The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
by Eckhart Tolle
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Description
Religion & Spirituality. Self-Improvement. Nonfiction. To make the journey into the Now we will need to leave our analytical mind and its false created self, the ego, behind. From the very first page of Eckhart Tolle's extraordinary book, we move rapidly into a significantly higher altitude where we breathe a lighter air. We become connected to the indestructible essence of our Being, "The eternal, ever present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death." show more Although the journey is challenging, Eckhart Tolle uses simple language and an easy question and answer format to guide us. A word of mouth phenomenon since its first publication, The Power of Now is one of those rare books with the power to create an experience in readers, one that can radically change their lives for the better. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
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 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 show more 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
Tolle frames his arguments, for whatever they're worth, in terms of 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 show more 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 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 show more 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
That said, the book can be a bit challenging to get 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 show more 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.
Even when I don't like a book, I try to find some nugget that was informative, useful, or beneficial in some way.
I don't hate this book... I rather liked the first few chapters. But I became caught up in my "mind-body ignorance" or whatever in chapter 8 when the author became heterocentric, cisscentric, and told me to just pay attention to my menses to free my mind. I'm noping out of this book.
What I find beneficial is the thought of some kind of spirituality, in whatever form I choose to define. Maybe now that I've reached a certain age, I find that when I'm focused entirely on work and not on myself, that my quality of life suffers. Spending lots of time outdoors and being mindful helps present me with another point of view, something show more that kind of resets me and makes me feel "me". I liked the first few chapters in the book, because it felt like the author was describing (in some way, not identically) how I feel when I make a point of being present to my surroundings in nature. Listening to every sound I hear, making a point to seek out every color, finding ways to accept my surroundings even if it's too cold, too hot, too wet, too dry, whatever.
However, and many other reviewers have pointed this out, Eckhart Tolle does not hold the monopoly in teaching about mindfulness and presence. Many of the things I read in the first part of this book were things I'd learned about through therapy (DBT, ACT), some Zen practice, and lots of Yoga. In fact, I found the *way* that the author prescribes spirituality to be limiting. I don't feel spirituality as a mindless "energy vibration"... I feel it when I am outdoors, doing Yoga, flying an airplane...
Another of the parts of this book I don't like are the thought that we can just some how brain-zap ourselves out of depression or pain. I have suffered through pretty bad depression, and if I had read this book then, that I could just "snap out of it" and "be okay" through my own willful decision... would have been patronizing and cruel. And as somebody who has intermittent chronic back pain, while mindfulness does help me accept the fact that my body will not do what I always want it to, I cannot just will the pain away. It will be a part of my life forever.
I also firmly believe that my ego, my sense of myself through my work, my relationships, and even through my past and future... is an important part of me. I am learning that I can't focus on that person exclusively, I also need to spend time nurturing the mindful self... but I read this book and keep picturing "mindful zombies" who just sit around feeling the "energy vibrations" or whatever, meanwhile nobody has any life ambitions or goals. I think the importance is finding and accepting both halves of that dichotomy and embracing both in our lives.
Finally, I can live without the pseudoscience. Most "woo" books that I've read (which admittedly isn't many) completely lose me when they start going off about physics. Please stop doing this. show less
I don't hate this book... I rather liked the first few chapters. But I became caught up in my "mind-body ignorance" or whatever in chapter 8 when the author became heterocentric, cisscentric, and told me to just pay attention to my menses to free my mind. I'm noping out of this book.
What I find beneficial is the thought of some kind of spirituality, in whatever form I choose to define. Maybe now that I've reached a certain age, I find that when I'm focused entirely on work and not on myself, that my quality of life suffers. Spending lots of time outdoors and being mindful helps present me with another point of view, something show more that kind of resets me and makes me feel "me". I liked the first few chapters in the book, because it felt like the author was describing (in some way, not identically) how I feel when I make a point of being present to my surroundings in nature. Listening to every sound I hear, making a point to seek out every color, finding ways to accept my surroundings even if it's too cold, too hot, too wet, too dry, whatever.
