A NEW EARTH, AWAKENING TO YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE, by Eckhart Tolle

This book was tough. It was tough to keep reading. First, because Tolle has the propensity at times to get too abstract and second, because of the core message of the book which is --- EGO EGO EGO. Essentially this book is an exposition on the EGO. Tolle exposes the ego from all angles. What it's about, how it operates, how to spot it in others and in your own thinking or actions, how it works to keep us unhappy and how to try to take control to overcome the ego.

The actual prescription Tolle gives us to combat the Ego is "be conscious of your Breathing" and "Always Embrace the Present Moment," simple sounding but difficult to actually achieve. I doubt for most an immediate change will follow upon reading this book, but it does stay with you. What really registered for me, and still keeps coming to the forefront of my awareness a month after I have finished reading this work, is how to spot the ego in yourself. You know that ego is active whenever you identify with anything experiencing pride through it. Literally. When we think"I did this" or "I have that" or "I own this" and feel a sense of pride, this is temporary satisfaction that feeds the ego that is actually a false foundation for a sense of self. In the longterm such identification always robs us of joy. I don't want to go into much more detail beyond this and certainly there are other powerful lessons in the book. I don't particularly enjoy Tolle's writing but he is indeed at the forefront of our collective transformation of human consciousness.

SAVED BY THE LIGHT, by Dannion Brinkey

An easy to read first hand account from a man who was stuck by lightening, died, and then came back to tell us about it. It includes some information about about what Dannion experienced "After life" to be expected. Particularly fascinating is his description of his life review, where every life experienced is relived, but with emotions re-experienced not only for himself but all those impacted his actions. Profound!

In addition to coming back from death, Dannion also becomes highly psychic, able to thrust himself into the midst of another's life through mere physical contact. But what I enjoyed about this book more than anything, actually has nothing to do with the spiritual or the psychic realms; it is the fact that this book is also a book of incredible perseverance. Dannion's description of his physical state shortly following being struck by lightening is heart-wrenching. He talks of taking hours to move his body from one room to another. He talks about agonizing pain, as if being burnt from the inside. But he never gives up.

I found this book to be an easy read, never boring and at times profound and highly moving.