A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
Eckhart Tolle
The Power of Now by Eckart Tolle, first and foremost, delivers the message that the present moment is all there ever has been and all there ever will be. As stated by the author, “What you think of as the past is a memory trace, stored in the mind of a former Now. When you remember the past, you reactivate a memory trace – and you do so now. The future is an imagined Now, a projection of the mind. When the future comes, it comes as the Now. When you think about the future, you do it now. Past and future obviously have no reality of their own.”
The author, through his own realization, teaches that the present moment, “The Now”, is the pathway to enlightenment. He shares his understanding of the egoic mind, its obsession with the past and present, and the perpetuation of pain and suffering through unacceptance of the present moment. The author’s initial realizations did not come from seeking spiritual enlightenment or any form of self-actualization. Instead, from a state of deep depression, he thought, “I cannot live with myself any longer”, leading to the deeper realization that there must be two of him, “the I and the self that I cannot live with”. Which ultimately led to his understanding that “only one of them is real”.
The book reads somewhat like an interview, with questions asked, and the author’s perspective and wisdom shared. The questions also have a natural flow, digging deeper into the previous statements for clarification… and often the questions have a bit of a “devils advocate” tone about them, attempting to illustrate that the author’s approach and views are impractical or to discredit them entirely. Two such areas that much emphasis is spent on are the difference between “clock time” and “psychological time”, as well as the difference between “surrender” and “resignation”.
Regarding “clock time” and “psychological time”, Eckart effectively demonstrates that you can be present and in “The Now”, and still function within “clock time” (function in society, set goals, make plans, etc.)... meanwhile not being prisoner to "psychological time” (victim of the past or salvation in the future). In regards to “surrender” and “resignation”, much is shared to create understanding the difference between accepting the current moment for what it is and taking action from a state of presence versus the idea of resigning to the current situation and taking no action.
This was my first time reading The Power Of Now, however I had listened to the audio numerous times many years ago. The audio book is spoken by Eckart himself and the questions posed by a third-party. Both are fantastic in their own right. Due to the book’s format, it appears that the author is speaking “to/with” you as opposed to “at” you. This nature, and Eckart’s calm yet powerful voice make the audio well worth the investment. However, after having just read it after all these years, I found reading it to be extremely powerful in that I was able to move through the book at my own pace (and be more present throughout). Ironically, when listening to this in the past, I was often driving or multitasking in some way, shape or form. The words of Eckart always resonated, however, I will admit that 20 years ago I approached the book more intellectually. I was attempting to understand where there is nothing to understand. In the author’s own words on the state of presence, “It’s not what you think it is”... operative word being “think”.
Emotion arises at the place where mind and body meet. It is the body’s reaction to your mind – or you might say, a reflection of your mind in the body. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
Every pleasure or emotional high contains within itself the seed of pain: Its inseparable opposite, which will manifest in time. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
The pain that you create now is always some form of nonacceptance, some form of unconscious resistance to what is. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
Accept – then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
The mind in itself is not dysfunctional. It is a wonderful tool. Dysfunction sets in when you seek your self in it and mistake it for who you are. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
There was never a time when your life was not now, nor will there ever be. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
Just as the moon has no light of its own, but can only reflect the light of the sun, so are past and future only pale reflections of the light, power, and reality of the eternal present. Their reality is “borrowed” from the Now. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
Forget about your life situation for a while and pay attention to your life. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
There are no problems. Only situations – to be dealt with now, or to be left alone and accepted as part of the “isness” of the present moment until they change or can be dealt with. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
To be free of time is to be free of the psychological need of past for your identity and future for your fulfillment. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
Once you realize that a certain kind of food makes you sick, would you carry on eating that food and keep asserting that it is okay to be sick? Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
Are you so busy getting to the future that the present is reduced to a means of getting there? Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
Waiting is a state of mind. Basically, it means that you want the future; you don’t want the present. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are! Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
Things and conditions can give you pleasure, but they cannot give you joy. Nothing can give you joy. Joy is uncaused and arises from within as the joy of Being. Eckhart Tolle : The Power of Now
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