Returning The Gift: Dialogues On Being At Peace Within Ourselves And The World, with Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, Timothy Wilson and Laura Waters Hinson

by Steven Donoso

Returning The Gift is an inspiring quartet of dialogues On Being at Peace Within Ourselves and the World, with:

Eckhart Tolle, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Power of Now, on Living in the Present Moment

Adyashanti, spiritual author and Oprah Super Soul Sunday guest on Awakening to Your True Nature

Laura Waters Hinson, filmmaker and director of the documentary As We Forgive, on Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Rwanda

Timothy Wilson, former director of the Seeds Of Peace International Camp in Maine which works with teens from opposing sides in war-torn conflicts, on The Enemy Has a Face

In Returning the Gift, Eckhart Tolle and Adyashanti bring an inner perspective to being at peace within ourselves and how that peace is reflected in the world. Tim Wilson and Laura waters Hinson bring their perspective of working in the world with individuals who have been “at war” with one another. The work of Seeds of Peace that Wilson relates and the experiences that Hinson shares from the reconciliation process in Rwanda are breakthroughs in letting go of blaming and hatred, releasing into a vibrant living peace beyond that which we imagine possible.

99 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 2, 2013

About the author

During the last four decades I have presented hundreds of films and live events in libraries, museums, colleges, universities, festivals and theaters, including Parabola Magazine's Cinema of the Spirit festival and, for six years, the International Film Festival of the Spirit.

I have been curious about the nature of consciousness from an early age and I also did my first interviews soon after I reached the double digits. During my adult years, I have had the privilege of conducting in-depth interviews with authors, teachers, journalists, filmmakers and musicians. I also have a passion for black and white photography.

I am the author of the Kindle Nonfiction eBooks:

UNKNOWN SKIES: Leslie Kean and the Case for Rational UFO Investigation
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U6I9GGU

RETURNING THE GIFT
Dialogues with Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, Timothy Wilson and Laura Waters Hinson: On Being At Peace Within Ourselves And The World
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EYMZOVK

QUALITY LIBRARY PROGRAMS FOR LE$$
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UUBN7IQ

My writings have appeared in The Sun, Utne Reader, Shift magazine and others. His photographs have appeared in Parabola, The Sun and Opera News.

Reviews

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Donoso emailed me a copy of this book (free of charge) so that I could read it and review it. I am not being paid in any way for my opinion.

Here are my thoughts:

I was unfamiliar with any of the teachers/enlightened beings in this book except Tolle, who I've studied quite extensively. Donoso opens the book with Tolle's thoughts on pure being, ego, how we use our thought forms to create enemies, and then how we create suffering by acting out through these these thought forms and conditioned mind patterns. It was a powerful beginning. If human beings could only see our thoughts for what they are, delusions, how much suffering would we eliminate from existence...

Then, Donoso takes the reader into the heart and future of dysfunction through a discussion with Timothy Wilson who leads the organization, Seeds of Peace. Seeds of Peace brings together 14 and 15 year old's from conflicts around the world in order to present the warring sides to each other and provide a safe haven where they may see their enemy as simply another human being. It is a practical application of Tolle's teaching. Our enemy is not our enemy, it is simply a delusion of the mind.

Next, Donoso talks to Adyashanti. What struck me most about this section was the similarities between Tolle's and Adyashanti's teachings. They're both talking about being behind being that words can't really describe. I find spirituality fascinating for this reason: no matter what background or religion people come from, when they talk about the reality behind reality, everything becomes so similar. We really are existing from the same place and creating distinctions through our minds. One of the main themes that Adyahanti spoke about was the every day reality of enlightenment and living your life through this lens. How do you react with and towards other people after discovering your true self? It was a very enriching discussion.

Donoso closes his book with Laura Waters Hinson, an exploration of the Rwandan genocide, and the steps that some of the people in that country have taken towards forgiveness. I thought that this was a great ending to this collection. We explored "being", "being in conflict", "being enlightened", and then "being forgiving". The texts made a full circle rather effortlessly.

