"When the thinking mind never stops speaking," teaches Eckhart Tolle, "we can come to believe that this egoic self is who we are." But we are not our thoughts. And beneath them lies our true self: a vast consciousness reachable through simple awareness.

We tend to think of meditation as a formal practice we block time out for each day. But what if every moment of your life was your meditation? For Eckhart Tolle, meditation shouldn't be approached as a chore or a means to an end. Rather, meditation is something that you live. "The aim of meditation," states Eckhart, "is that it eventually becomes your normal state of consciousness." Essential Meditations with Eckhart Tolle points the way toward this quiet, constant state of Presence - where practice gives way to the realization of your innermost identity.

Sustaining Presence in the Face of Catastrophe shares Eckhart Tolle's compassionate perspective for anyone dealing with intense suffering or loss. Recorded within a week of 9/11 at Omega Institute in upstate New York, these moving sessions bring listeners Eckhart Tolle's guidance in responding in the face of tragedy, staying rooted in presence when the unexpected happens, and realizing that which is eternal within all of us.

When challenges arise in your life, what happens inside of you? For many of us, the larger the problem, the more we resist, contract, and react unconsciously. On the other hand, explains Eckhart Tolle, in any given moment we have the chance to remain open to life, align with what is, and experience the natural sense of peace and aliveness that he calls "the joy of being".

The theme of this four-day retreat: "It's Always Now" The Now is inseparable from who you are at the deepest level. It is the prerequisite of Being. As you listen to the words on this tape, you participate in the retreat. To "retreat" means to step back - not only from the outer world, but also from the world in your head, the thinking mind. Allow the sound of the words to take you beyond words and beyond sound to the stillness within.