How Eckhart Tolle Came Back From His Lowest Point (VIDEO)

The Devastating Thought That Led Eckhart Tolle To Newfound Self-Awareness

For the first time on television, Oprah presents her groundbreaking 2008 Web series with spiritual leader Eckhart Tolle, based on his best-selling book, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose.

In the above video, Tolle shares how he was able to break open and find self-awareness. It happened when he was pushed to his limit. Consumed by thoughts of dread and fear, Tolle says he was on the brink of suicide. At his lowest point, he said to himself a single devastating sentence: "I can't live with myself any longer."

Suddenly, something happened inside of him. "I became aware of the thought, and I said, 'I cannot live with myself.' That's strange. So there must be 'I' and 'myself.' Am I one, or two? I seem to be two. Because if I can't live with myself, there must be two of me."

Tolle calls that "self-talk." For example, telling yourself "You shouldn't have done that."

"There's a separation inside human beings which is the essence of ego. Here's an image of who I think I am, and then there's a me. And they get mixed up together."

"A New Earth" airs Sundays at 12 p.m. ET on OWN.

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