Read this book if you're looking for uplifting messages about humanity and the possibility of enlightenment for yourself, today. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

[Ama Nesciri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Donoso has nice friends. He shares them with us in this book of even-tempered, quiet, and thoughtful conversations. Donoso sits with Tolle, Wilson, Adyashanti, and Hinson and he disappears in the tradition of skilled interviewers allowing his words to advance the gifts his companions bring.

I read this straight through and it was like a visit with quiet friends who are also clear, awake, and engaged in meaningful service. There's no preaching or grandstanding here; merely speaking from heart and experience.
All four are good company and Donoso has done a good job of letting them speak about their being what they are, seeing what they see, unveiling what is helpful for our living in this world.

Tolle says, "...that Life and Now are one." Wilson urges we not generalize that because one person does something everyone is like that. Adyashanti adds, "...it's important to see that our leaders are our own self. And that can be shocking." And Hinson soberly observes about Rwanda, "...these were normal, everyday people who became convinced that they needed to kill their neighbors with machetes and clubs." And that, "We all also contain that 'Imago Dei', that image of God with us, and we all have the capacity for good."

Donoso adds at end that with any consideration of right or wrong, "...in forgiveness we step outside that duality." Reconciliation and coexistence, awareness and awakening, friendship and attentive listening, are seeds of consciousness worth planting in a fertile singular appreciation of our humanity.

There's much to sit with and listen to in their presence. Such presence is, indeed, gift. Donoso allows us to receive their gift and consider our appropriate return of the favor.Returning The Gift: Dialogues with Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, Timothy Wilson and Laura Waters Hinson

[Landa Jeffery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Within 6 months, from Nov 2012 – May 2013, I suffered a severely broken wrist and was unable to walk after being hit head-on at high speed by a reportedly drunk male teenager (his 14-year old female passenger died in the accident), my father suddenly died, my father-in-law had a severe stroke and died, and I ended up divorced. The world didn’t make sense anymore. I was constantly thinking, and none of it was good. Finding a way ahead for my daughter and me while not becoming bitter and labeling all men as bad was a struggle.

Having already stumbled on Eckart Tolle’s writings, I had begun to see how my mind was working against me. Reading Returning the Gift has given me another perspective. The book is not only a discussion on conceptualization, separateness and the ego with Eckart and Adyashanti, but it’s a book about real-life examples of those conceptualizations being broken down. The question-and-answer format made for an enjoyable read.

Seeds of Peace and the reconciliation in Rwanda are amazing stories of people letting go of labels and finding peace. If the people of Rwanda can forgive and not only overcome the ego’s desire for revenge but live and work side-by-side with those that murdered their families, why can I not forgive those that have hurt me?

I definitely recommend this book to anyone going through trials in their life and those who have been unable to let go, forgive and move on from the past.

[Michele Penn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Donoso's book, Returning The Gift: Dialogues with Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, Timothy Wilson and Laura Waters Hinson is filled with great wisdom. The four people Donoso chose to interview will show you the good that is in this world. Donoso is an excellent interviewer and asks all the questions you would, plus so many more that you wouldn't even think of. I learned so much about presence, forgiveness, compassion and love in this book.

The section on Eckhart Tolle was amazing. I love how Donoso describes him -"Eckhart's presence is powerful, though, not in an overt way. His is more of silence in room full of noise." Eckhart Tolle is one of the most spiritual men in the world right now (only second to the Dalai Lama). This dialogue will inspire you to become more present in your life. It will help you understand how to reduce normal human compulsive thinking. The joyous humor between Donoso and Eckhart is endearing. They speak about freedom from suffering. He shows us how to become aware of our emotions and thoughts. They speak of conflict and how being right and making the other person wrong effects not only personal relationships but the entire world. There is now a collection shift in consciousness. What is needed to become free is to become present to what IS at this moment. Eckhart talks about going into nature because you will "have moments when the mental noise subsides and suddenly you are alert and present." That's why Eckhart Tolle and I did a book together called Peace in the Present Moment. We combined excerpts from his New York best-selling book, A New Earth, with my "soul shots," my macro floral photography. You can truly feel the sense of aliveness.

