I started reading “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle two nights ago. What he teaches in that book is nothing short of miraculous. And I don’t use that word lightly, not al all. What has the power to heal you from depression, anxiety, anger, envy, unhappiness, and more? Yes, the power of NOW! He says there is nothing else that exists except for the Now. And this is true, the past is gone and even when it existed, it was the Now, the future does not exist, and when it does , it will be the Now. So the only thing that exists is the Now. A series of Nows. He says that the future and the past are constructs of the “egoic mind”, created by the ego. The ego creates these constructs to keep us unhappy. The ego needs unhappiness and drama to exist, therefore it keeps creating drama, discontent, pining, etc, otherwise it wouldn’t exist. But when we live in the now and don’t live in the past with our victim stories, or wait for the future with our thoughts that say we will be happy when ______ fill in the blank… if we live in the Now, yes right now and pay attention to what exists right now (because that is all there is) then we cannot be unhappy. There is no past to bother us, there is no future to aspire to. There is only the NOW! And we are present in the now. Our anxiety falls away as we don’t worry about the future, our depression disappears as we are not living in the past. These egoic constructs, past and future simply disappear and we are left with an aliveness, a vibrancy, a joy for living in the present moment! Our minds are quiet, not creating the egoic constructs of past and future. We notice everything. How a flower blooms. How the clouds are beautiful, how the sun is warm, how our tee shirt is soft, the birds are chirping. We don’t just live in our minds tortured by our egoes and ignore all there miraculous things. We are Present to the moment of Now.
And when we stray away from it because our ego is making more drama and conflict within our mind, we can use our breath to bring us back to the Now. It is always here, it is the only thing that is here.
I have been feeling very depressed and anxious for the last few weeks. The primary thought in my anxiety ridden and depressed mind was the safety of my son. This book actually directly addressed by problem by saying that anxiety about a problem in the future, which may never happen, is a phantom anxiety and you cannot fight it. The only thing you can do is pay attention to the Now, Be Present Now. If the problem arises, know you will be strong enough to deal with it. That is amazing! I think I really will be strong enough to deal with any problem that arises in the future. I cannot live in terror of something that may or may not happen in the future. I am living in the Now and I am going to keep on doing it. I know this is such a simple concept and yet we don’t practice it. We go about blindly every day, on autopilot, seeing nothing that is happening in the Now, hearing nothing that is happening in the Now, because our problems are in the past or we are waiting for the future to be happy. Be Present Now. That’s how easy it is.
Reading the book would be the best thing you’ve done for yourself! I know it the best thing I’ve done for my mental health! And I feel Better today than I have in a long time!
If it sounds strange, maybe it will at first, or I haven’t explained it well enough, but reading it will clear things up. There is wisdom, genius, instruction, help and answers in this book. For anyone, and everyone if they’d just pick it up and read it.
All Hail to the Power of Now :-)!
I have that book along with 2 other ones & he couldn’t be more right!!! Keep reading it I know Urll learn a lot to apply for ur life as well enjoy it!!! =)
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I agree with you totally! I am going to keep rereading it if I start becoming a prisoner to my ego. I’ll get his other books and read them too. He is a genius and godsend! I wish everyone would read his books. Thank you for reading my posts :-))
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Oh i so agree!!! U know how many times we have offered for people around my girlfriend & I the book for them to read & they don’t besides our friend…everyone should I also think all kids should learn mediation at a young age so they learn to not have so much anxiety & can teach them sooo many thins as well!!! But I need to re read his books myself…but yes all his books are amazing!!! Ur most welcome hun I enjoy Ur blog very much =)
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Oh yes, I so agree with teaching the kids. It would be a far different world if our kids were taught Tolle and meditation! Thank you, i’ve been reading your blog as well, very nice!
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Stunning photos. Thank you. Be Here Now. 🙂
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Thank you Kitt! I appreciate your comments a lot! Haha, you too!
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My pleasure.
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I love this book and couldn’t agree with you more. It is a hard habit to develop though, living in the Now. I have to work at it.
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I agree with you, but what I have been doing is exactly what he describes in his book, victimizing myself in the past and waiting for the future to get things that will make me happy and I have been Suffering. So agreed, it is a hard habit to develop, but it relieves the suffering and I’m doing it! Rereading the book might help 🙂
I thank you for reading my blog 🙂
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Funny you should say that because i just started rereading it last week! I feel peaceful just reading it!
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I know what you mean. It makes so much sense and it teaches you so much. The man is a genius!
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This is true & thanks =) Hope u have a great rest of the week =)
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I was just commenting on your post! How’s that for synchronicity! 🙂
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I was so inspired by what you wrote and will check this out!!!!
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Great! And reread it when emotionally charged things happen. That’s what I’m doing. Love and hugs.
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