However, and many other reviewers have pointed this out, Eckhart Tolle does not hold the monopoly in teaching about mindfulness and presence. Many of the things I read in the first part of this book were things I'd learned about through therapy (DBT, ACT), some Zen practice, and lots of Yoga. In fact, I found the *way* that the author prescribes spirituality to be limiting. I don't feel spirituality as a mindless "energy vibration"... I feel it when I am outdoors, doing Yoga, flying an airplane...
Another of the parts of this book I don't like are the thought that we can just some how brain-zap ourselves out of depression or pain. I have suffered through pretty bad depression, and if I had read this book then, that I could just "snap out of it" and "be okay" through my own willful decision... would have been patronizing and cruel. And as somebody who has intermittent chronic back pain, while mindfulness does help me accept the fact that my body will not do what I always want it to, I cannot just will the pain away. It will be a part of my life forever.
I also firmly believe that my ego, my sense of myself through my work, my relationships, and even through my past and future... is an important part of me. I am learning that I can't focus on that person exclusively, I also need to spend time nurturing the mindful self... but I read this book and keep picturing "mindful zombies" who just sit around feeling the "energy vibrations" or whatever, meanwhile nobody has any life ambitions or goals. I think the importance is finding and accepting both halves of that dichotomy and embracing both in our lives.
Finally, I can live without the pseudoscience. Most "woo" books that I've read (which admittedly isn't many) completely lose me when they start going off about physics. Please stop doing this. show less
I recently finished the audio edition of “The Power of Now,” by Eckhart Tolle. Eckhart’s part of my extended network, so I’ve been hearing about the book for years.
The most valuable aspect of this books is it’s bluntness. Although it references examples from various traditions, Eckhart isn’t of any lineage. The book is about the supreme importance of the present moment, and practical ways to interact with it.
It’s formatted in an accessible question-and-answer format derived from his own experiences and challenges and observations from participants on his retreats.
Applications
Most of the time we live in the past or the future. The present is the sweet spot.
An example:
Right now I’m in the midst of “The Fountainhead.” show more The protagonist, Roark, is obsessed with the present moment. He gives no thought to the past or the future. He doesn’t plan ahead. He gives everything to the moment. Sometimes he’s wildly successful. Sometimes he’s starving. But he’s always engaged. Roark often applies the practice of self observation, stepping back to witness how he’s feeling without immediately acting on that feeling.
In contrast, his friend Peter has everything - a partnership at the most respected architectural firm, a ton of money, and lot’s of social standing - and hates his life. He went into architecture because of pressure from his mom. He doesn’t like it, but hasn’t bothered to try to find his true passions. He tries to please, and has no grounding in his intuition. He lives for the future - success and stability - but never experiences it.
Roark lives in the present. His life is saturated with purpose and contentment. Peter doesn’t. His life is anxious and hollow.
Another example:
Often times in relationships we develop patterns. When an emotion is triggered, a habitual action follows. And that habitual pattern might have been set years or decades ago by an unconscious fear or misunderstanding. Another option is to define a threshold between our feelings and our actions. In the first step, we cherish the feeling and allow it to deeply permeate us, rather than trying to brush it off. The feeling is there for a reason, and it can give us insight. Second, we make a conscious choice how to behave, taking that feeling into account, but not blindly reacting to it. Usually these habits take the form of positive or negative feedback loops - we enforce whatever we’re receiving, or resist. Most of the time there’s no need to do either. And by fully experiencing the feeling, we can then move on, keeping our perspective in regard to purpose enact, rather than letting it get swept away.
Conclusion
Although this book is by no means a complete guide to the world [there is no discussion of purpose], it’s tips on engaging with the present are invaluably forthright. show less
The most valuable aspect of this books is it’s bluntness. Although it references examples from various traditions, Eckhart isn’t of any lineage. The book is about the supreme importance of the present moment, and practical ways to interact with it.
It’s formatted in an accessible question-and-answer format derived from his own experiences and challenges and observations from participants on his retreats.
Applications
Most of the time we live in the past or the future. The present is the sweet spot.
