3 9999 06718 236 8

words by ECKHARTTOLLE
AUTHOR OF THE POWER OF NOW AND A NEW EARTH

GUA ING

art by PATRICK McDONNEI I

CREATOR OF MUTT

V dale
 Inspiration / $18.00 U.S.

This wonderfully unique collaboration brings

together two masters of their fields, joining original

words by spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle with

delightful illustrations by Patrick McDonnell, the

creator of the acclaimed comic strip MUTTS. Every

heartwarming page provokes thought, insight, and

smiling reverence for all beings and each moment.

.a
More than a collection of witty and charming
£
e
drawings, the marriage of Patrick McDonnell's art
3
and Eckhart Tolle's words conveys a profound love S
ca

of nature, of animals, of humans, of all life-forms.

Guardians of Being celebrates and reminds us of

not only the oneness of all life but also the wonder

ant ) be found in the present moment, amid the

bea /e sometimes forget to notice all around us.

r
GUARDIANS of BEING
words by ECKHARTTOLLE art by PATRICK McDONNELL

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New World Library
Novato, California
*£->!' New World Library

i^ 14 Pamaron Way
-J^J* Novato. California 94949

Words © 2009 Eckhart Tolle, Eckhart Teachings, Inc. All rights reserved.
MUTTS cartoons © 2009 Patrick McDonnell. All rights reserved.

MUTTS is distributed by King Features Syndicate. Inc.

All rights reserved This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any torm or by any means — electronic, mechanical, or other — without written permission
from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

Book design by Jeff Schulz / Command-Z Design

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Tolle, Eckhart
Guardians of being / words by Eckhart Tolle art by Patrick McDonnell.
;

p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-57731-671-8 (hardcover alk. paper) :

1. Spiritual life. 2 Comic books, strips, etc. I. McDonnell, Patrick, 1956- II. Title.

BL624.T633 2009
204.4-dc22 2009020388

First printing. August 2009

ISBN 978-1-57731-671-8
Printed in Canada on 1 00% postconsumer- waste recycled paper

New World Library is a proud member of the Green Press Initiative.

Mixed Sources /V
i'roducl group from well-managed
forests, controlled sources
recycled wood
On
or fiber
and
63
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True h3ppin6SS is found in simple,

seemingly unremarkable things.

12
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 But to be aware of little, quiet things,

you need to be quiet inside.

A high degree of alertness is required.

Be still. Look. Listen.

Be present.

14
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Bring aWSTGHGSS to the many subtle sounds of nature

16
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the rustling of leaves in the wind,

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raindrops falling,

20
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the humming of an insect,

22
 / \
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the first birdsong at dawn.

24
 Give yourself completely

to the act of listening.

Beyond the sounds

there is something greater:

a sacredness that cannot be

understood through thought.

26
 Look at a tree, a flower, a plant.

Let your awareness rest upon it.

How still it is, how deeply rooted in Being.

Allow nature to teach you stillness

28
 *

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Everything natural — every flower, tree,
and animal — has important
lessons to teach us if we would only

stop, look, and listen

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Just watching an animal closely can take you out of
your mind and bring you into the present moment,
which is where the animal lives all the time —
surrendered to life.

32
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ML. •/(

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It's so wonderful to watch an animal,
because an animal has no opinion about itself.

It is.
That's why the dog is so joyful

36
 LA

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and why the cat purrs.

38
When you pet a dog or listen to a cat purring,
thinking may subside for a moment and

a space of stillness
arises within you, a doorway into Being.

40
The vital function that pets fulfill in this

world hasn't been fully recognized.

They keep millions

of people sane.
They have become Guardians of Being.
Most of us live in a world of

mental abstraction, conceptualization,

and image making — a world of thought.

We are immersed in a continuous stream

of mental noise. It seems that we can't

stop thinking.

48
 *

TTJTl rr-r T-rr

I WAsTH/NKING I WASTHfNK/NG> i was tn/n king AND X WAS

op ALU THE PA(N
OP THB PAST
op all the
oncerTaint?
OF THE
THINKING PooR,
Poor. ME —
PROBLEMS
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FTTT ^r
AN D THEN X WAS AND REALLV
t'M
THINKING HOW THINKIN6 its ALL
LITTLE TIME JusT... HOPELESS-
THERE ...WHAT CAN
1M - is... ^L IPO?

ifiUL
 Just as the dog

loves to chew bones,

the human mind
loves its problems.
 *
* FUN
For. the
WHOLE
FaiyulV.

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We get lost in doing, thinking, remembering, anticipating

lost in a maze of complexity and a world of problems.

the way out of the prison of our own minds.

52
*POG
STAR'.'. >/..THfc BRIGHTEST STAR
IN ALL THE HEAVENS-
ALWAVS THERE
To SHOW ME
THE WAV...

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Close your eyes and say to yourself:

"I wonder what my next thought is going to be."

Then become as alert as a cat watching a mouse hole.

You may find that, as long as you are absolutely alert,

the next thought does not arise

 WAITING FOR THE MOUSE.

y» / ^ *' ' / / /
^^" T~TT
 I have lived
with many
Zen masters
all of them cats.

