Bring awareness to the many subtle sounds of nature - The rustling of leaves in the wind, Raindrops falling, The humming of an insect, The first birdsong at dawn.
Eckhart TolleRead
In the eyes of the ego, self-esteem and humility are contradictory. In truth, they are one and the same.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Self-esteem and humility are often seen as opposites, but they actually coexist as part of a deeper truth.
Eckhart Tolle's quote highlights the contradiction perceived by the ego regarding self-esteem and humility. While the ego often views these two traits as oppositional—suggesting that to possess self-esteem one must lack humility—Tolle argues that true self-esteem is rooted in a deep sense of humility. They are not only complementary but are essential in developing a balanced and authentic self-identity.
Themes
Self-EsteemHumilityEgoTruthIdentityBalance
In practice
Example use cases
In a personal development seminar, one might use this quote to illustrate the importance of balancing self-esteem with humility.
More from Eckhart Tolle
All quotes →Body awareness not only anchors you in the present moment, it is a doorway out of the prison that is the ego. It also strengthens the immune system and the body’s ability to heal itself.
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Whenever you become anxious or stressed, outer purpose has taken over, and you lost sight of your inner purpose. You have forgotten that your state of consciousness is primary, all else secondary.
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Nothing that was real ever died, only names, forms, and illusions.
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Suffering has a noble purpose: the evolution of consciousness and the burning up of the ego.
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Sometimes surrender means giving up trying to understand and becoming comfortable with not knowing.
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