INTRODUCTION
Eckhart Tolle Lyrics

I have little use for the past and rarely think about it; however,
I do not dwell on or give much importance to my past experiences, as they no longer hold relevance in my life.

I would briefly like to tell you how I came to be a
For a short moment, I will share the story of how I became a

Spiritual teacher and how this book came into existence
teacher of spiritual wisdom and how this book came to be

Until my thirtieth year,
Until I reached the age of thirty

I lived in a state of almost continuous anxiety
I experienced nearly constant anxiety and worry

Interspersed with periods of suicidal depression.
Occasionally, I would also go through phases of severe depression and thoughts of ending my life.

It feels now as if I am talking about
It now feels as though I am speaking about

Some past lifetime or somebody else's life
a previous life or someone else's experiences

One night not long after my twenty-ninth birthday,
On a particular night shortly after my twenty-ninth birthday,

I woke up in the early hours with a feeling of absolute dread.
I abruptly woke up in the early hours of the morning overwhelmed by a deep sense of terror.

I had woken up with such a feeling many times before,
This feeling of dread was not unfamiliar to me, as I had experienced it on numerous occasions in the past

But this time it was more intense than it had ever been.
However, this particular instance was more powerful and overwhelming than any previous occurrence.

The silence of the night,
The quietness of the night,

The vague outlines of the furniture in the dark room,
The dim and blurry shapes of the objects in the dark room,

The distant noise of a passing train - everything felt so alien,
The far-off sound of a train passing by - everything seemed unfamiliar,

So hostile, and so utterly meaningless that
Hostile and completely devoid of purpose, so much so that

It created in me a deep loathing of the world.
It instilled within me a profound dislike and disgust for the world.

The most loathsome thing of all, however, was my own existence.
Yet, the most repugnant thing of all was my own being.

What was the point in continuing to live with this burden of misery?
Why should I carry on living burdened by this overwhelming suffering?

Why carry on with this continuous struggle?
What is the purpose of persisting through this ongoing battle?

I could feel that a deep longing for annihilation, for nonexistence,
I could sense a profound desire to cease existing, to be completely obliterated,

Was now becoming much stronger than
Which was now overpowering

The instinctive desire to continue to live
My innate urge to keep living

I cannot live with myself any longer.
I can no longer tolerate my own presence.

'This was the thought that kept repeating itself in my mind.
'This thought kept echoing relentlessly within my mind.

Then suddenly I became aware of what a peculiar thought it was. '
Suddenly, I realized how unusual and strange this thought truly was.'

Am I one or two?
Am I a single entity or two separate entities?

If I cannot live with myself, there must be two of me: the '
If I cannot coexist with myself, there must be two aspects within me: the '

'I' and the 'self' that '
'I' and the 'self' that

'I' cannot live with.' '
'I' cannot tolerate.' '

Maybe,' I thought, 'only one of them is real.'
Perhaps, only one of these aspects truly exists,' I contemplated.

I was so stunned by this strange realization that my mind stopped.
This realization left me in such a state of shock that my thoughts ceased.

I was fully conscious, but there were no more thoughts.
I remained fully aware, yet my mind was devoid of any further thinking.

Then I felt drawn into what seemed like a vortex of energy.
Subsequently, I felt irresistibly pulled into what appeared to be an energetic whirlwind.

It was a slow movement at first and then accelerated.
Initially, the movement was gradual but gradually gained momentum.

I was gripped by an intense fear, and my body started to shake.
A profound fear took hold of me, and my physical body began to tremble.

I heard the words 'resist nothing,' as if spoken inside my chest.
I perceived the words 'resist nothing' as if they were being uttered within my own chest.

I could feel myself being sucked into a void.
I could sense the sensation of being pulled into an empty space.

It felt as if the void was inside myself rather than outside.
This void seemed to exist within me, not externally.

Suddenly, there was no more fear,
Unexpectedly, all fear vanished,

And I let myself fall into that void.
And I allowed myself to surrender to that emptiness.

I have no recollection of what happened after that
I have no memory of what transpired thereafter

I was awakened by the chirping of a bird outside the window.
My awakening was prompted by the cheerful chirping of a bird near the window.

I had never heard such a sound before.
I had never previously encountered such a delightful melody.

My eyes were still closed, and I saw the image of a precious diamond.
Although my eyes remained shut, I visualized the image of a valuable diamond.

Yes, if a diamond could make a sound, this is what it would be like.
Indeed, if a diamond could produce a sound, it would resemble this very melody.

I Opened my eyes.
Then, I finally opened my eyes.

The first light of dawn was filtering through the curtains.
The gentle glow of the early morning sun seeped through the curtains.

Without any thought, I felt, I knew,
Without any conscious thinking, I felt a deep sense of knowing,

That there is infinitely more to light than we realize.
The nature of light extends far beyond our current understanding.

