Oprah debuted her Life class last night, and right afterwards was part of a live webinar on Facebook with Eckhart Tolle.

This is the first in a series of Life Classes Oprah is hosting with lessons she has learned from her 25 years as a show host.  She weaves in examples from the show to illustrate the points she makes in her class.

Here are some top-level points I want to share with you from her class.  These are practices I live by, and I teach in all of my classes.

“I” is not who you are — it’s a monstrous act of reductionism.  Eckhart Tolle.

Your Ego Is Your False Self

Eckhart gave a simple example of how the ego is formed.  When a child starts to identify with an external object and begins to think of a toy as  “my toy” that is the ego at work.   When the toy is taken away from the child, he/she will start screaming.  Why?  The child has begun to form an attachment to a material object and gets a sense of identity from that object.  This is the beginning of the ego.  The object adds something to their sense of self.

How in your own life are you identified with what you do for work or the home you live in or the car you drive?  This is your ego.

If we live a life full of material things without a rich inner life, we live a life without meaning and purpose.  It’s the inner life that is key.

Become the Observer of Your Thoughts

When you become aware of your thoughts, who is doing the observing?  It’s your True Self – the awareness that has no body and is your higher self.

Any identification with form  — possessions, jobs, social status, the desire to look thin – are all the work of the ego — the False Self.

The key point is that you are not your thoughts.

Fear and the Ego

The ego has us running scared.  It tells us that we are not enough, we are not thin enough, and that we don’t have enough time or money.  It drives our behavior.

The key is to begin to notice when you feel a stressful emotion – worry, frustration, anxiety or sadness.  Ask yourself what you are thinking.  Observe the thoughts and just notice them.  Take a deep breathe and welcome them in.  Do not resist them or they will persist.

This is your True Self noticing your ego. You get to choose at that moment if you want to be anxious or not.  You always get to choose whether you want to have your day go sideways with negative emotions.  The more you can observe your thoughts, the more the ego’s strength looses its hold on you.

The ego is the disassociation of your True Self.  The goal is to become more and more of your True Self.

Head on over to Oprah Life Class today and answer today’s questions.  You will be glad you did.

How have you learned to become the observer of your thoughts?  How has it changed your life?  I’d love to hear your comments.