The Power of Now

A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

Namaste Publishing, 2004

15 min read

10 take-aways

Audio & text

What's inside?

Beneath the constant stream of thought lies the source of joy and the gateway to the “experience of Being.”

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Editorial Rating

Qualities

Innovative
Applicable

Recommendation

First published in 1999, Eckhart Tolle’s spiritual self-help book became – with a little help from Oprah Winfrey – a number one New York Times bestseller and cultural phenomenon. His teachings borrow heavily from Christianity, as well as Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies. Tolle holds that quieting your relentless thoughts lets you become fully present in the “Now,” and that this inner stillness connects you to an eternal state of “Being.” Tolle’s subsequent books, including A New Earth and Guardians of Being, expand on his teachings. While always impartial in matters of religion, getAbstract recommends Tolle’s contemporary classic to those interested in mindfulness literature as a gateway to personal growth, inner peace and spiritual enlightenment.

Summary

“The Power of Now”

When your mind is still, you can gain access to your deepest self and feel the oneness of “Being.” While to many people the word “God” evokes a corresponding mental image, the word “Being” has no analogous image, nor does any single religion own this idea. Being is an open concept that encompasses the “eternal, ever-present One Life.” Being lies at the core of your essence, though it can be a difficult concept for your mind to grasp. You feel it when you are fully present and your attention is completely in the Now. Realize that “the present moment is all you ever have.”

Experiencing the transformative joy of Being brings inner peace and connects you to something greater than yourself. This enlightenment occurs when you tap into your true nature and returns you to your natural state.

Incessant Thoughts

Your thoughts – the ceaseless self-talk streaming through your mind – block the experience of Being. Thinking isn’t equivalent to Being. Engaging in planning, worrying, judging and explaining frames the world as a place of conflict and problems. That mental churn creates the illusion of separateness – that there is you, alone, and everything...

About the Author

Spiritual teacher and leader Eckhart Tolle also wrote Guardians of Being and A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose.

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J. G. 5 years ago

Every thought creates an echo vibration throughout the body. This is so powerful ! People are so busy living in the past of future that they are missing Being in the moment. Clock time vs Being Time vs Psychological Time
M. M. 6 years ago

This is one of the best books to create self awareness in your own life and gaze upon the real important things in your life.
Please consider reading the complete book on top of this summary.
S. G. 6 years ago

I just stopped to take a break from reading this summary halfway to let the mind axis changing content sink in.

My paradigm just did an 180 degree turn I will return a few hours later to complete reading.

I will definitely go back with more bags because there's so many jewels in this summary I left behind.

Eckhart Tolle