returning side of this cycle. How can understanding this natural cycle help us deal with the retractions in our economic situation? Returning to Presence and Enjoyment (22:45 - 27:50) What things we can do to set aside the strains and stresses, the news and fear, and get back to being present, to acceptance, and to enjoyment? Questions to our audience: How has the economic crisis affected you? Have Eckhart's teachings helped you cope with the stress and anxiety of our economic situation? Have you found yourself overloaded with news? Have you been able to turn it off? Has our podcast helped you generate awareness and return to a state of presence? Is the concept of The Return a helpful one to help you accept the economic cycles of life? How have you found joy in your everyday life? Please share your experiences and your feedback in the "Response" section below. As we continue to develop our site, your comments on everything from content to design will be very valuable. Larsen and Aristimuno no 24:54 http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/09/20/podcast-episode-4-practicing-presence-with-a-baby/ http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/09/20/podcast-episode-4-practicing-presence-with-a-baby/#comments Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:28:44 +0000 Leo http://livingwithtolle.com/?p=371 http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/09/20/podcast-episode-4-practicing-presence-with-a-baby/feed/ 4 eckhart, tolle, power, now, new, earth, parenting, joy, presence, being, practice, fatherhood, peace, baby On this episode of Living With Tolle: Leo is the proud father of a new baby boy! So we discuss how to practice presence in the face of daily challenges. How to enrich your life experience by simply honoring the moment. And, On this episode of Living With Tolle: Leo is the proud father of a new baby boy! So we discuss how to practice presence in the face of daily challenges. How to enrich your life experience by simply honoring the moment. And, how all this relates to the challenges and rewards that a new baby brings. Key Insights From Our Conversation: Leo welcomes a new baby to his family! "Life is enough" Experiencing acceptance with children How being present for baby is nurturing The challenge of just being Experiencing the joy of being present in the moment Awareness of one's acceptance of the moment Is multi-tasking effective? The challenge of vigilantly watching our thoughts Allowing life to be a rich experience by simply honoring it Join the Conversation (Post a Comment) Are there daily activities that allow you to experience presence? Are there daily activities that distract you from presence? How has "being present" enhanced your parenting experience? How has acceptance enhanced your relationship with your children? // // Larsen and Aristimuno no 28:51 http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/09/13/acceptance/ http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/09/13/acceptance/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:06:46 +0000 Leo http://livingwithtolle.com/?p=361 http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/09/13/acceptance/feed/ 7 http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/09/12/lwt-episodepodcast3-overcominganxiety/ http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/09/12/lwt-episodepodcast3-overcominganxiety/#comments Fri, 12 Sep 2008 05:10:08 +0000 Leo http://livingwithtolle.com/?p=304 http://livingwithtolle.com/2008/09/12/lwt-episodepodcast3-overcominganxiety/feed/ 1 eckhart tolle, power of now, new earth, anxiety, inner peace, presence Anxiety. What is it? How to deal with it? Tips for harnessing nervous energy and practicing presence to powerfully engage in the game of life. - Key Insights From Our Conversation: Leo shares his anxieties about having a baby. Anxiety. What is it? How to deal with it? Tips for harnessing nervous energy and practicing presence to powerfully engage in the game of life. Key Insights From Our Conversation: Leo shares his anxieties about having a baby. Managing the “butterflies” or nervous energy as an actor or speaker Harnessing the influx of life energy as a performer Managing “stage fright” and consciously choosing an inspired performance Cultivating the dynamic intelligence of the body Practice being present to prepare the body for “game time” in life Be a professional at being present – to give your best performance Becoming your own “life saver” Acceptance and cultivating presence enables you to powerfully engage in life Feeling good in the body Join the Conversation (Share a Comment) What situations in your life cause you anxiety? Have you been paralyzed or inspired by anxiety? How have you harnessed the creative energy behind anxiety? Does regularly cultivating presence on a regular basis help you when it's game time? Aristimuno & Larsen no 28:21