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Summary: A worthy goal, but the wrong path.....
Review: First of all I do think the present is very important and is where living takes place. I'm sure the authors are well-intentioned in writing this book. I always enjoy taking 'break time' when reading and during this time I've discovered some concerns I have with 'The Power of Now', please read below.....1. While it may be true that living in the 'now' is the truest path to happiness, the 'now' is only meaningful in the context of the past and the future. Without true meaning, purpose, and hope, a meaningful 'now' is illusory. 2. Do some people live solely in the past or future and thereby ignore the present? Certainly. But that does not mean that a proper time-context for the present should be abandoned? For instance a great amount of satisfaction can and should be taken for past accomplishments and past relationships. Additionally, looking forward to future goals and activities can provide a huge amount of satisfaction. 3. Our true identity is not merely our moment-to-moment experience, but is substantially shaped by our past and our future hopes. To ignore this or to pretend this is not the case is to invite delusion. Past memories and experiences do shape a person's worldview, and future hopes do affect current decisions. Living as if there is no future is not only hopeless, but it fosters madness. 4. If the future has no place in a healthy and peaceful existence, then the person who has just won the lottery should be just as content as the person who is sitting on death-row. The now is the now, and the now is not affected by past of future? That smacks in the face of common sense. 5. If being totally aware of ourselves at each moment means that we need to stop our thoughts, then the pursuit of truth should be abandoned. Why be concerned about discovering the truth in the future if all a person must do is convince oneself that the now is all there is? 6. It does seem possible to live a pain free existence by living fully in the present. However, is it worth it? Is it worth abandoning one's past, and ignoring one's future? These both are far to valuable to exchange for a pain-free life. 7. Some people may exclaim with great joy that 'all there is, is now', but is that true? Can it be liberating? Yes. Is it illusory? Yes. Is it worth it? No. 8. The author claims the humans are being trapped in a constant cycle of emotional illusions. This is exactly what Tolle is doing by promoting the illusion of a monistic view of the present. 9. While it may be true that some thoughts and emotions get in our way of living in genuine peace, that does not mean that all thoughts and emotions are negative. In fact, many thoughts and emotions contribute significantly to a fulfilling life. Unfortunately the author swipes too broadly and pushes all aside, instead of carefully and intentionally distinguishing the good from the bad. 10. The author is basically right in the conclusions of this book, provided there is no ultimate purpose in life, and that there is no future in which we can place our hope. However, if these premises are not valid, the conclusions are baseless. In conclusion, a worldview that provides a true and good hope in the future, based on the reality of the past is much more effective at securing a true peace in the present. May that hope not be in vain.
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Summary: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Review: An absolutely brilliant book that boasts the rare combination of inspiration and practicality. Many spiritual, new age publications are all very pretty, and love to wax lyrical, but this book tells it like it is in normal, everyday language using questions asked by many many people in many personal and group settings with the author. It gives us the tools with which to work in bringing about inner peace... it is something refreshing: a promise that can actually deliver.
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Summary: The number one book on spirituality and enlightenment
Review: I must have read literally hundreds of books on inner freedom, spirituality and enlightenment over the years, but none of them comes close to this one. It is quite simply the best, and easily the most important spiritual book to emerge for decades. It's incredibly profound yet so simple that anyone can understand its message. Eckhart Tolle's words come straight from the source and point directly to the truth of being. You are that!
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Summary: What, another path? No, a FREEWAY to higher consciousness!
Review: While many spend a lifetime meditating in order to fully experience creation, mind transcendence is somehow uncloaked in a flash of Tolle's genius resembling the Guru's touch. No ego there, just a pure mind and spirit laying down truth's profound simplicity. Tolle's book does not chart yet another arduous path to higher consciousness, but a freeway to enlightenment on which you can put the top down and the pedal to the metal. He is an excellent navigator who shows the attentive reader how fully to arrive at the best of all destinations -- the present moment. Like many others, I recommend buying a half dozen extra copies for friends. God, thanks for Eckhart Tolle!
