Eckhart Tolle way

“When people show you who they are—believe them.”

Oprah has chanted this many times on her show. But, we got the memo over 1900 years ago from Greek philosopher Epictetus, who said that:

“People behave as they are.”

It has been said that there is nothing new under the sun. If you think about it, everything in blogs, magazines, newspapers , has been said before- only in a slightly different way, and by different people.

I looked at back issues of my favorite magazine, and found that each had almost the exact articles as the last. It seems we are always interested in "how to lose ten pounds" or "how to organize our clutter," no matter how many times we are intructed. We are slow learners. We need to be told over and over, how to live better.

Modern organizations did not come up with any new way to think or live. Does this sound familiar?

“ Only after you face up to the principle that some things are within our control and some things are not, can inner tranquility and outer effectiveness become possible.”

That sounds a lot like AA and Al-anon philosophy, doesn't it? Yet, it was also written close to 2000 years ago, and, many times after that by various sages. I'm sure there was a cave man being told by a tribal wise guy that if a Saber toothed tiger looks angry--it probably is. And if at first you don't bag that Mastadon--try, try again.

We look to our modern day icons as if they are beacons of light who can rescue us from the darkness of ignorance. But, their opinions are recycled. So, it seems that that we want the enlightenment to come from our own generation. It is easier to relate to Dr. Phil (I do give him a hard time) than Plato or Socrates. Does Dr. Phil really have anything new to say? He is just more relatable than a guy in a Toga. But, I bet Sacrates already knew that

"No matter how flat you make a pancake it still has two sides. "

He might have called it flatbread, instead. Dr. Phil bases all of his views on common sense. Nothing more-nothing less. Yet, we think he’s the best thing since sliced bread. Sometimes it seems like Oprah and Dr. Phil rule the world. It’s a frightening thought.

Oprah has had Eckhart Tolle , author of The new earth. Many times. I don't know why she finds him so fascinating. What does he have to say that we haven’t heard many times before or don't know intuitively?

"When something happens, the only thing in your power, is your attitude toward it.”

This is one of the cornerstones of Tolle’s teachings, but, again, this quote is not from Tolle, but from old Epictetus. Norman Vincent Peale said it in every one of his Positive thinking books, Yet, Oprah acts as if she just discovered the fountain of wisdom in Tolle. I find it condescending.

Where else can we find a plethora of enlightenment and prescriptions for living? The Bible (old and new testaments) had a few things to say about how to stay out of trouble- if we could just follow their advice. But, we, as humans, just can’t do it. So, it seems that we need the Oprahs, Dr. Phils, Tolles, and Deepak (Freaking) Chopras, to remind us once in a while. But, have they really improved on the information?

Most worth while messages have already been eloquently delivered. It is important not to give too much credit to the new messengers. Like junk mail, we need to sift through the self help gurus, aware, that there is not a whole lot of new thinking in them. They have books to sell us, of course. Then, we can file away what is worth keeping. But it is wise to remember—there really is nothing new under the sun. And I am sure that there were bloggers before me who said all of this better.