Why looking for God in space was never going to work | Eckhart Tolle

For most of human history, people looked up when they thought about God. Up was where the divine lived. Then we found out there is no up. Eckhart Tolle makes the point plainly. Up and down are only real in relation to a planet. Leave the surface and the words stop meaning anything at all. There is no direction in which to look. He tells a story that follows from it. During the Soviet era, when official policy was atheist, the first Russian cosmonaut returned from orbit and reported that he had not seen God up there, and concluded from this that God does not exist. Which is a perfectly logical conclusion, if what you are looking for is an entity located somewhere. And that, he suggests, is where the trouble starts. The moment you say the word God, you have an entity. Something with a position, and therefore with limits, and therefore something small. He is candid that he does not use the word much himself for exactly this reason. His alternative is a change of shape rather than a change of belief. Not an entity but a presence. Not encapsulated but diffused. Not located anywhere in particular because it is not the sort of thing that has a location. It surrounds you and it is within you, and the space around you is not empty of it. Which means the question was never whether something is up there. It is whether you are still enough to notice what you are already standing in. Eckhart goes much further into this in the full session. Join Eckhart Tolle Now to watch. 👇 Sign up for a free trial: https://bit.ly/etnow-freetrial ✨🌟Take Your Practice Deeper with Eckhart Tolle Now🌟✨ You’ve already started your journey with Eckhart Tolle’s teachings on YouTube—now it’s time to take that journey even deeper. We’re excited to offer you an exclusive year-long discount to join Eckhart Tolle Now for just $139—that’s only $11 per month for a full year of transformative teachings and practices. ✨Here’s what awaits you as a member of Eckhart Tolle Now: ▪️Private Community: Connect with like-minded individuals in an exclusive, supportive online platform dedicated to living in Presence. ▪️Monthly Video Practices: Guided teachings each month to help you live a life of greater peace, clarity, and mindfulness. ▪️Member-Only Discounts: Get special offers on Eckhart’s newest teachings and online courses, plus access to exclusive content. ▪️Over 300 Hours of Teachings: A treasure trove of videos covering relationships, stress relief, parenting, and more, to support your growth. ▪️Q&A Sessions with Eckhart & Kim Eng: Direct answers to your questions from Eckhart and Kim to deepen your understanding and practice. ▪️Recorded Retreats & Events: Access video recordings from Eckhart and Kim’s global retreats, bringing you the essence of their transformative events. ▪️Conversations with Spiritual Luminaries: Enjoy deep, insightful conversations between Eckhart and other renowned teachers, including Jack Kornfield, Marianne Williamson, and Neale Donald Walsch. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/etnow-freetrial ▶️ Subscribe to Eckhart's Channel: bit.ly/ETYouTubeSub 🔒 Become a Channel member and get added perks: bit.ly/JoinETYT --- Eckhart Tolle is widely recognized as one of the most inspiring and visionary spiritual teachers in the world today. With his international bestsellers, The Power of Now and A New Earth —translated into more than 50 languages—he has introduced millions to the joy and freedom of living life in the present moment. The New York Times has described him as “the most popular spiritual author in the United States,” and in 2011, Watkins Review (now Watkins Mind Body Spirit) named him “the most spiritually influential person in the world.” Eckhart’s profound yet simple teachings have helped countless people around the globe experience a state of vibrantly alive inner peace in their daily lives. His teachings focus on the significance and power of Presence, the awakened state of consciousness, which transcends ego and discursive thinking. Eckhart sees this awakening as the essential next step in human evolution.