I read Eckhart Tolle's "A New Earth" a couple of years ago, and loved the book. I recommend it to anyone who wants a deeper--and kinder--understanding of themselves and those around you. While the read can feel somewhat ethereal, I have found that once you internalize the concepts, it leads to a much more content way of being. I also found the precepts in the book very helpful to me in business and training by teaching me to be in the moment and clear. There's lots of power that comes from that state of being, whether it be trying to influence a colleague or take that run up another notch.
As you may know, Oprah is doing a 10-week series with Eckhart on "A New Earth." It's every Monday night at 8 (EST), and it runs for 90 minutes. (I download it and listen to it the next day.) I absolutely love it. To hear Eckhart expound on his thoughts has been incredibly illuminating for me. You can find out more at the Oprah web site.
On the latest program, Eckhart, Oprah, and a caller had a discussion about weight loss, which I was able to apply directly to my sugar addiction. In brief, they talked about how dealing with such things are actually spiritual at the core. If you "allow yourself to be fed by the energy in your body"--the good energy, the powerful energy, the real core energy--then you are more likely to give your body what it needs. Overeating or stuffing bad foods is actually a substitute for the sense of "aliveness" that is basic to who we are. By being truly conscious and in touch with your body, you almost don't have to think about what to choose to eat. It can be a treat or an apple, but it will be what it needs to fortify you body and soul--no more, no less.
The whole idea of using your energy as a guide really resonated with me, and this week has proved it works. By being tuned in to my energy and how I want it to support me in my athletic and personal goals, it has naturally led me to better eating. There have been some treats, but they have been eaten without angst or guilt. The salad rather than the pizza has been eaten without feelings of deprivation. I have lost 2.5 pounds of those stubborn 5 I haven't been able to shed in 18 months. Seriously, I think I might be onto a new life-long relationship with food.
One other thing...Eckhart Tolle, who doesn't exactly look like an athlete, mentioned several times how understands and values intense physical activity. He feels the kind of training we do helps people learn the power of "being in the moment," which gets you in touch with the part of yourself that is very, very powerful. The part that cannot be accessed by thinking and ideas. I know for myself, once you learn that power, there's no going back. The guy has the soul of an Ironman, for sure.
