Eckhart Tolle

The mind and our ability to think is one of the greatest vanguards against tyranny and evil of all kinds, be it political, intellectual, or spiritual. Therefore, have an abundance of caution, or dare I say, fly with all your might from those who will tell you that the mind is out to enslave you, that the mind is the enemy, and that thought is dangerous. Yet that is the premise of the opening chapter of The Power of Now.

Tolle frames his arguments, for whatever they're worth, in terms of show more extreme either/or statements. "You are not your mind." Very few people would have said that we were. Most people recognize the common sense notion that we are both mind and body. Likewise, he states that because thoughts can be compulsive and harmful (no argument there), that indicates there is something wrong with thought and the mind itself. That is like saying that cancer proves the body is evil.

Just as groups like the gnostics and Manicheans of the past taught that matter and the body is evil, Tolle goes to the opposite extreme in claiming the mind itself is evil.

He references Descartes' statement, "I think therefore I am." and says this means that Descartes' thought that the only thing in the universe is the mind. This is a gross misinterpretation of Descartes. It is true that the rationalist philosophers placed great emphasis on the power of the mind and innate ideas (something almost universally rejected today), but Descartes was trying to prove that he existed, but he also used this same line of argumentation to prove that others things besides him existed. Descartes' concern was epistemology, not ontology.

All these criticisms are from the first chapter. I stopped listening when, early in the second chapter, he said something to the effect that true love would never want someone to suffer. If by this he means that love would not take pleasure in suffering, that is of course correct. Love is not sadistic. But that is not what he said. The truth is that love is often the cause of our suffering. Consider a stark contrast in Catholicism. The sufferings of Mary, the mother of Jesus, were very great, but they were great because of her love for her son. If she failed to love her son, she would not suffer. If it was Mary rather than Judas (God forbid!) who betrayed Jesus, she, like Judas, would weep only for herself, and not for her son.

The only redeeming factor that takes this book from 1/2 to 1 star is some of the practical meditation techniques, but those can be found in numerous other locations. show less

Reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle was a surprisingly grounding experience. The book encourages you to focus on the present moment and step away from constant overthinking, which is easier said than done. As I read, I found myself pausing and really reflecting on my own thoughts and habits. Tolle’s writing has a calm, almost meditative quality, and at times it genuinely made me feel lighter and more aware of my surroundings.

That said, the book can be a bit challenging to get show more through. Some passages feel repetitive, and Tolle often uses abstract or philosophical language that can be hard to fully grasp on the first read. I found myself re-reading certain sections to really understand what he meant, which was sometimes a bit frustrating but also rewarding once the ideas clicked.

Overall, The Power of Now is both inspiring and thought-provoking. It’s not a book you read for entertainment, but for reflection and personal growth. While parts of it can feel dense or repetitive, the core message about living in the present and letting go of mental noise is powerful and lasting. It’s a book I think anyone struggling with stress, overthinking, or self criticism could benefit from, even if it requires patience to work through. show less

I liked a lot of these ideas, but the author himself didn't seem joyous or enlightened. He read as if his senses were deadened, he was resigned to the way things were--not inspired nor captivated with life.

Ok, I found this book to be mind blowing. In a good way. Yet I can easily see someone else reading it and saying "what a bunch of bunk." I think how you perceive this book will totally depend on your stage of life and the degree to which you are spiritual and the degree to whether that spirituality is primarily derived from your religion or not. I consider myself to be an atheist, yet this book had a religious overtone to it that I could totally embrace. The theories in this book are show more complex. It is not an easy read by any means. But I think there is a great truth to its message. In some ways, it delivers a similar message as The Shack, but with much, much more finesse and with some guidance on HOW to actually achieve peace and happiness in your life. The major message of the book is that it is absolutely of the utmost importance to recognize that life is nothing more than a series of moments that take place NOW. It puts forth a fascinating theory that our personality really consists of "ego" and then our true selves. "Ego" according to the book is the part of ourselves that is thinking and evaluating all the time. It's the part that worries. It's the part that wants. But it isn't our true personhood. The book helps you to realize that the ego can be a barrier to relationships and how to put ego in its place.

The reason I only give it four stars is that I thought the first and last chapters really weren't representative of the rest of the book. The first chapter seems way too new-agey and hard to comprehend. And the last chapter also had too many religious overtones to me and strayed away from the focus on the individual's peace and happiness. But the rest is just GREAT. Challenging and thought provoking to read, but the type of book that could change your life. I think it changed mine. show less