Wow, Timothy Wilson is an intelligent, special human being and Donoso really brings out the heart of soul of this man's vision. "Rural Maine seems light-years away from these conflicts, yet each summer teenagers from the Middle East and other war-torn areas come here and take their first steps towards knowing "the other side". For over two decades, Seeds Of Peace, an organization founded by the late journalist John Wallace, has brought together teenagers, from different sides of warring conflicts, at a summer camp in Otisfield, Maine. At the camp, the teens eat together, play sports and games together, physically negotiate rope courses together, learn to listen to each other in facilitated "coexistence" sessions, witness each other's religious traditions and sleep in cabins along side of their "enemies" -- something unimaginable in their own countries." The conversation with this man will astound you and inspire you. Learn how the teens are chosen, what happens in their sessions, how they get along, how they integrate back into their own countries afterwards and whether they stay in touch. It is a brilliant concept and so interesting to read about. So far . . . I couldn't put down the book!

Then Donoso introduces us to Adyashanti, who awakens you to your true nature. "Like the Chinese Zen patriarchs of old, Adyashanti's teachings are not bound to any particular tradition. He is the author of The Impact of Awakening, Emptiness Dancing, True Meditation, The End of Your World, Falling into Grace, The Way of Liberation and a book of poems titled My Secret is Silence. Adyashanti is one of a number of individuals, along with Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie and others, who are speaking and writing with clarity about an awakening consciousness." They discuss why it is so challenging to become self-aware. Adyashanti teaches us that everything is possible - love, freedom from blame, freedom from judgement and freedom from the limitations of the personal self. I still can't put down the book at this point.

Wow, wow, wow. Laura Waters Hinson is an incredible human being. This is what Forgiveness is all about. Who knew that a country like Rwanda could impress us and teach a culture to forgive.
"In Rwanda we have a million people who have been killed and we have half a million to a million people who are killers. What do we do with them? Do we kill them too? Do we give them the justice they deserve? In 2003 Rwandan president Paul Kagame made a unprecedented decision. He ordered the release of lower level genocidaires, not the masterminds, who had confessed their crimes, showed remorse and served prison time. The government began releasing tens of thousands of genocide killers. Rwanda is one of the smallest and most densely populated countries in Africa, so there was nowhere for the prisoners to go except back to their villages to face the people whose families they had killed." The story of forgiveness will astound you. There is such true beauty in their form of forgiveness. You, also, won't be able to put the book down until you finish it. Donoso's questions are excellent - for example, "It is challenging for most of us to imagine forgiving someone who killed our family, when in our everyday lives we can struggle to forgive a driver who cuts us off, an ex-spouse or significant other who we feel betrayed us, a friend or family member who said something hurtful. How do we come to forgiveness? Does reconciliation follow forgiveness? What was the role of the church in the Rwandan genocide and what role is the church playing in the reconciliation process? For forgiveness and reconciliation to happen, it seems that former perpetrators need to move beyond their fear of retribution and former victims need to move beyond their desire for punishment and revenge. How does this process begin?"
Thank you, Michele Penn (author)
Peace In The Present Moment : Selected Quotations from 'A New Earth' by Eckhart Tolle and 'A Thousand Names for Joy' by Byron Katie
Dance in the Garden: Award winning Photographer from Eckhart Tolle and Byron Katie's book, Peace in the Present Moment: 1
The Faces behind the Pages that Inspire: 1
All available at Amazon.

[Pamela J. Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collection of dialogues that author Steven Donoso has put together in his book Returning the Gift are enlightening and inspirational.

Being very familiar with the spiritual teachings of Eckhart Tolle and Adyashanti, reading the dialogues in Returning The Gift was a refresher to those teachings. In it, Eckhart shines a light on the ways in which we create our own suffering. When Eckhart (2013) talks about “a conceptual sense of self” and how it is “threatened by other people” (p. 6), and our “collective story of ‘us’: our tribe, our religion, our nation” (p. 7), a couple of examples of how this gets played out, at the most extreme level, is the conflict between the Israeli and Palestinian people, as well as the Rwanda genocide, where Hutu extremists killed close to 3/4’s of the Tutsi civilian population. Whether it is a conflict within families, communities, or between different ethnic groups or nations, the stories that we tell ourselves and each other keep us in conflict with one another. Adyashanti explains (2013): "as egos we’re defined by our stories, our little arguments with what is, the ways we blame and shame, and all the little concepts, the little personal philosophies and belief systems” (p. 46).

