It's the NOW again!

An excerpt from a rare public lecture by Eckhart Tolle and introductory and follow-up interviews with Dr. Betty Sue Flowers, who examines the Tolle phenomenon in the new PBS special ECKHART TOLLE: AWAKENING IN THE NOW, premiering February 28 on PBS (check local listings).

More than 8 million books by Eckhart Tolle have been sold. The Power of Now created a minor sensation; then Oprah Winfrey chose A New Earth as her book of the month, and went on to create her first webinar based on its teachings -- more than 27 million downloads have been recorded. His books have been translated into 33 languages. So: who is Eckhart Tolle, and why are all these people so entranced by his thinking?

The new PBS special ECKHART TOLLE: AWAKENING IN THE NOW examines the phenomenon surrounding Tolle by presenting excerpts from one of his rare public lectures -- this one from Los Angeles in 2007 -- and interview segments with Dr. Betty Sue Flowers, director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, who interprets the Tolle phenomenon from both a personal and a cultural perspective. In the Los Angeles lecture, Tolle focuses on his concepts of the "now", the role of the ego-ic mind -- a key mantra to use in everyday situations -- and other major themes of his continuing work. Flowers calls him "a world teacher... he not only teaches to the world, but he teaches from the world of all the spiritual traditions." It premieres February 28 and airs throughout March 2009 on most PBS stations. Check local listings for dates and times in your area. Help PBS continue to offer all Americans -- from every walk of life -- the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content.