6/16/08

Chapter 3: The Core of Ego



I really, really liked this chapter and the psychology of it. I felt like he was attacking Christianity a little when he is telling of the inquisition and the horrible crimes that were committed in the name of religion. But it wasn't the religion that was flawed but the people following it which further shows the broken-ness of humans. I think this is what Tolle was trying to say but he wasn't very articulate or graceful in doing so. I couldn't help but laugh out loud when Tolle states: "...you won't find absolute truth if you look for it where it cannot be found: in doctrines, ideologies, sets of rules, or stories." But yet here is another book claiming the absolute truth! Ha Ha! He also makes the statement, "The Truth is inseparable from who you are. Yes, you are the truth." This is (in my opinion) a false statement. The use of the capital "T" in Truth can only be another label for God and at best we are but an image, a reflection of God or Truth: not God or Truth itself. In the sub-chapter entitled "All Structures Are Unstable", Tolle tacks on a statement from Jesus about "eternal life" which is hastily put into place and conveniently not expanded upon. I can't help but feel that Tolle feels like he needs to back up his ideas and beliefs by pointing out Biblical scripture that is taken out of context and used to make his own point. This is nothing new though, many so-called Christians do it also, but it is still equally wrong.



Chapter 4 Role Playing: The Many Faces of Ego



This is where the book really shines. Tolle is a very intelligent psychologist and articulates very well the workings of the ego and the different roles we play to sustain it. He should stick with the psychology and basic practices of how to overcome it without bringing the sense of spirituality into it. He is not so strong in that area and his theology is inconsistent at best. In this chapter I cam across a paradox of the ego that creates suffering or a "hell on earth" but yet Tolle claims that suffering is needed to come to an awakening and rid the ego. Again on page 116, he quotes Biblical scripture to fit his needs of a psychological analogy. "Forgive them for they know not what they do." Jesus was not discussing the broken egos or psychological dysfunctions of his persecutors.



I'm actually done with Chapter 5 also but I have so many things to write about that chapter, that I need to collect my notes and write it in later. If Tolle's example of God is correct, then I am truly crazy because God speaks to me and guides me. If He is not a conscious, personal, intelligent being, then I just have voices and delusions, which I guess could be true, but I don't think so.



Chapter 5: The Pain Body



This chapter is very interesting. The concept of the pain body is unique and I agree with Tolle for most of the chapter. His writing once again is inconsistent though and he often contradicts himself. If he would only stick to psychology! Once he starts introducing mystical or spiritual concepts the chapter falls apart. It starts on page 129 when he misinterprets the term karma. He continues to use a pantheistic view of "intelligence" at least up until he starts describing the pain body. With phrases and words such as "primitive intelligence" that know when to sleep, wake, what buttons of yours to push to feed the ego, and with intelligence enough to recognize other pain bodies that it can use to beef up your suffering, it is obvious that this thing has a personality and he also states that it is separate from the harmony of the creative intelligence. Um...if Tolle subscribes to the God is in everything/Life Force/Universe knows best theory, then shouldn't the pain body be a part of the same universe? And if it is separate from the life force, then where does it come from? If there isn't a personable God involved in life, then why does this thing that is the opposite of God have personality traits? (Or for that matter why do we??) IN fact, I don't disagree with Tolle about the pain body at all and all the personality traits it has and how it schemes. I even like that he calls it a "psychic parasite". I just choose to call it what it really is...a demon. Do yourself a HUGE favor and go buy/rent the book "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis and read it side by side with this pain body chapter and see how eerily close they resemble each other. The Christian demon that Lewis writes about acts and reacts the EXACT same way that Tolle's pain body does. Tolle also climbs a slipper slope when he is describing collective pain bodies. One false step and a person could easily misconstrue or fall into such concepts of justifying a caste system, racism, sexism and even anti-Semitic thoughts. The collective pain body sounds very familiar to group or collective karma teachings I've read and I had a hard time swallowing those too.