That soft luminosity filtering through the curtains was love itself.
The gentle radiance permeating through the curtains embodied love in its purest form.

Tears came into my eyes.
Tears welled up in my eyes.

I got up and walked around the room.
I rose from my position and began to explore the room.

I recognized the room,
I acknowledged the familiarity of the room,

And yet I knew that I had never truly seen it before.
Yet, I understood that I had never genuinely perceived it in such a manner before.

Everything was fresh and pristine,
Everything appeared new and untouched,

As if it had just come into existence.
As if it had only just manifested.

I picked up things, a pencil, an empty bottle,
I picked up random objects, such as a pencil and an empty bottle,

Marveling at the beauty and aliveness of it all
In awe of their exquisite beauty and vibrant aliveness

That day I walked around the city in utter amazement at the
Throughout the day, I wandered through the city with a profound sense of astonishment,

Miracle of life on earth, as if I had just been born into this world
Witnessing the miraculous nature of life on Earth, as if I had been freshly born into this world

For the next five months,
Over the following five months,

I lived in a state of uninterrupted deep peace and bliss.
I dwelled in a constant state of profound peace and pure bliss without any interruptions.

After that, it diminished somewhat in intensity,
Subsequently, the intensity of this state slightly decreased,

Or perhaps it just seemed to because it became my natural state.
Or maybe it only appeared that way because it became my inherent state of being.

I could still function in the world,
I was still able to engage in the world's affairs,

Although I realized that nothing I ever did
However, I recognized that no matter what I accomplished

Could possibly add anything to what I already had
It could never enhance or contribute anything further to what I already possessed

I knew, of course,
Of course, I was aware

That something profoundly significant had
That something immensely significant had

Happened to me, but I didn't understand it at all.
Taken place within me, but I did not comprehend its true nature.

It wasn't until several years later,
Only after several years had passed

After I had read spiritual texts and spent time with spiritual
Following my reading of spiritual texts and spending time with spiritual

Teachers, that I realized that what
teachers, I came to the realization that what

Everybody was looking for had already happened to me.
Everyone was searching for had already occurred within me.

I understood that the intense pressure of suffering that night must
I comprehended that the immense suffering I endured on that night must have

Have forced my consciousness to withdraw from its identification with
compelled my consciousness to detach from its identification with

The unhappy and deeply fearful self,
the unhappy and profoundly fearful self,

Which is ultimately a fiction of the mind.
which is ultimately an illusion created by the mind.

This withdrawal must have been so complete that this false,
This detachment must have been so thorough that this fabricated,

Suffering self immediately collapsed,
suffering self immediately crumbled,

Just as if a plug had been pulled out of an inflatable toy.
as though a plug had been removed from an inflatable toy.

What was left then was my true nature as the ever-present I am:
What remained was my authentic essence as the eternal presence of 'I am':

Consciousness in its pure state prior to identification with form.
consciousness in its unadulterated form before associating with the concept of form.

Later I also learned to go into that inner timeless and deathless
Subsequently, I also discovered how to access that eternal and undying inner

Realm that I had originally perceived
dimension that I had originally perceived

As a void and remain fully conscious.
as an empty space and maintain complete awareness.

I dwelt in states of such indescribable bliss and sacredness that
I resided in states of unimaginable joy and sacredness so profound that

Even the original experience I just described pales in comparison.
even the initial experience I just described seems insignificant by comparison.

A time came when, for a while,
There came a period when, temporarily,

I was left with nothing on the physical plane.
I found myself devoid of any physical possessions.

I had no relationships, no job, no home, no socially defined identity.
I lacked any relationships, occupation, residence, or socially constructed sense of self.

I spent almost two years sitting on park
For nearly two years, I sat in parks

Benches in a state of the most intense joy
on benches, experiencing the most profound state of joy

But even the most beautiful experiences come and go.
Yet, even the most magnificent experiences are impermanent.

More fundamental, perhaps,
Possibly, what is more fundamental

Than any experience is the undercurrent
is the underlying current

Of peace that has never left me since then.
of unwavering peace that has been with me ever since.

Sometimes it is very strong,
At times, it is incredibly potent,

Almost palpable, and others can feel it too.
almost tangible, and other individuals can sense it as well.

At other times,
On occasions,

It is somewhere in the background, like a distant melody
it resides in the background, akin to a melodious echo in the distance

Later, people would occasionally come up to me and say: '
Subsequently, individuals would sometimes approach me and say: '

I want what you have.
I desire to attain what you possess.

Can you give it to me, or show me how to get it?' And I would say: '
Can you bestow it upon me or guide me to obtain it?' And I would reply: '

You have it already.
You already possess it.

