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Eckhart Tolle: Essential Teachings

Essential Teachings Special: Addiction to Thinking

Eckhart Tolle: Essential Teachings

Oprah

Society & Culture

4.64K Ratings

🗓️ 14 August 2025

⏱️ 44 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Eckhart answers questions on several topics, including one about addiction. He says people are addicted to many substances. But the greatest addiction of all is thinking. It’s like a drug…and people can’t stop. They resist letting go because it shields them from the painful parts of their lives. Eckhart says the solution is presence. Becoming aware slows down an overactive mind. Our confusion dissipates…and thinking loses its ability to wreak havoc in our lives.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Addiction to Thinking.

0:02.0

In this podcast, Eckhart answers questions on several topics, including one about addiction.

0:08.0

He says, people are addicted to many substances, but the greatest addiction of all is thinking.

0:14.0

It's like a drug, and people cannot stop.

0:17.0

They resist letting go because it shields them from the painful part of their lives.

0:22.3

Eckhart says the solution is presence.

0:26.3

Becoming aware, slows down, an overactive mind.

0:30.8

Our confusion dissipates and thinking loses its ability to wreak havoc in our lives.

0:47.3

When I try to become present using one of the portals like following the breath, I very quickly fall below the level of thought, and I either fall asleep,

0:53.3

or I kind of fall into a dull calm that doesn't have any alertness.

0:58.0

Do you have any suggestions?

1:00.0

Thank you. Thank you.

1:02.0

That is the case with many people when you step out of thought.

1:07.0

Let's say here's the level of thinking,

1:14.9

and then you have a vastness below thinking, so to speak,

1:16.6

enter vastness above thinking.

1:20.0

And when you rise above thinking,

1:23.8

it can happen that suddenly you plunge back into thinking and then through thinking

1:25.1

and end up below thinking.

1:28.3

So this is a case with even many Buddhist monks who meditate.

1:33.3

Many years ago I occasionally visited Buddhist monasteries.

1:37.3

And I saw the monks who meditate early in the morning.

...

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