An example:
Right now I’m in the midst of “The Fountainhead.” show more The protagonist, Roark, is obsessed with the present moment. He gives no thought to the past or the future. He doesn’t plan ahead. He gives everything to the moment. Sometimes he’s wildly successful. Sometimes he’s starving. But he’s always engaged. Roark often applies the practice of self observation, stepping back to witness how he’s feeling without immediately acting on that feeling.
In contrast, his friend Peter has everything - a partnership at the most respected architectural firm, a ton of money, and lot’s of social standing - and hates his life. He went into architecture because of pressure from his mom. He doesn’t like it, but hasn’t bothered to try to find his true passions. He tries to please, and has no grounding in his intuition. He lives for the future - success and stability - but never experiences it.
Roark lives in the present. His life is saturated with purpose and contentment. Peter doesn’t. His life is anxious and hollow.
Another example:
Often times in relationships we develop patterns. When an emotion is triggered, a habitual action follows. And that habitual pattern might have been set years or decades ago by an unconscious fear or misunderstanding. Another option is to define a threshold between our feelings and our actions. In the first step, we cherish the feeling and allow it to deeply permeate us, rather than trying to brush it off. The feeling is there for a reason, and it can give us insight. Second, we make a conscious choice how to behave, taking that feeling into account, but not blindly reacting to it. Usually these habits take the form of positive or negative feedback loops - we enforce whatever we’re receiving, or resist. Most of the time there’s no need to do either. And by fully experiencing the feeling, we can then move on, keeping our perspective in regard to purpose enact, rather than letting it get swept away.
Conclusion
Although this book is by no means a complete guide to the world [there is no discussion of purpose], it’s tips on engaging with the present are invaluably forthright. show less
Do not presume Tolle's Power of Now is merely pop culture self-help or a shallow new age guru with nothing to offer. In fact, I would go as far as to say The Power of Now ought to be required reading for anyone who considers themselves spiritual. If you read it looking for faults or aspects to disagree with, no doubt, you will find them. Conservative religious people (of any faith) may be put off by his universalistic tone and language. However, if you can get past that and read this book with an open heart desiring to live more closely to God, I think your spiritual life will be deepened and you will be blessed. Overall, the primary truth he teaches resonated with me on a profound level.
With that said, there were 4 aspects of the book show more that were frustrating:
1. Repetition
Despite explicitly stating his repetitious nature in the introduction, it did feel a bit much. No doubt there's a meditative aspect to repetition, but I would guess the book length was determined more by publishers than by what's necessary. It easily could have been half as long. I would love a 1 or 5 page summary to reference.
2. Misuse of Jesus' word
Tolle does not align exclusively with any religion, although he references the Bible and Buddha most often. As a Christian, I found his interpretations of Jesus' words to sometimes be refreshing and enlightening. However, he also seemed to force his interpretive lens onto Jesus, at times explaining the "real" meaning of his words that were distorted by the writers of the New Testament. To me, this felt presumptuous, reeked of confirmation bias, and misrepresented Jesus. Try not to be hung up by this. The point he trying to make is that the truth he speaks of has a long history - it isn't something he just made up - which is unnecessary for his main point.
3. Style
Most of the book is written in a question and answer format, where Tolle responds to questions he's encountered over the years. To me, it felt disorganized and a little bit "all over the place."
4. Overly individualistic
Although, he touches on relationships, overall his approach to spirituality is highly individualistic. We are communal beings; grace and love are found primarily with others. I wish he had a better balance between solitude and community.
Despite my complaints, there is profound wisdom in this book. Highly recommended for all who wish to enrich their spiritual life. 4.5 stars. show less
With that said, there were 4 aspects of the book show more that were frustrating:
1. Repetition
Despite explicitly stating his repetitious nature in the introduction, it did feel a bit much. No doubt there's a meditative aspect to repetition, but I would guess the book length was determined more by publishers than by what's necessary. It easily could have been half as long. I would love a 1 or 5 page summary to reference.
2. Misuse of Jesus' word
Tolle does not align exclusively with any religion, although he references the Bible and Buddha most often. As a Christian, I found his interpretations of Jesus' words to sometimes be refreshing and enlightening. However, he also seemed to force his interpretive lens onto Jesus, at times explaining the "real" meaning of his words that were distorted by the writers of the New Testament. To me, this felt presumptuous, reeked of confirmation bias, and misrepresented Jesus. Try not to be hung up by this. The point he trying to make is that the truth he speaks of has a long history - it isn't something he just made up - which is unnecessary for his main point.