You just can't feel it because your mind is malting too much noise.
However, you are unable to perceive it due to the excessive mental chatter within your mind.

' That answer later grew into the
' This response later evolved into the

Book that you are holding in your hands
book that you are currently holding in your hands.

Before I knew it, I had an external identity again.
Without my conscious awareness, I once again acquired an external identity.

I had become a spiritual teacher
I had transformed into a spiritual guide

The Truth That Is Within You
The profound truth that resides deep within you

This book represents the essence of my work,
This book encapsulates the core teachings and principles of my work,

As far as it can be conveyed in words,
to the fullest extent possible through verbal communication,

With individuals and small groups of spiritual seekers
with individuals and small gatherings of individuals on a spiritual quest

During the past ten years, in Europe and in North America.
over the past decade within Europe and North America.

In deep love and appreciation,
With immense love and gratitude,

I would like to thank those exceptional people for their courage,
I express heartfelt gratitude to those extraordinary individuals for their bravery,

Their willingness to embrace inner change,
their openness and eagerness to embrace internal transformation,

Their challenging questions, and their readiness to listen.
their thought-provoking inquiries, and their willingness to listen attentively.

This book would not have come into existence without them.
Without their presence, this book would never have come to fruition.

They belong to what is as yet a small but fortunately growing
They are part of a relatively small, yet fortunately expanding

Minority of spiritual pioneers:
minority of individuals who are forging new paths in spirituality:

People who are reaching a point where they become capable of breaking
Individuals who are gradually reaching a stage where they possess the ability to shatter

Out of inherited collective mind-patterns that
free themselves from adopted collective patterns of thought that

Have kept humans in bondage to suffering for eons
have subjected humanity to prolonged suffering for countless ages

I trust that this book will find its way to those who are ready
I have faith that this book will find its way into the hands of those who are prepared

For such radical inner
For the profound internal

Transformation and so act as a catalyst for it.
transformation and serve as a catalyst to trigger it.

I also hope that it will reach many others who will find its content
Furthermore, I hope that this book will reach numerous other individuals who will discover its message

Worthy of consideration,
to be valuable for contemplation,

Although they may not be ready to fully live or practice it.
even if they may not be prepared to completely embody or engage with it.

It is possible that at a later time,
It is conceivable that at a subsequent moment,

The seed that was sown when reading this book will merge with the
The seed that has been planted while reading this book may eventually combine with

Seed of enlightenment that each human being carries within,
the seed of enlightenment that resides within every human being,

And suddenly that seed will sprout and come alive within them
and suddenly that seed will sprout and awaken within them.

The book in its present form originated, often spontaneously,
The book, in its current form, emerged quite spontaneously,

In response to questions asked by individuals in seminars,
in response to the inquiries posed by individuals during seminars,

Meditation classes and private counseling sessions,
meditation classes, and private counseling sessions,

And so I have kept the question and answer format.
Hence, I have maintained the format of questions and answers.

I learned and received as much in those
I gained just as much knowledge and insight during those

Classes and sessions as the questioners.
sessions and classes as the individuals who posed the questions.

Some of the questions and answers I wrote down almost verbatim.
Some of the questions and answers I recorded almost word for word.

Others are generic, which is to say I combined certain types of'
Others are more general, meaning that I merged various types of'

Questions that were frequently asked into one,
questions that were commonly posed, consolidating them into a single response,

And extracted the essence from
and extracted the fundamental principles from

Different answers to form one generic answer.
varied answers to create a comprehensive and generic response.

Sometimes, in the process of writing,
At times, while writing,

An entirely new answer came that was more
an entirely fresh response emerged that was more

Profound or insightful than anything I had ever uttered.
profound or insightful than anything I had previously expressed.

Some additional questions were asked by the editor so
The editor posed a few additional questions in order

As to provide further clarification of certain points
to offer additional clarity on certain aspects

You will find that from the first to the last page,
Throughout the entire book,

The dialogues continuously alternate between two different levels
the conversations consistently shift between two distinct levels

On one level, I draw your attention to what is false in you.
On one level, I direct your focus toward the falseness within yourself.

I speak of the nature of human unconsciousness and dysfunction as
I discuss the characteristics and behaviors associated with human unawareness and dysfunction,

Well as its most common behavioral manifestations,
as well as their most prevalent behavioral expressions,

From conflict in relationships to warfare between tribes or nations.
ranging from conflict within personal relationships to warfare between entire tribes or nations.

Such knowledge is vital,
This knowledge is essential,

For unless you learn to recognize the false as false --as not you--
as without the false identification as part of your being,

There can be no lasting transformation,
there can be no enduring and permanent transformation,

And you would always end up being drawn
and you will perpetually find yourself being enticed

Back into illusion and into some form of pain.
back into the realm of illusion and subjected to some form of suffering.

