The Power of Now – A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
| Author: Eckhart Tolle, 1997 |
What's it all About?
Eckhart Tolle is like no other, an interesting dude to say the least. Born in Germany and now a resident of my home country Canada, almost 20 years after writing the Power of Now his impact on the world continues to grow. I was first introduced to him on an Oprah podcast, and what I found so interesting is that he is the only person who did not get excited when she picked his novel for her book club!
It takes a curious mind to truly benefit from this read. I could not listen to it at a faster speed on Audible, and when traffic was busy, I had to shut it off. Giving you some insight that the information here is powerful, I read a lot, and this is one ironically, I had to be totally present to absorb. After reading it a few times, it really began to sink in.
To summarize, it is all about presence being the key to freedom, in the mind and body. There are great connections to how observing the body can tell you if your mind is playing tricks on you. Yes, there are really good takeaways, that require effort to implement, and I feel the positive effects every day. I truly believe and the book takes you down the path that the more consciousness you bring into the body, the greater your immune system. “When the master is not in the house, unwanted guests will enter.” That is why we get sick when we are stressed!
I love the style in which it was written. Set up with really challenging questions we all would have, and he gives great actionable answers. Enjoy!
Favourite Quote
"Time isn’t precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now. That is precious indeed. The more you are focused on time—past and future—the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is."
Biggest Takeaway
There are a lot of clichés out there around just enjoying the day and to live for the moment. They are out there for a reason. We say them, but how often do we really dive into the meaning behind them? I do exercises with clients diving into their deepest values. One of my top two is ‘Time’. It was always about time for me, who I spend it with, balancing how I spend it, being grateful that time is a gift. Reading this book, it actually released my grip on time, and allowed me to relax a bit more. Life is not a race to get somewhere, it is about being here, now. It is one of the greatest personal impacts I have had from a book. Negative thought comes from an addiction to thinking. The mind is a tool, and sometimes we need to set it down, as it is not always useful, and can often be harmful. If you ask me today what my greatest value would be, the answer would be ‘NOW’. Just peeled off another layer on my deepest values, thank you Eckhart.
Reviewed by: Trevor Blondeel, May 19, 2020