Eckhart Tolle (b. 1948)

From 'The Power of Now'

When you walk through a forest that has not been tamed and interfered with by man, you will see not only abundant life all around you, but you will also encounter fallen trees and decaying trunks, rotting leaves and decomposing matter at every step.

Wherever you look, you will find death as well as life.

Upon closer scrutiny, however, you will discover that the decomposing tree trunk and rotting leaves not only give birth to new life, but are full of life themselves.

Microorganisms are at work. Molecules are rearranging themselves.

So death isn't to be found anywhere. There is only the metamorphosis of life forms.

What can you learn from this?

Death is not the opposite of life. Life has no opposite. The opposite of death is birth. Life is eternal.

Posted May 2008