58
//////// /
a.
<N.
Millions of people who otherwise would be completely lost in their

minds and in endless past and future concerns are taken back by

their dog or cat into the present moment, again and again, and

reminded of the joy of Being,

60
tested
We have forgotten what rocks, plants, and
animals still know. We have forgotten how to be

to be still, to be ourselves, to be where life is:

Here and Now.

62
r HAMWYl... ^
WHAT'S ON mv
ITo-Do L\ST
£
The dog is in the Now
so it can teach you or remind you.

64
Be alert as you watch a dog at play or at rest.

Let the animal teach you to feel at home in the Now, to

celebrate by being
life

completely present

66
4$
The dog is still in the natural state. And you can
easily see that, because you have problems and
yOUr dog doesn't. And while your happy moments
may be rare, your dog celebrates life continuously.

68
£ARU,IT /S SO ALTHOUGH
NICE To GET I DON'T HAVE
AWAV FROM THAT MUCH
OF AN 'ALL"
it all! To GET AWAY
FROM.
 . .

You just watch the tail . .

with some dogs you just look at them —

just a little look is enough — and their tail goes. .

"Life is good! Life is good!"

And they are not telling themselves a story of why life is good.

It's a direct realization.

70
 LIFE IS
GOOD.

to^% — !2
V-4
artJt £otf
 The human says, "I love myself," or, "I hate myself."

The dog says, "Woof, woof," which, translated, means

I am myself.

I call that integrity — being one with yourself.

72
 The dog has no self-image, good or bad,

so he has no need to play roles,

nor does he love himself or hate himself.

He has no self!

How to live free of the burden of self —

what a great spiritual teaching

 EAT. WALK PLAV. NAP.

&&
^

*Q/Mfc dr^i/y
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 "The key to transformation is to

make friends with this moment

What form it takes doesn't matter.

Say yes to it. Allow it. Be with it."

Oh, that was the dog's teaching.

I'm just translating it into words.

76
 Vou THINK
WS SHOULD
SO FoR A
WACK?

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 Allow your dog to

take you for a walk every day.

It's good tor the body and

it's good for the soul

d You're )»
FuLU of yjr
good L^r :NT

ARF.r
Dogs emanate a goodness that people respond to.

One of the joys of walking your dog is that often people

come up to you and immediately 1 nGir RGcirtS OpGIl.

They are not interested in you, of course.

They want to pat your dog.

84
Dogs offer the precious opportunity,
even to people who are trapped in their egos,

of loving and being loved unconditionally.

86
They have been with humans for thousands of years, and now

there is a link between dogs and humans,

much closer than it has ever been.
 -

—
'-
—— h
So part of

But it always goes both ways. Because by living with humans,

dogs also grow in consciousness; it is reciprocal.

90
Because dogs and cats still live in the original

state of connectedness with Being, they can

help us regain it. When we do so, however,

that original state deepens

and turns into awareness.
We don't fall below thinking,

we rise above it.

96
•V*.
 Nature will teach you to be still,

if you don't impose on it a stream of thoughts.

A very deep meeting takes place when

you perceive nature in that way, without naming things.

98
 SITTING QUIETLY DOING NOTHING,

ft-

SPRING COMES,

AND THE GRASS GROWS BY ITSELF.

Zen Pre

tit
When you don't cover up the world with words and labels,

a sense of the miraculous returns to your life that was lost

a long time ago when humanity, instead of using thought,

became possessed by thought.

A depth returns to your life.

Things regain their newness,

their freshness.

100
 What is it that so many people
find enchanting in animals?

Their essence — tnGlT oGinCf — is not

covered up by the mind, as it is in most humans.

And whenever you feel that essence in another,

you also feel it in yourself.

102
Every being is a spark of the Divine
or God. Look into the eyes of the dog

and sense that innermost core.

104
-^MMyMmM.
When you are present,

you can sense the spirit,

in every creature and

love it as yourself.
 Love is a deep empathy

with the other's "Beingness."

You recognize yourself,

your essence, in the other.
And so you can no longer inflict

suffering on the other.

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You are not separate from the whole.
You are one with the sun, the earth, the air.

You don't have a life.

You are life.

 rue THB -me DiftX
WOOFIB wocks: the Byes,
-

«t , twees' y rue sk.^. v

THE BIGDS, y
THE A/R.... r
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The one life, the one consciousness,

takes on the form of a man or woman,

a blade of grass, a dog,

a planet, a sun, a galaxy

This is the play of forms,

the dance of life.

112
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 .

We are ultimately not separate, not from one another nor from any

living thing — the flower, the tree, the cat, the dog.

You can sense yourself in them,

the essence of who you are. You could say God.

There is a term, a Christian term which is beautiful . .

