The Power of Now A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
The Power of Now A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
Ekhart Tolle’s message is simple: living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. And while this message may not seem stunningly original or fresh, Tolle’s clear writing, supportive voice, and enthusiasm make this an excellent manual for anyone who’s ever wondered what exactly “living in the now” means. Foremost, Tolle is a world-class teacher, able to explain complicated concepts in concrete language. More importantly, within a chapter of reading this book, readers are already holding the world in a different container–more conscious of how thoughts and emotions get in the way of their ability to live in genuine peace and happiness.
Tolle packs a lot of information and inspirational ideas into The Power of Now. (Topics include the source of Chi, enlightened relationships, creative use of the mind, impermanence, and the cycle of life.) Thankfully, he’s added markers that symbolize “break time.” This is when readers should close the book and mull over what they just read. As a result, The Power of Now reads like the highly acclaimed A Course in Miracles–a spiritual guidebook that has the potential to inspire just as many study groups and change just as many lives for the better. –Gail Hudson
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars A timeless book of presence
This easy to follow guide to enlightenment boils down to one simple message: you are not your mind; if you let go of your mind, you will enjoy the present. Once readers accept this rule, Tolle’s words will help them stay in the present, away from negative emotions, boredom, and worry.
Tolle teaches readers to stop thinking about the past or worrying about the future by staying outside of the “thinking mind” and the “pain-body” of negative emotions. He explains that pain and problems do not exist in the now, and therefore, there is no sense being negative about the past or the future. Only the present moment exists and the only time that counts is NOW.
Tolle views personal relationships as a big hurdle on the way to spiritual enlightenment. He explores the nature of compassion and surrender in relationships. With Tolle’s help, readers can divorce themselves from past experiences and future expectations and start viewing relationships in the moment.
I found this book to be a perfect quide to happiness. Practicing Tolle’s simple steps for staying in the now guarantees conscious acceptance of one’s true self and ease in dealing with other people.
3 Stars Interesting
A recast of previously available knowledge in a slightly different format. The ideas are helpful even if not original.
5 Stars Finally Made It.
I’ve never read spirituality books before but I have read books on how to invest, how to improve your memory, how to look better, what foods to eat, what foods not to eat, what’s the best TV, best cars, it never ends…
Having grown up dirt poor, I always thought that I wanted to have what all the other kids had, a nice house, nice cars, nice clothes. And so that’s what I worked for. I thought that would make me happy. Well here I am with a nice house, nice cars, nice clothes, loving wife and kids but somehow I always needed more. I kept asking myself why am I not completely ecstatic with my current situation? Why do I not make enough money? Why doesn’t my wife give me enough attention? Why are my kids driving me crazy? Why am I never satisfied with my job? Even before I read this book I thought it strange that “happiness” is controlled by the outside, but why? When I read this book I found the answer that’s been at the back of my mind for years. Or should I say beyond my mind. It’s the greatest book I’ve ever read.
5 Stars One of those books that change your life forever!
I bought this book and I bought others for my friends. I keep it on my nightstand and take it everywhere. It’s an eye opener. It’s an awakening tool. I recommend it to anyone who truly wants to enjoy life as it is, feel alive and feel happy all the time regardless of the external circumstances.
4 Stars A Guide to Empower You to Change Your Life
The essence of the book: detach yourself from yourself.
I read somewhere that your worst enemy was yourself. For Tolle, it’s your mind; for him, “your mind” is a tyrant lurking behind your neck, seeking the right opportunity to torment you day in and day out; hustling you to live in the past or in the future. He advises that you should shut up this fiendish monster in your head. He claims people live less fulfilling lives all because of the noise the mind produces: choking you down; overtaking your willpower, your life. “You are not your mind,” he declares.
I must admit — after hearing for a long time about the wonderful and transforming power of the mind — that I was taken aback by Tolle’s thought — perhaps a little startled to find myself nodding yes, as I flipped pages after pages. The way he presents it: a fight between the heavenly Angel and the evil One on your shoulders, in your head (of course, Tolle’s insight made it out to be quite less humorous, even a bit pernicious if one fails to rein it). Control it, and you’re enlightened. Tolle explains in a Q/A format some of the most profound quests that have eluded humans for centuries. His pantheistic take on God might appear unsettling to some. However, most of the other topics touch on the do’s and don’ts you could probably find in most inspirational literatures.
Tolle goes further:
Consciousness: the Way Out of Pain; Moving Deeply Into the now; Mind Strategies for Avoiding the Now; The State of Presence; The Inner Body… and many more subjective topics. In general, he states that most of our ills exist because of our lack of knowledge on how to control our inner self, how to tame it into accepting “what is,” and surrendering beyond reproach.
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