To forgive the unthinkable seems impossible, yet many of the Tutsis of Rwanda managed to do just that. The release of approximately 50 to 60,000 Hutus from prison and back into their communities left the Tutsis and Hutus with two choices, to either forgive and reconcile or to continue to fight (Donoso, 2013). Laura Hinson did an excellent job of raising awareness of the amazing forgiveness and reconciliation process that was occurring in Rwanda, during her visit in 2006, through her documentary film entitled As We Forgive. In Returning The Gift, she discussed the forgiveness and reconciliation process that was happening in Rwanda and explained what restorative justice is. We can even take it a step further and get to the root of the state of consciousness that planted and watered the seeds of hate, anger, and violence; otherwise, more atrocities will occur. The egoic state of consciousness states that I’m separate from you, on a different level, higher than you, more superior, or lower, inferior; and, on the most extreme level, does not even see a human being. It only sees an enemy, an obstacle that is must destroy. It is all delusion. But we cannot go back in time and erase what happened. We can only start from where we are, the present moment, such as Eckhart discusses in Returning The Gift. This is where forgiveness and reconciliation comes in. Returning The Gift can help us to wake-up to a whole new way of being in the world, of how we see the world, how we see each other, how we see ourselves in relation to one another, where we live in awareness, from our true nature, instead of our imaginary ego, where we would normally take sides.

The Seeds of Peace organization has done an exceptional job of bringing together teenagers from opposing sides of regional areas of conflict, such as Israeli and Palestinian teenagers, where they can meet in a safe place and discuss the major issues that they are facing with one another back home. At the Seeds of Peace Camps, teens began listening to one another; and, gradually, they built up a better understanding and acceptance of each other, seeing each other as human beings, instead of enemies. The Seeds of Peace Camps have done what would otherwise seem as an impossible, futile endeavor, they brought together teens who have learned that, even though we may not have the same beliefs and we are not of the same ethnicity, we are all human beings, we can co-exist, we can respect our differences and share resources instead of fight for them (Donoso, 2013).

If more people awaken or come closer to awakening to their true nature, to awareness, to selflessness, to living more consciously, compassionately, through reading this book, then everyone should read it.

Reference

Donoso, S. (2013). Returning the gift [Adobe Digital Editions version].

[Anokina Shahbaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this short book, Steven Donoso sits down with four influential people (Eckhart Tolle, Timothy Wilson, Adyashanti, Laura Waters) who practice what they preach and has a dialogue with them in the style of Q&A on subjects ranging from living in the here and now, peaceful coexistence, awakening to your true nature, and forgiveness and reconciliation. Donoso’s style of conversating is very casual yet intimate, capturing the essence of each speaker’s message and teachings. You get the sense they have been friends for a long time. The questions he asks do not sound pre-planned, but flow naturally with the pace of the conversation. I like that he gives a brief introduction about each individual and provides the backdrop and setting of how their conversation transpired.

Before reading this book, I was familiar with and deeply fond of Tolle’s work and had heard of Adyashanti, but not of Laura Waters or Timothy Wilson. Regardless, each speaker’s message contains something that is universally applicable. There is a take-away from every dialogue. Tolle identifies our collective mental conditioning that keeps us trapped in our thoughts and points out the insanity of cultivating an identity based only on conceptions of ourselves. He reminds us that “beyond thought is the realm where intuition, creativity, sudden realizations come from. Thought is needed to give these things form.” The reader is encouraged when Tolle speaks of a shift in consciousness that he sees happening now in our culture… “a possibility of living in a different state of consciousness.” The shift happens when we step out of our thought forms, stop identifying with them, and come to know our true, essential nature.

