The Power of Now....

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

Increasingly, there are writers on the subject of spirituality, who do not

affiliate with any particular religious organisation, but study the essential

truths within all the spiritual traditions. Although i have not read " The Power

of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment " by Eckhart Tolle, it sounds like it

might be a good one to read. Apparently, it is on the New York Times Best Seller

list, and has grown in popularity since Oprah Winfrey recommended it for her

book club. Shri Mataji also taught about the power that is to be had in the

" present " . It is interesting that more people are discovering this truth to be a

reality in their lives.

 

regards to all,

 

violet

 

 

" The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment is a self help book by

Eckhart Tolle. It was first published in 1999. It has been on the New York Times

Best Seller list[1], and has grown in popularity since Oprah Winfrey recommended

it for her book club.[2] It has been translated into 33 languages.[1] The book

focuses on spirituality and promotes no specific religious denomination. The

book begins with Tolle recalling his initial transformational experience in

1980. The book covers topics including the personal and collective forms of the

ego and the emotional " pain body. "

 

The book teaches that, while our use of time has a practical aspect, most people

are lost in time and are only peripherally aware of the present moment, or the

" Now " .[3] In doing so, we make the present moment a means to an end for future

fulfillment, and we become what Tolle calls unconscious. In this unconscious

mind-state, we are easily controlled, live in fear, and manifest other egoic

behaviors. He explains that to the ego, this future is going to save us

(retirement, graduation, job promotion, etc), and that it will inevitably kill

us. This paradox of how we view time adds to our anxieties and fears. Tolle also

talks about how our ego over-amplifies the past as 'my story.' The ego

identifies with its story so it can have a sense of self. It does not matter to

the ego if this story is happy or sad. In the book he says that our unhappiness

is our own creation brought about by rejection of the present moment.

 

In the book Tolle also talks about the emotional " pain body " , explaining that

emotional pain from the past builds in the body. He explains that the ego and

pain body help to feed each other in a cycle of torment that we inflict upon

ourselves. He gives advice on how to free ourselves from the pain body. Most of

these themes are a restatement of Buddhist principles that life is suffering

unless man can free himself from 'attachment'.[citation needed] Specifically,

his focus on meditation and focusing the mind on the body to bring our awareness

that our mind is not who we are is a Zen Buddhist precept.[citation needed] "

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Now