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Summary: Go beyond the ego
Review: This book is about going beyond the ego and to stop allowing yourself to be controlled by it. There are other philosophies similar to this such as the Tao De Ching. This book is presented in a way that anyone can understand, and shows you what you need to know. All you have is now, and to be fully present means to be outside of the ego. The Power of Now is your personal power brought to light, to show you the power you have over your life and to show you that you are not a victim in any sense. You are in control and this is a huge step towards becoming a spiritual being. Become now, become present, and see the power you have always had. ...
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Summary: One of the best aids in overcoming ego consciousness
Review: This book presents an excellent analysis of ego consciousness and provides very clearly explained practical methods for overcoming the ego. By ego consciousness, I mean the soul, when identified with the body and mind, is subject to the pain and limitations experienced by the body and mind. The soul, in its natural state, has all of the qualities of God: bliss, love, peace, wisdom, omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence. By stilling the mind and body, these qualities naturally arise from within: this is the sole purpose of meditation. The book, and I assume, Eckhart Tolle's teachings in general, are carefully presented to appeal to the widest possible audience, and that is a good thing. It is one of the very best books available on the subject of spiritual evolution. Although extremely helpful, I do believe the author fails to mention some important thoughts which should be seriously considered by anyone seriously seeking God. I present these thoughts from the biased perspective as a disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, founder of Self-Realization Fellowship and author of Autobiography of a Yogi. You can accept them or reject them--I have no intention to offend anyone--I can't prove that they are true, even though I may seem to present some of them as facts--they are merely my point of view, for consideration only, as a disciple of Yogananda. The thoughts are as follows: 1. A self-realized Guru is usually necessary for salvation. A spiritual teacher, such as Eckhart Tolle, is helpful in the beginning of one's spritual search, but in order to find God, one needs a Guru. The path to God is too difficult without one. A Guru guides a disciple and takes most of her/his karma. I do not believe Eckhart Tolle qualifies as a Guru, nor do I believe that he is fully self-realized, although he is getting close. Imagine taking on the karma of and guiding simultaneously millions of disciples: that is what Yogananda and other self-realized Gurus do. 2. Daily meditation is usually necessary for Self-Realization. It is true that one can attain full realization by following the wisdom path (using discrimination), which is the essence of what Eckhart Tolle teaches. Ramana Maharshi is probably the best-known example of this, who became fully realized through self-inquiry. However, most persons are incapable of this due to their karma; guru-guided daily meditation is the best method of self-realization for most people. Even Ramana Maharshi recommended meditation: when he was asked, "Can this path of inquiry be followed by all aspirants?" his answer was, "This is suitable only for the ripe souls. The rest should follow different methods according to the state of their minds." All of the practices Ramana Maharshi recommends are followed only with the object of concentrating the mind, and meditation is the easiest of these for most people. 3. Ego is "defined" by Eckhart Tolle as identification with the mind. Ego is also a product of identification with the body, especially the senses. When we are identified with the body and mind, we think we are the body and mind, hence atheism. The purpose of meditation is to still the mind AND the body, and to withdraw the life force from the senses into the spine and brain where God is experienced. In spite of these omissions, The Power of Now serves as an excellent guide to overcoming ego consciousness and fully deserves its praises. It is one of my favorite spiritual books, along with Autobiography of a Yogi, You Can Heal Your Life, and the Conversations with God series. The Power of Now provides some very powerful insights which complement and clarify my Guru's teachings. It is easy on my path to get too focused on meditation as the only hope for salvation, even though Yogananda stresses the need for surrender, mentions the need to keep the mind quiet throughout the day by holding onto the peace following meditation, and mentions the importance of living in the Now. The Power of Now, by focusing on this last aspect, is an extremely valuable part of my spiritual library, but is not a comprehensive teaching and I would not want to depend upon its methods as my only means of salvation. Yogananda teaches Raja Yoga, the royal yoga, which is a blend of all of the important spiritual disciplines, of which Kriya Yoga is the primary method of salvation. Kriya Yoga is an extremly powerful meditation technique for interiorizing the mind and uplifting the consciousness. Kriya Yoga + devotion = God Realization. Try it: it works! Practice the power of Now at the same time, and you'll be Home faster than you thought possible. Yogananda said that it is possible to realize God in one life: there is no doubt in my mind that he spoke the truth when he said that. God bless!