Each succeeding dialogue points to action steps we as individuals can take to make a positive change not only within ourselves, but in the world at large. Adyashanti says, “I just kept thinking, ‘If not me then who? If not now, then when?’ ” And this leaves the reader wondering the same thing, which sparks a desire to make a change. Despite the horrific destruction and madness all these speakers have witnessed, each of them possess a rooted quality about them that is brought out in the dialogue. I like that they all end the talk on a positive and uplifting note, giving the reader hope for a better future.

Donoso is skilled in asking questions that demystify the speaker’s message and ground it in ways a reader can use to apply to his own life. Questions such as “How did waking up affect your relationships with friends, with family, with your wife?” bring a practical element to spiritual matters that often are difficult to exercise in everyday life.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that strengthened and enlivened concepts I was already familiar with and introduced me to new ones that I can incorporate into my spiritual practice, as well as my everyday interactions with others. One of these is the idea of ‘returning the gift,’ where the title of the book came from: “I think freedom isn’t really complete until we return the gift. It’s not just that I’m free from the world of ideas and beliefs and opinions and limitations; the world is free from my ideas, beliefs and limitations that I imposed upon the world and people around me. And when that gift is given in return, it’s amazing the effect that it can have on relationships.” Adyashanti

[Vivek · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I looked at the cover, I saw a lotus and the color purple which meant that the author was vibrating at a higher frequency than most on this planet. The book can basically be divided into two: Tolle and Adyashanti cover the more philosophical and theoretical aspects of life whereas Laura and Timothy talk about the practical aspects of putting spirituality into action. So it’s well balanced.

Tolle and Adyashhanti are for the more serious reader or rather the more evolved soul and some things that they say may be difficult to digest for the newbie.
For eg:
Donoso: Is there such a thing as hope?
Tolle: I wouldn’t recommend it. Because it gives you more of the future, traps you in it, rather than letting you be in the here and now.

Most are told never to give up, that there is always hope and something good will happen in the future when the simple truth is that everything you want is available to you at this instant in time, you only have to realize it and more importantly accept it.

Adyashanti makes two great points (amongst others) when he says:
People have an awakening experience on Saturday, and then by Monday morning, they have to go back to work. That’s challenging for a lot of people. The support structure or understanding from those around does not exist currently in most countries.

We’re waiting for some grand leader who will inspire us. - It kept repeating in my mind and I suddenly saw that waiting for someone else to awaken is ridiculous. What am I waiting for? When are we going to awaken? And this brought all of the energy back to myself.

The practical experiments that Laura and Timothy talk about are heart-warming. They end up broadening your perspective that will help you lead a better and different life. The reader will gain a lot by reading what they have to say.

Negatives: Minor editing issues like - We started two years ago with “twenty seventh” graders and in the same page “twenty ninth” graders also exist. Sean Combs a.k.a P Diddy is referred to as P Ditty. Statements like “I need to give this burden away to God” and “there are three kinds of business in life: my business, other people’s business and God’s business” and “God has the responsibility for ultimate justice, not us” contradict the oneness concept espoused by Tolle and Adyashanti. This leads to a fractured experience for the more evolved reader who understands the very essence of Tolle’s and Adyashanti’s teachings.

In a nutshell – A must read for almost everyone on this planet, small books like these that are 70 pages long will go a long way in healing the planet rather than reading sacred texts that go into the thousands.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

FINDING THE BALANCE:

RETURNING THE GIFT is a sweet little book that serves the reader well on several counts. For one thing, it is a condensed package of wisdom from four different individuals with something to say, who have given their message in much larger doses elsewhere.

Two of these individuals are Westerners speaking from their own experience on a subject which traditionally comes from ancient Asian teachings - the importance of being Present in the present moment, similar to Ram Dass' exhortation to "Be Here Now," derived from the Hindu yogic tradition. Both Eckhart Tolle and Adyashanti arrived at their inner realizations seemingly by chance, but both have matured in their experience to the point of being widely followed teachers. I love the conversation with Tolle, which opens the book. He is so natural and sincere, and takes himself not at all seriously, but conveys a deep understanding of spirit and self. I had seen Adyashanti when he gave a series of talks nearby. At the time I was deeply impressed with the complete ease and authenticity with which he expresses, and lives, his message, and all that comes through in this interview.

