“There are cycles of success, when things come to you and thrive, and cycles of failure, when they wither or disintegrate and you have to let them go in order to make room for new things to arise, or for transformation to happen.”
The Power Of Now is a spiritual book made of 236 pages, and it is the second book I read for Eckhart Tolle after “A New Earth”. Eckhart answers a series of questions in each chapter and invites us to absorb/reflect on what we read.
Eckhart wouldn’t agree much with “reflect” because it includes the mind’s way of labelling things and creating stories around everything.
“… it is not true that the up cycle is good and the down cycle bad except in the mind’s judgment.”
“The Power Of Now” comprises ten chapters besides an introduction. As the title shows, “The Power Of Now” emphasizes the importance of staying in the present moment. Knowing what we feel, think, and sense in our bodies without identifying with it. Being present in the now is the significance of “mindfulness”.
The book covers different aspects of life. I loved how he gives a clear perception of impermanence and life cycles.
“When your deeper sense of self is derived from being, when you are free of “becoming” as a psychological need, neither your happiness nor your sense of self depends on the outcome, and so there is freedom from fear… “
He explains the importance of acceptance of what is. We assume that accepting an unpleasant situation means we are giving up. Yet acceptance, as Eckhart explains, is the total presence in the now which allow us to make better choices.
“You don’t demand that situations, conditions, places or people should make you happy, and then suffer when they don’t live up your expectations.”
We are all looking for happiness, yet each time you achieve a goal, you come into a recognition that it wasn’t as you imagined it to be. You enter a relationship with that person you wanted, yet at some point, you feel you are not happy anymore as the conflicts arise. Eckhart shows that happiness does not emerge from situations, conditions, or people. And that relationships are not supposed to make us happy. Relationships are opportunities to grow if we choose to become conscious of our patterns instead of becoming two unconscious people, causing suffering for each other.
“When egos come together, whether in personal relationships or in organization or institutions, “bad” things happen sooner or later: drama of one kind or another, in the form of conflict, problems, power struggles, emotional or physical violence and so on. This includes collective evils such as war, genocide and exploitation – all due to massed unconsciousness.”
This book comes from a spiritual teacher with an original insight into life and humanity. I enjoyed reading it. At some point, I wondered how can I could remain present all the time and if that was even possible.
“Attention to here and now” is a recent reminder I’m using now, inspired by this book. It helps me catch myself thinking while performing an automatic habit like washing my face.
It’s a good book that I invite you to read with an open heart because there’s a power in living in the present moment.
If you’re into spiritual books, check my review for “The Four Agreements”.
Ninette Abi Atallah