"A New Earth" - Week 1 webinar

[Jeanette in FL]

http://www.oprah.com/obc_classic/webcast/archive/anewearth_archive_main.jsp - Links for watching the 1st webcast on Chapter 1. You can watch on Demand, download to your computer, or get the transcript. There are also other links of interest on this page also.

http://www.oprah.com/obc_classic/webcast/archive/archive_download.jsp - Links for Chapter 1 downloads in different modalities.

http://images.oprah.com/images/obc_classic/book/2008/anewearth/ane_chapter1_transcript.pdf - for a transcript of the 1st webcast.

http://www.oprah.com/community/community/bookclub/tolle?view=discussions – Links to the message boards discussing the book.

I tuned in on Monday evening for the first installment of the webinar. It was choppy at best, would start and stop and start again. Twenty minutes into it the screen went black. After trying to reboot and re-connect, I soon realized it was not going to happen. I did not get upset or frustrated, knowing that it would be archived for me to watch later on.
The next morning there was an email from the tech crew which explained that they did have difficulties. Though, over 100,000 people had signed up for the webcast, more that 500,000 did log on, with the figure being revised to about 750,000. The overload crashed the system basically. How cool is that, though, over 500,000 people trying to hear a message of spirituality at the exact same time.

It took a few attempts in the next few days for me to be able to see the webinar in its entirety. It is very inspiring and enlightening to hear him speak. Eckhart Tolle explains how the books manifested itself and what he had to do to get the book to emerge.

I have been reading the message boards and there is quite a battle going on there. Many Christian groups have infiltrated the boards claiming that Oprah and Tolle are the “Anti-Christ” and will go to hell along with anyone who is following it. You thought the battles in GD-P were brutal, you should see this. Good grief. Tolle addresses the conflicts that some may have with the teachings of spirituality and their “own” religious beliefs.

Reading the message boards is inspiring. Just about any country you can think of is represented there, with the intent of making our planet a better place in order for mankind to continue. Tolle explains that we are at a threshold for humanity and that “Humanity is now faced with a stark choice: Evolve or die” He goes into depth about what that means on the webcast. An interesting conversation.

As many have stated in the other thread about A New Earth that they were having difficulty with the first chapter, I too, had difficulty. Didn’t understand where he was going. They address this in the webinar.

Oprah asks: “What about people who are struggling, particularly in this first chapter with the book?”

Tolle: The first chapter is a little bit more conceptual than the other chapters and less practical. I wanted to give a general context for where the book fits into the general context of spirituality on the planet or transformation of consciousness on the planet. So just read through.”
That is what I did and as you read the subsequent chapters, chapter 1 begins to become quite clear.
For each chapter there is a workbook with questions that you can answer to give you insight as to where or what it means to you. An interesting experiment.

I am looking forward to next Monday evening for the discussion of Chapter 2 and I am thoroughly enjoying the experience.

[I Have A Dream]

1. Thanks for letting us know how it went, Jeanette.

I hope that all of the technical kinks are worked out and that those who are not supportive of the project/book settle down and see that Satan is not behind the project.

:)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. great report!

As I've said before, when you are able to listen to a spiritual master, something "rubs off" onto you. If you ever have a chance to see Tolle or another teacher in person, take it. The experience is even more intense and what is transmitted through the "all pervading life in space" stays with you a long time.

[eilen]

3. I could not even get connected

but I read the transcript. I am enjoying the book it is very insightful and helpful in day to day interaction and with dealing with difficult (read: irritating) people.

I don't understand BA's, perhaps they take offense at the Buddhist quote he uses "The finger pointing at the moon is not the moon."

[Me.]

4. Bless You

[Why Syzygy]

5. wow that's neat. Thanks for this.

I had trouble downloading it the other day. It would play live but I didn't have time right then. I plan to watch it? Is it video or just audio?

Half a million people out to change the world just might make a difference. Yeah.

[Me.]

6. Any Idea When Chapter 2

will be up?

[Me.]

8. To Answer My Own Question

Chapter 2 is up, on the links above

[TNOE]

7. Cool

Thanks for posting - I was just wondering about this. I am going to order (or get) the book today.

Sooooo - this sort of explains what my mother (strong Baptist) was telling me over the weekend - that many are starting to "talk" about Oprah and that she's on TV too much and she may not be such a good influence, etc., etc.

I figured she did something to get all the "christians" stirred up - didn't know it was this book.

[Why Syzygy]

9. um .. yeah .

I wasn't aware of this, but it isn't surprising. I went on a google and found the source font for all things fundy >

Oprah is selling "spiritual crack" and leading millions of souls to hell! After finding great success pushing the New Age agenda over the years on her TV program, New Age witch Oprah Winfrey is now clearly committing her vast resources to lead millions of unsuspecting souls to hell selling them the "spiritual crack" of the day, New Age teachings. Just like crack, these false teachings make people feel good for a moment but lead them on a path of destruction.
http://www.liveprayer.com/ddarchive3.cfm?id=3245
03/03/2008

A lot of us here had to over come this kind of programming.

[TNOE]

12. Yep.

Surprisingly enough - my mother has actually started to listen to me - and is interested in my input - ever since I warned her from the get-go about Bush. Now she says - Bush has screwed up this country so bad - I don't know who will ever be able to fixt it. And I say - yep, I know, "I told you so"... - nice to throw that old saying back to your parents.

But when she said "alot of people are complaining about Oprah, they say she's on TV too much, etc., etc." and I said - isn't that odd Mom - someone who has actually made a ton of money and given a ton of money and who has changed hundreds of thousands of lives is somehow a "bad" person in these "good" people's lives, but yet they adore someone who has done nothing but destroy.

Its a real plus, believe me, that she listens instead of argues now. I grew up with all that crap too.

[flamingyouth]

10. I love this book.

I watched last night's discussion and enjoyed it so much. My "aha" moment in chapter 2 came when he discussed illness, so when the woman with lupus called in from Maui I was so glad she did so he could address that further. Having had cancer I could also see myself in that statement that we identify ourselves as chronically ill, etc. It was just like being awakened with bracing cold water when I read that. Anyway, loving it so far.

[I Have A Dream]

11. Thanks for your feedback, flamingyouth. nt