At the same time, Mr. Donoso achieves a balance by alternating these two interviews with individuals who have made an impact on the world around us through their ground-breaking work. Tolle and Adyashanti talk about carrying this awakening into the real world [what Adyashanti calls "returning the gift", giving the title to the book], but Timothy Wilson and Laura Waters Hinson are "in the field", doing the work in the world.

Wilson is a former director of the Seeds of Peace camp in Maine. The camp was founded in order to bring together teens from various trouble spots around the world such as the Middle East, and Northern Ireland, and has them live side-by-side with teens from `the other side' to experience the human face of what has been until then, the enemy. Hinson has visited Rwanda several times, and was moved to make a documentary, "As We Forgive", about the truly remarkable reconciliation process going on even now in Rwanda between those who carried out the genocide, and those who lost family and friends to these killers.

This book moves gently from the inner work to the outer work, and back again, allowing the reader to make her own connections. Without preaching or judgment, we are shown examples of living in the world in ways that help us to choose our own paths more wisely.

[Shawn Otomo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donoso has composed a book that is meant to be uplifting and inspiring to the readers by presenting the thoughts and teachings of several different interviewees. Although I did not find the teachings of these people to be that inspirational, I feel that this is a reflection of my own personal opinion and does not reflect the writing of Donoso. The interviews are very accessible and present the viewpoints of the speakers well.

Two of the interviews are more spiritual in nature, as they present Tolle and Adyashanti: two spiritual gurus who speak about being in the "now" and "awakened". I felt that some of their responses were extremely lengthy and would have been well served with some form of a break in them. However, their teachings are very clear and easy to understand in the dialogue between them and Donoso. The only thing that I did not enjoy was the fact that it becomes apparent that Donoso is already a follower and believe in these teachings, rather than an objective interviewer. At times, he seems to be agreeing with them more than he is interviewing them. For those who already believe this is perfectly fine, but for non-believers, such as myself, I felt that it left me asking many questions that I wish were addressed during the interview.

The other two interviews take on a more practical approach. In them, Donoso speaks to the Timothy Wilson, a leader of a group named Seeds of Peace, and Laura Hinson, a filmmaker who made a powerful documentary on the genocide in Rwanda. I found these two interviews to be the more compelling of the four as they introduced me to wonderful examples of people making a difference in the world. I especially found the interview with Wilson to be extremely engaging and it caused me to look more on his group Seeds of Peace.

Overall, Returning the Gift was well written and successful in its intention. For those who already believe, the interviews with Tolle and Adyashanti will provide another facet of their lives to look into. For those who don't, the interviews with Wilson and Hinson are eye-opening and worth the exploration of this book.

[C.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this philosophy about life is new material for you, it will challenge your ideas about hope (which is not recommended), self, relationships and forgiveness. The book is setup in an easy-to-follow Q & A format. It appears the author has kept the replies verbatim, which is good in the sense that nothing is left out, but bad in the sense that some of the answers are lengthy and redundant. I would have seen portions edited down to the essential details. Although I don’t embrace the core philosophies as presented, I found it useful as a means to challenge what I think of as “mainstream” or “traditional” beliefs. I found myself thinking, I accept this belief, but not that one. Why? Any book that makes me question why I believe as I do, forcing me to soul search, is worthy of my time.

During one of the interviews, Tolle says, “So the question arises: If I am not who I think I am; if I am not who the surrounding culture and everybody has been telling me I am and who I’ve been thinking I am; who am I if I am not the story in the head; if I am not the beliefs, the accumulated experiences – if that is only mind stuff, memory traces – who am I?” In keeping with the tone of the book, the author goes on to explore the conceptual sense of self and how it relates to other people and society as a whole.

My reaction to different portions of the book varied. I had a difficult time getting into the interview with Timothy Wilson and the Seeds of Peace program, but Adyashanti’s portion on “Awakening To Your True Nature”, which encourages people to stop worrying about so much WHERE they are going, but to examine WHAT they are was positive, causing me to pause and examine who I am and my place in the world. The last interview with film maker, Laura Waters Hinson, was the most down-to-earth and captured my attention as she shared her experiences and insights with forgiveness as gained through firsthand interactions with those who lived through terrible atrocities.

