The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

Rating:
Summary: A Guide to the Answer, not the Answer itself!
Review: I believe that many of the criticisms leveled below against Tolle's book are really the result of perspective. I, too, had difficulty trying to achieve the serenity by the means given in this book. I eventually found another way to achieve a level of peace and joy that I could only imagine before. From this new perspective, 'The Power of Now' makes perfect sense. The mind is of limited use in the pursuit of the spiritual. I wasn't ready then for the information he gave and my path was not through the techniques described his the book. Yet, the same principles Tolle discusses are now in my present practice. This doesn't mean Eckhart Tolle was wrong. There many different ways of expressing the same truths. Rather than knocking something that doesn't make sense to you, keep looking until you find your path. Books, such as 'The Power of Now', are only helpful guides to your own answers.

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Summary: Become who you really are
Review: Now is the only moment that ever is. The past and the future are both just concepts of physical consciousness. In reality, everything occurs now, only from different points of view. Eckhart Tolle provides a compendium of what living in the now really means. Only by being in the now, can you gain control of your life. The regrets of the past and the hopes of the future are all outside of your immediate control. By identifying with the eternal now, you gain the ability to address the challenges which face you now, and to become who you really are, in the now.


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Summary: A "simple" way to enlightenment is not this book
Review: Read "Ask and It is Given" instead of this book, and you will learn the very simplest way to become enlightened!!

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Summary: Take this with a grain of salt...
Review: I read this book when I was 17 years old, when my mind was mush and I would listen to anything that told me my life was still alright after a bad breakup. The book made too much sense to me the first time I read it, and did nothing but haunt me for 3 years of my life. I had thoughts like, "wait...don't buy clothes...clothes aren't important...", and when I'd have emotions, "no. stop. emotions aren't important." I felt worthless and empty trying to mold myself into this happy man, eckhart tolle, and it wasn't til I was 20 years old (now) that I completely realize that my own path is my own path.

To anyone who wants to read this book and hasn't, take it with a grain of salt. The book is, in essence, instructional. Eckhart "tells" you to feel your presence, wash your emotions away and envelop your self in the "now", with complete surrender and acceptance. It's ok if the first time you read it, you don't have a clue what he's talking about. I believe that he has had mystical experiences because his words do ring of truth if they ring of anything, (though very repetitively), and that he has a lot to share with us. But the things he is trying to share, the things any writer of mystical experience is trying to share is almost in vain because enlightenment does not come from a book. To really fully achieve "presence" and "Nirvana", reading books about it will just skew your notion of what it is. It is not something that can be achieved, and reading about someone's else's experience won't bring you any closer, unless you are able to pick the words up from the page and feel Eckhart's presence within you. I couldn't.

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Summary: Those who resist, insist
Review: Well, I am glad to read all those who think this book is codswallop.

Those who insist on judging the book as negative, do it by criticising the man "see his website?" "uses the same crap language as other new-age books"

An insistance on using names and putting down, and a sense of deep seriousness/importance

Thats what you get in this ego society. But as Eckhardt says "arguements are a way of surviving. Wars have been created to win arguements" so for all the critics, keep criticising, but one day you will need to face what you are saying this book is so crap about.

For those who are attracted to this book, I say start practicing now! For $20 you can get a guide to how to live in the moment, which makes all those not in the moment very very funny.

Then go out and create, make this a way of living, then teach for those willing to listen.

For those sitting on the fence, my advice: read it, take what you need to take, then move on. He is not your guru, you are your own. This, of course, is the way to enlightnment, but by taking the responsibility yourself, there are no more excuses.
That fear that Eckhardt talks about is truly able to be overcome.
So, read & pass it on, and bring others in as fire to your flame.

Then we can move on from being a world so easily manipulated by the Murdochs and Bushes, manipulated by ads that want you to consume, and gets you in touch with the planet so you arent sucked in by greenwash.

Teach the kids how to be in the now (or how to stay being in the now) and we will have a changed society within 50 years.

So, its not so much a review of the book and taking apart its syntax, but using the advice he has to help change and bring to equilibrium

Have a great read!

Rating:
Summary: A true gem
Review: (a comment, not a book report)
I came upon this book rather unintentionally. I was not seeking a spiritual answer; I didn't even think I was ready for all that nonsense. But after the insistence of a dear friend who wanted to share a thought with me regarding the book, I read a portion of it. And then I realized I came upon a true gem... It is the book that has had the most profound impact on me, and because of that I write this entry, my first one ever.
Eckhart Tolle reminds us not to "think" about what he is saying, but to "know" it as truth. If his words innately resonate with you, you will understand. If not, you won't. If you come upon this book or probably any other with a critical mind, wondering at every point.. do I agree? do I believe this to be so or not?.. you will find all the criticisms you seek. Funny enough I don't think this book will resonate with those that have read a compilation of "spiritual" books. In any case, I think that if you cannot relate on a spiritual level, it at least offers up some practical comments.
I have listened to the audio book many times now, and each time I understand more and more. I become more and more aware. There is such beauty. His words are not something to "believe" in. They are just signposts.. to point you towards your own path. You must choose to be ready.. no one can knock it into your head.


Rating:
Summary: Reading was fine, practising is very difficult
Review: I think this book is way different than the many books I had read. I have been intrigued by this Q "why I am living? what is the purpose of life?" and to my surprise Tolle also had the same question when he begain his journey to spritual world. I believe one has to read this book with a commitment to adapt the teachings in some form and follow them. I totally agree with Tolle that "life is full of suffering". Actually in ancient indian (east india) culture also it has been mentioned in the scriptures life is nothing but suffering, if you can enlighten your mind and soul from this materialistic world by reading this book then its priceless!!!

New Comment: I wrote the above review when I was mid way reading the book. I found it very difficult to practise this book, may be the language is not good enough or may be I cudnt get the focus this book deserve I am not sure but it was failure.