I am not often one to read a book twice. There are too many great books out there and I’d generally rather move on to new content than read something again. However, I have read (or listened to) The Power of Now at least eight or nine times, more times than any other book.. This book was the spark that led me to go deeper into my own spirituality and continues to be foundational for me. The first time I read it, I was in my early thirties and I’m pretty sure I picked it up on a whim. It moved me to think differently about spirituality and helped me to see that religion and spirituality are not the same thing, not even close. The premise is very, very simple. The past is a memory. The future is a projection. The only thing we really have is the present moment. Everything happens in the now. Nothing happens outside of now. Eckhart Tolle covers this so beautifully and succinctly.
In life we often forget things we’ve learned and we drift off course. That includes the lessons in this book, hence why I’ve come back to it so often. The Power of Now is foundational and every time I come back to it, I get centered again. When I find myself drifting, its usually because I’ve started overcomplicating things again. The simplicity of The Power of Now is always a reset button for me.
Eckhart Tolle quotes A Course in Miracles (ACIM) many times throughout the book. (He also references teachings from Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism). After reading, The Power of Now many times, I decided to dig deeper to see what ACIM was all about. You’ll find out more about that journey in another blog post. But after that life changing experience, I see now that ACIM was a huge influence for Eckhart Tolle in writing The Power of Now. ACIM is a monster of a book, a huge commitment, and requires years of study (perhaps a lifetime) to fully grasp its lessons. The Power of Now does a great job of bringing the concepts of ACIM in to a much more concise book that can be read and understood easily without the commitment.
I have quoted Eckhart Tolle many times through this blog: “There is and always has been only one spiritual teaching.” The more I read and practice my own spirituality, the more this quote resonates with me. It is sad to me that religion and belief have created so much conflict in our world. It doesn’t have to be that way, especially considering that all religious teachings are all pointing to the same thing. Unfortunately, our human egos have this odd need to be “right.” Misunderstanding and the need to be right lead to unnecessary conflict. There is hope as consciousness continues to evolve. The Power of Now has helped (me) with that process.
Note: While I own both the printer version and audio version, I highly recommend the audio. It is narrated by Eckhart Tolle and he has a very peaceful and calming voice. (He also has a strong German accent.) I love listening to him talk. That is a meditation in itself.