If you’re looking to read about different perspectives that are not exclusively Christian, which promotes forgiveness, living in the moment, and an I’m OK/You’re OK attitude, this is the book for you

[Ingrid Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lover of all things spiritual and new age, I was immediately fascinated by the concept of this book, and fully intended reading and reviewing it when it first came in several months ago. Life is, however, crazy and so apologies to the author for taking so long...

Returning The Gift: Dialogues with Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, Timothy Wilson and Laura Water, does exactly what it says on the packet. The author starts each segment with a bio, information about the guru that he is planning on talking to, and why he is interested in that person, before having the conversation, and chronicling it, pretty much verbatim for the reader. Now, while the conversations do throw up some fascinating insights and information, and are definitely worth reading, I found the style to be clunky and a little off-putting. The format of Donoso - Wilson - Donoso - Wilson is followed religiously throughout and there is no real interaction, blending; anything really to liven it up.

I think this book is a good starting point for anyone wanting to explore the minds and philosophies of Tolle, Adyashanti, Wilson and Water, but it was just too clinical and bland to hold my attention for any length of time. (Which is one of the reasons, why I have been dipping in and out of it for several months)

[Louise Silk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Donoso offered me a free copy of this book for review. I agreed because I love Eckhart Tolle and that interview certainly lived up to the Eckhart Tolle standard of being in the presence of his wisdom and be encouraged to disengage from personal suffering.

The other three interviews: Adyashanti, Timothy Wilson and Laura Waters add a nice balance of internal and external practice. Each speaks about conflicts, the need to eliminate the distinctions between right and wrong and the collection shift in consciousness that is possible with these changes in perspective.

This is a book of encouragement to be present, have compassion and learn to forgive- an important lesson for each of us.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.

Besides the fact that the subject matter is right up my alley, it was like reading four books in one.
The author, Steven Donso, did a wonderful job in interviewing each of the four teachers featured in this book (Eckahart Tolle, Timothy Wilson, Adyashanti and Laura Waters).
The tone was heartwarming, and the messages contained in the pages encourage each one of us to stop looking 'out there' for the peace we desire and to make the decision to look within - where it has always been.

For those of you who find yourself on a journey to discover awareness of the 'self' within, I highly recommend this book.

[Will Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a small book with a GIANT HEART. With insightful questions born of his own deep understanding of awakened consciousness, Steve Donoso conducts four intimate interviews. Included are: Eckhart Tolle and Adyashanti, both renowned teachers of non-duality or One Consciousness; Timothy Wilson, who brings teens from war torn countries to live, work, and play together in Maine; and Laura Waters, who made a profound documentary on the horrors of genocide in Rwanda followed by inconceivable reconciliations. The book’s dedication reads: “May You Be A Source of Peace And Healing For All Beings.” I considered this book to be one of those sources and can’t recommend it highly enough.

[Anne Carlisle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does a valuable service to those who would not otherwise encounter the wisdom of the thinkers interviewed. It contains a series of interviews on topics such as living in the “now” and avoiding an over-reliance on thought. The gurus interviewed sometimes speak in rambling monologues which could use some pruning. The introductions written by the author are very good. I recommend the book to readers who are up for soul searching rather than entertainment.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the Author Steven Donoso for asking me to review this book, and for providing me with a copy to read. Whilst all content was enlightening and enjoyable, I particularly enjoyed the pieces from Eckhart Tolle and Adyashanti, possibly because I am familiar with them from previous readings. I found myself having a quiet chuckle, especially with Adyashanti's responses. I find him articulate, and he has a beautiful way of subtly putting things into perspective. Recommended.

[Don Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A soulful read that truly, "soothes the savage breast". Donoso is what an interviewer should be: a kind of silent partner, a facilitator of truth. You will be enlightened, inspired and awakened to a deeper reality by the musing of four transcendent human beings. I highly recommend this to anyone in search of spirit, meaning and truth.