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loving the Creator in the creature
ECKHART TOLLE
Spiritual teacher and author Eckhart Tolle was born in Germany and educated at the Universities of London
and Cambridge. When he was twenty-nine, a profound inner transformation radically changed the course of his
life. He devoted the next few years to understanding, integrating, and deepening that transformation, which

marked the beginning of an intense inward journey. Later, he began to work in London with individuals and
small groups as a counselor and spiritual teacher. Since 1 995 he has lived in Vancouver, Canada.
Eckhart is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Power of Now (translated into thirty-three

languages) and the highly acclaimed follow-up, A New Earth, which are widely regarded as two of the most

influential spiritual books of our time. Eckhart's other works include Stillness Speaks, a book designed for

meditative reading, and Practicing the Power of Now, which consists of selections from The Power of Now.
Eckhart's profound yet simple teachings have already helped countless people throughout the world find

inner peace and greater fulfillment in their lives. At the core of the teachings lies the transformation of con-

sciousness, a spiritual awakening that he sees as the next step in human evolution. An essential aspect of this

awakening consists in transcending our ego-based state of consciousness. This is a prerequisite not only for

personal happiness but also for ending the violent conflict endemic on our planet.

Eckhart is a sought-after public speaker who teaches and travels extensively throughout the world.

Many of his talks, intensives, and retreats are published on CD and DVD. Most of the teachings are given in

English, but occasionally Eckhart also gives talks in German and Spanish.
WWW.ECKHARTTOLLE.COM

PATRICK MCDONNELL
Patrick McDonnell's MUTTS is a combination of his love of animals and his love of the art of the comic strip.

Created in 1994, MUTTS now appears in over 700 newspapers around the world and on the web at

muttscomics.com. Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz called MUTTS "one of the best comic strips of all time."

Patrick has received numerous awards for his art and animal advocacy. He has over 20 books in print

including the New York Times bestsellers The Gift of Nothing and Hug Time.

Patrick is a member of the national boards of directors for both the Humane Society of the United

States and the Fund for Animals. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, Karen; the formerly feral feline

MeeMow; the still feral Not Ootie; and a new best friend, Amelie.
WWW.MUTTSCOMICS.COM
 ALSO BY ECKHART TOLLE
A New Earth
The Power of Now
Practicing the Power of Now
Oneness with All Life

Stillness Speaks
Eckhart Tolle's Findhorn Retreat

ALSO BY PATRICK MCDONNELL

Children's books including
The Gift of Nothing and Wag!

MUTTS comic strip collections including

MUTTS Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed.
and The Best of MUTTS

MUTTS: The Comic Art of Patrick McDonnell

 VTs

NEW WORLD LIBRARY is dedicated to publishing books and other media

that inspire and challenge us to improve the quality of our lives and the world.
We are a socially and environmentally aware company, and we strive to embody the ideals presented in our publications.
We recognize that we have an ethical responsibility to our customers, our staff members, and our planet.
We serve our customers by creating the finest publications possible on personal growth, creativity, spirituality,
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significant profit sharing, and constant encouragement to pursue their most expansive dreams.
As a member of the Green Press Initiative, we print an increasing number of books with soy-based ink on
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 ECKHART TOLLE TV
At this time of accelerating transformation, in response to what he calls

"the evolutionary impulse," Eckhart Tolle will be teaching in a pioneering new format:

monthly webcasts designed to catalyze spiritual awakening, foster community,

and provide clarity, guidance, and support. Now you have the opportunity to join

people across the globe to experience Eckhart's life-changing teachings.

As a member of Eckhart Tolle TV, you'll have the opportunity

to submit questions to Eckhart, participate in live recordings, view monthly

talks by Eckhart, receive weekly Present Moment Reminders,

join online group meditations, and more.

To start watching or to learn more, please visit

WWW.ECKHARTTOLLE.COM
 eckhart
teachings

The work of Eckhart Teachings responds to the urgent need of our times:

the transformation of consciousness and the arising of a more enlightened humanity.

We organize Eckhart Tolle's talks, intensives, and retreats throughout the world. We also
record, license, publish, and distribute CDs and DVDs of his teaching events. In addition

to supporting Eckhart Tolle and the dissemination of his teaching, we are committed and

dedicated to serving the new consciousness and the awakening of all humans on the

planet. Behind the external form of what we do, and behind the business structure,

lies the company's and our true purpose: the union with the divine.

WWW.ECKHARTTOLLE.COM
•**Uir
 ECKHART TOLLE,
a #1 New York Times
bestselling author,

f - speaks and teaches

extensively throughout

r •• the world. He lives in

Vancouver, Canada.

b!o Fred Fraser

PATRICK McDONNl
the creator of jv" rT-rcj

has more than

books in print,

in New Jersey.

Photo ? Kim Levin

WWW.ECKHARTTOLLE.COM
WWW.MUTTSCOMICS.COM

Jacket design: Jeff Schulz Command-Z Design

 T
Praise for Eckhart Tolle: "He is a prophet for our time."
— O, The Oprah Magazine ?

Praise for MUTTS: "One of the best comic strips of all time.
— Charles Schulz, Peanuts creator

,C
J<

"Everything natural - every flower, tree, and animal

has important lessons to teach us...." je

J<

isbn 978-1-57731-671-8
5 1800

vmmk */&' WWW.NEWWORLDLIBRARY.COM

eckh M.
"lH»*
Printed in Canada on 100% postconsuraer-waste recycled paper.
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