On this level, I also show you
On this level, I also guide you

How not to make that which is false in you into a self and into
how not to transform the false identity within you into a self and

A personal problem, for that is how the false perpetuates itself
a personal predicament, as that is how the falsehood continues to exist

On another level, I speak of a profound transformation of human
On another level, I discuss a deep metamorphosis of human

Consciousness - not as a distant future possibility,
consciousness - not as a mere possibility in the distant future,

But available now - no matter who or where you are.
but one that is attainable at this very moment, regardless of your identity or location.

You are shown how to free yourself from enslavement to the mind,
You are taught how to liberate yourself from being enslaved by your mind,

Enter into this enlightened state of
and enter into a state of enlightened

Consciousness and sustain it in everyday life
consciousness, and maintain it throughout your daily existence.

On this level of the book,
On this particular level of the book,

The words are not always concerned with information,
The words do not merely convey information,

But often designed to draw you into
but are often intended to entice you into

This new consciousness as you read.
this novel state of consciousness as you read.

Again and again, I endeavor to take you with me into that timeless
Repeatedly, I strive to bring you along into that timeless

State of intense conscious presence in the
state of intense conscious awareness within the

Now, so as to give you a taste of enlightenment.
eternal present, in order to provide you with a glimpse of enlightenment.

Until you are able to expe-rience what I speak of,
Until you have the ability to actually experience what I am discussing,

You may find those passages somewhat repetitive.
you might find those passages somewhat repetitive.

As soon as you do, however,
Nevertheless, once you do,

I believe you will realize that they contain a great deal of
I am certain that you will recognize that they possess a significant amount of

Spiritual power,
spiritual power,

And they may become for you the most rewarding parts of the book.
and they may eventually become the most fulfilling sections of the book for you.

Moreover, since every person carries the seed of enlightenment within,
Furthermore, since each individual holds the potential for enlightenment within them,

I often address myself to the knower in you who dwells behind the
I frequently direct my teachings towards the knower within you, existing beyond the

Thinker, the deeper self that immediately recognizes
thinker, which is the deeper self that instantaneously recognizes

Spiritual truth, resonates with it, and gains strength from it
spiritual truth, resonates with it, and draws strength from it

The pause symbol after certain passages is a suggestion that you
The pause symbol used after certain passages indicates a suggestion for you to

May want to stop reading for a moment, become still,
take a temporary break from reading, become calm,

And feel and experience the truth of what has just been said.
and truly feel and experience the truth of what has just been conveyed.

There may be other places in the text where
There might be additional instances in the text where

You will do this naturally and spontaneously
you will naturally and spontaneously do the same

As you begin reading the book, the meaning of certain words, such as '
As you commence reading the book, the meaning of certain words, such as '

Being' or 'presence,' may not be entirely clear to you at first.
Being' or 'presence,' may initially not be entirely comprehensible to you.

Just read on.
Continue reading.

Questions or objections may
You may have questions or objections that

Occasionally come into your mind as you read.
arise periodically in your mind as you read.

They will probably be answered later in the book,
Most likely, those questions will be addressed later in the book,

Or they may turn out to be irrelevant as you go
or they may eventually become irrelevant as you progress

More deeply into the teaching - and into yourself
more profoundly into the teachings and, most importantly, into your own being

Don't read with the mind only.
Do not read solely with the mind.

Watch out for any 'feeling response' as you
Be attentive to any 'feeling response' that arises within you as you

Read and a sense of recognition from deep within.
read, as well as a profound sense of recognition from the depths of your being.

I cannot tell you any spiritual truth
I cannot provide you with any spiritual truth

That deep within you don't know already.
that you do not already know deep within yourself.

All I can do is remind you of what you have forgotten.
My role is merely to remind you of what you have forgotten.

Living knowledge, ancient and yet ever new,
Ancient knowledge that is eternally relevant and yet continually fresh,

Is then activated and released from within every cell of your body
is then awakened and released from within each and every cell of your body

The mind always wants to categorize and compare,
The mind always seeks to categorize and make comparisons,

But this book will work better for you if you do not attempt to
Yet, this book will be more effective for you if you refrain from trying to

Compare its terminology with that of other
compare its terminology with that of other

Teachings; otherwise, you will probably become confused.
spiritual teachings; otherwise, you will likely become perplexed.

I use words such as 'mind,' 'happiness,
I employ words like 'mind,' 'happiness,

' And 'consciousness' in ways that do not
' and 'consciousness' in manners that do not

Necessarily correlate with other teachings.
necessarily correspond exactly with other teachings.

Don't get attached to any words.
Do not become attached to any particular words.

They are only stepping stones,
They are merely stepping stones,

To be left behind as quickly as possible
intended to be discarded as soon as possible.