On the surface, Eckhart Tolle states that the ego, the sense of 'I' that we identify with, is not a genuine part of our existence. It's something fabricated by our thinking processes. This implies that the anxieties, desires, and judgments we associate with our ego are not inherent to our core self.

From the perspective of modern non-dual teachings, which draw from ancient Advaita Vedanta and other traditions, this 'false self' is the illusory identification with form and thought. The mind, in its incessant activity of labeling and conceptualizing, creates a separate 'me' against a perceived 'other' and the world. This egoic structure, rooted in past conditioning and future projections, obscures the underlying awareness, the true Self or 'Is-ness' that is ever-present and undivided. Tolle's work emphasizes recognizing this illusory nature of the ego not as an intellectual exercise, but as a direct experiential realization, leading to freedom from suffering.

In your life: Notice when you feel a strong sense of 'I' reacting or judging, and gently observe the thought behind it without identifying with it.