The Power of Now

Genre: Self-Help

Author: Eckhart Tolle

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle is the kind of book I want to own a physical copy of and revisit every few years. I listened to the audiobook version, and to be completely honest, I don’t think I fully comprehended all the wisdom within its pages. It may take multiple readings and more time to absorb and apply the lessons fully. However, even on my first listen, I gleaned some valuable insights and am eager to share them with you all. Here are my three major takeaways from this book:

You are not your mind- it’s just a tool.

The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive. To put it more accurately, it is not so much that you use your mind wrongly - you usually don’t use it at all. It uses you.

You are not your mind, thoughts, or feelings. The mind is merely a tool that should be harnessed for our benefit, not the other way around. Yet, we often identify with our minds, which prevents us from being present, from being in the now.

I had an epiphany while listening to the audiobook: we are all the SAME. Let me explain. Our mind projects our perception of the world, shaping our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Thus, we cannot simply identify with our minds. If I am not my mind, you are not your mind, and everyone else is not just their mind, then ultimately, we are all the same being. Isn’t that wild?

I know the realization was quite something...

Although I wouldn't say I am completely enlightened or transformed by this concept, it is fascinating to be aware of it. This is why I feel the need to revisit this book time and again to fully grasp and apply these concepts to my own life. If you think I have managed to confuse you with my explanation, I urge you to read this book yourself and invite you to discuss your thoughts with me eventually.

Someone please read this book or if you have read already, let’s have some discussion :D

The present moment is all we have, so live in here and now.

Life is now. There was never a time when your life was not now, nor will there ever be.

As simple as this sounds, most of us struggle with being present in the here and now. We constantly toggle between thoughts of the past and future. In the book, the author challenges readers to observe their minds for at least ten minutes. When I tried this, I realized he was right – I was either dwelling on past events or anticipating the future, rarely living in the present.

This realization made me see that being trapped in the past or future prevents me from fully experiencing the life that is right in front of me. The author suggests that simply observing your mind and catching yourself thinking about the past or future can bring your attention back to the now. With practice, you can create a gap in your thought stream and gradually improve at being present.

I won’t lie – after listening to this book, I've developed a habit of catching myself in these moments and chanting, "The Power of Now, The Power of Now." LOL.. It's a helpful reminder. Someone once said they observe themselves as if they are a CCTV camera, and I find that idea useful too. In general, being able to look at yourself objectively helps you stay aware and present, just as the author urges us to be.

Surrender is the way to go about life.

Don't look for peace. Don't look for any other state than the one you are in now; otherwise, you will set up inner conflict and unconscious resistance. Forgive yourself for not being at peace. The moment you completely accept your non-peace, your non-peace becomes transmuted into peace. Anything you accept fully will get you there, will take you into peace. This is the miracle of surrender.

This is one of the principles I am trying to apply to my own life because I realize that most of my suffering comes from resistance. The power of letting go and complete acceptance must be a superpower for those who master it. Although I haven't reached that point yet, I am optimistic that I will. Well, going back to lesson no. 1, the identification with mind is what I believe is the main problem with letting go as well.

Interestingly, I started this paragraph by saying I am trying to apply this principle. Maybe that's part of the problem – perhaps I should stop trying and simply accept that I am struggling. They say- writing helps you gain more clarity. Is that what happened just now?

Anyways, here’s another quote from the book that fits this context perfectly:

Accept — then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your whole life.

What about you, my friends? What are you struggling with? Do you also find it difficult to surrender and fully accept the situations in your life? I can't be the only one.

Final Thoughts

There are several other valuable lessons in this book, but ultimately, they all emphasize the importance of being aware. The author encourages us to be present in the now and accept it as it is. This doesn’t mean we have to tolerate all the negativities of life or stop dreaming about our goals, but rather that we should be conscious of everything happening inside our heads.

This book may be a hit or miss for people, depending on their openness to its ideas. However, the concept of being present in the here and now is something we all should strive for. I am certain I will revisit this book many times throughout my life. If you decide to read it, I hope you find some value in its teachings.

That’s all for this time!

See you in the next blog post 😊