3. Style
Most of the book is written in a question and answer format, where Tolle responds to questions he's encountered over the years. To me, it felt disorganized and a little bit "all over the place."
4. Overly individualistic
Although, he touches on relationships, overall his approach to spirituality is highly individualistic. We are communal beings; grace and love are found primarily with others. I wish he had a better balance between solitude and community.
Despite my complaints, there is profound wisdom in this book. Highly recommended for all who wish to enrich their spiritual life. 4.5 stars. show less
This book hit me in two very different ways. The message is almost too simple to be able to present in a question and answer format. If the questions didn't seem natural to me, I wanted to skip over the answer.
I kept expecting to hear my voice in the questions, and I didn't.
At the same time, the message to be present, to think of down moments in your energy as catalysts for determining change and necessary paths, without allowing yourself to get too bogged down in the emotion... well, that was an important reminder.
I kept expecting to hear my voice in the questions, and I didn't.
At the same time, the message to be present, to think of down moments in your energy as catalysts for determining change and necessary paths, without allowing yourself to get too bogged down in the emotion... well, that was an important reminder.
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Author Information
178+ Works 20,848 Members
Spiritual author and teacher Eckhart Tolle was born in Germany on February 16, 1948. He lived in Spain and England before settling in Vancouver, Canada in 1995. He received his education at the Universities of London and Cambridge. Following several sustained periods of depression, at the age of 29 he experienced an enlightenment that dramatically show more changed the course of his life. His subsequent spiritual teachings have focused on awareness of the present moment, freedom from negativity, and the attainment of inner peace. He does not align himself with any specific religion or tradition. He has written numerous books including The Power of Now; A New Earth; Stillness Speaks; and Practicing the Power of Now. He is a public speaker who teaches and travels throughout the world. In January 2008, A New Earth was selected for Oprah Winfrey's book club. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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- Canonical title
- The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
- Original title
- The Power of Now : A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
- Original publication date
- 1999-09
- Epigraph
- You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are! - Eckhart Tolle
- First words
- A beggar had been sitting by the side of a road for over thirty years.
- Quotations
- When you say Being, are you talkíng about God? If you are, then why don't you say it?
The word God has become empty of meaning through thousands of years of misuse. I use it sometimes, but I do so sparingly. By misuse ... (show all)I mean that people who have never even glimpsed the realm of the sacred, the infinite vastness behind that word, use it with great conviction, as if they knew what they are talking about. Or they argue against it, as íf they knew what it is that they are denying. This misuse gives rise to absurd beliefs, assertions, and egoic delusions, such as "My or our God is the only true God, and your God is false," or Nietzsche's famous statement "God is dead." The word God has become a closed concept. The moment the word is uttered, a mental image is created, no longer, perhaps, of an old man with a white beard, but still a rnental representation of someone or something outside you, and, yes, almost inevitably a male someone or something. Neither God, nor Being nor any other word can define or explain the ineffable reality behind the word, so the only important question is whether the word is a help or a hindrance in enabling you to experience That toward which it points. Does it point beyond itself to that transcendental reality, or does it lend itself too easily to becoming no more than an idea in your head that you believe in, a mental idol?The word Being explains nothing, but nor does God. Being,however, has the advantage that it is an open concept. It does not reduce the infinite invisible to a finite entity. It is impossible to form a mental image of it. Nobody can claim exclusive possession of Being. It is your very essence, and it is immediately accessible to you as the feeling of your own presence, the realization I am that is prior to I am this or I am that. So it is only a small step from the word Being to the experience of Being. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)When you no longer need to ask the question.
- Publisher's editor
- Tolle, Eckhart
Classifications
- Genres
- Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, General Nonfiction, Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 204.4 — Religion Religion Religious experience, life, practice Religious life and practice
- LCC
- BL624 .T64 — Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Religions. Mythology. Rationalism Religions. Mythology. Rationalism Religious life
- BISAC
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