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Summary: All there is is Now
Review: I've brushed along this topic in several books. One of the more notable ones is "A Course in Miracles" which was difficult to decipher. Learning to live in the present is a fantastic and difficult thing to fathom. Many people will say it is easy, we do that daily, but we do not. Tolle brings this to the light. Most of us tend to live in the past where we harbor resentment, anger and many negative and not so negative emotions. On the same token we often live in the future, as we set goals or fantasize about how great (or dreadful) 'tomorrow' will be. "The Power of Now" is simple and easy to understand. Tolle covers every aspect of human emotion and the how and why of our thinking process. His question/answer style gives a glimpses into the many questions he has been asked over the years. Many of them practical and he has managed to combine them in one book in a way that one question leads to the next. Of course he gives us full and practical answers. We all crave peace, and look for a variety of ways to obtain it. We may do this trough relationships, sex, drugs or organized religion. Tolle shows us that the peace we crave does not come from any outside influences but it comes from within, it comes from the present. There is no sadness, anger, anxiety or fear in the present. All that is in the present is the now. I have been practicing his techniques, but have yet to master them. This is a very difficult thing for our conditioned minds to accept. But every now and then I manage to grab a piece of the 'now' pie, and the feeling of peace overwhelms me. This is by far the most thorough book I have read to date on this topic. Tolle is truly on to something.
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Summary: THANK YOU.
Review: This is a powerfull book. Most every page resonates with my deepest core.
As an author myself I want to thank you for writing this enlightening book. Your words gave me support and your method opens up for even more joy!
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Summary: A Powerful and Delightful Message
Review: Reading this book changed my thinking and perception about what it means to be joyful and how one gets there. It is too often that we become so concerned with what was or what is yet to be, that we forget what it means to stay in the moment. Tolle, in his simple description, gives all of us a very powerful and meaningful message about how to stay in the present. His use of examples as well as exercises focuses the mind on how to stop the chatter that seems to run endlessly between our two ears.
I am so very grateful for the perspective put forward in this book. It has changed my thinking and my being all for the better.
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Summary: Truly Enlightening
Review: This book has been such a worthwhile read that I am going to pay a month's worth of late fees at the library! I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Buddhism, A Course in Miracles, and Eastern Philosophy. There are several points in this book that are invaluable gems of wisdom. Tolle truly provides the reader with a to-the-point manual on enlightenment. He reiterates several key truths to provide a strong guiding light on the road to enlightenment. The first truth he presents is that every living creature is linked together and that we are all ONE. The second truth he provides is that time is a complex illusion and that most of us are unfortunately limited by our belief in it. A third truth Tolle brings to the reader is that human beings are trapped in a constant cycle of emotional illusions. He explains this point further by saying we search for external conditions to bring us happiness such as cars, but even the car will eventually rust, breakdown, get flat tires, etc. Which leads into the next truth that all physical things are temporal and transient. The very things that bring us happiness one day will die or change the next day. Additionally, a main theme that Tolle imparts to the reader is that there is only one true moment: THE NOW. Inner peace can only be found in the present moment. We can't find enlightenment by dwelling in the past or by dreaming of a more pleasant future. We need to examine the spiritual moment of right now to realize our inherent spiritual nature-enlightenment. In conclusion, I have found "The Power of Now" to be a very powerful message that has the ability to transform lives. I anxiously await any further work by Eckhart Tolle.
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