The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, by Eckhart Tolle

The Power of Now translates the Buddhist philosophical approach to happiness into plain English. It comes across as pop psychology, and is a similar concept to mindfulness, which has had a bit of a run in clinical psychology lately. Tolle tries to incorporate some spirituality and references to most religions (though not mindfulness), but there is a very practical underlying message, especially in the first half of the book. This could be reduced to "stop and smell the roses", except that he explains how to actually do this and what people typically do wrong. I suspect this is the wisdom that some people acquire with age, though they don't necessarily know it, or know how to communicate it. The book is short, because the message is simple. Tolle seems to struggle with language a bit, as if English does not contain the words he needs. The book is written as a series of questions and answers, which gives you the impression Tolle works as some kind of guru. Most of what he says rings true with me, and I could see how some people would get a lot of benefit from it.

The basic message is:

People are unhappy or dissatisfied because they define themselves by their mind - their thoughts and emotions. Their true identity is the (uncritical) observer of these thoughts and emotions, rather than the thoughts and emotions themselves. People struggle to let go of this narrow identity because they have so much invested in it emotionally, and their false identity (their mind) will react with hostility to a challenge to its existence. The mind is focussed on the past and future, rather than simply being in the present - hence the title. This creates a barrier to happiness. For example, dwelling on past wrongs or insults becomes an excuse for self imposed misery. Goals or desires become barriers to happiness. We convince ourselves that we cannot be fulfilled until we have gained or achieved a particular goal, but it is either elusive, or unsatisfying when attained, or simply replaced with a grander goal. Alternatively, the uncertainty about the future can create fear that pre-occupies the mind and hence our identity.

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Some previous book reviews:

Sapiens
http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1534554530

Why the West Rules ~ For Now
http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1404336014

Why Nations Fail
http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1394832229

Guns, Germs and Steel
http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1198305859

networks vs hierarchies in global power struggles
http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1516488950

We'll let master Light comment when he returns.

I read it but it didn't make me feel any better.

Sounds like more Enlightenment rubbish. Gross generalisations about what is wrong with humanity, and yet more claims that there are levels of perception. There is no proof that Buddhists are happier than anyone else.

Well for the true concept and example of 'Spirituality',
the word 'FASHION' comes to mind.
Have a look at all the 'spiritual' people and they express it mostly via their 'Fashion' and feeling 'cool', etc.
This is where Spirituality mostly exists and can be 'believed'.

Joseph Campbell though, once said "Follow your Bliss"
which basically says "Do what you most enjoy doing (and own it)."

I push this further by saying "Follow your strength, don't chase your weakness."
Basically: A 'physically' handicapped person would be better attaining a few honours degrees rather than try to enter the para-Olympics. 
...like a Blind person takes up Music/Singing (Audio)
...like a Deaf person takes up Art (visual)

Religion & Spirituality (Fashion) are akin.

Alas, the Gays seem to have corrupted Fashion to be considered a 'Gay' thing during Mardi-Gras.
Many 'Work-wear' places and other uniformal, fashion business's must be cringing at the Mardi-Gras

Mattyfisk wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2018 at 11:49pm:


Like I said: Religion & Fashion (Spirituality) are akin.
They go hand in hand - like a 'couple'.
Much like Cooking and Medicine both use 'a blade/knife/scalpel/etc'. 

Writing and Fashion are two 'visual' things. You look to 'read' and same with Fashion.
Hence why in one 'holy' book - a couple (of Jews) were naked in the garden ...and then 'clothed'. 

I've hung out in 'monasteries' up there in the Himalayas.
Yep - they have books and they have 'ceremonial' dress codes to go with it.
Sorry to bring it back down to earth ...but that's really what 'spirituality' is.

Take a look at Australia's 'alternative' people who consider themselves 'spiritually' superior to others ...its all based on how they look (fashion). Nothing more.

The Fashion (Spirituality) of...

Politics/Aquatic (Navy, oceanography, etc) is WHITE
Military/Conservation (protection of animals) is GREEN
Maths (Economics/Money)/the Land is BLACK
Science/Entertainment (Music) is GREY
Medicine/Cooking is BLUE
Art/Aerial (Astronomy, Flight) is RED
Religion/Fashion is BROWN
Sport/Cities is YELLOW

rhino wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2018 at 12:43am:


No. But they did show me how they've been scamming foreigners for decades with their little 'Yeti' skull of yak-hide (and seek ) 

ekhardt is one side of the ying yang.

from memory, the guy sat on a park bench for 2 years coming up with his theories.
i think he watched ducks fighting and then immediately forgetting the fight and just getting on with it and thought that nature lived in the NOW so we should too.
its a fair point.

he's a bit too weak sauce to base your whole "direction in life" on.

a lot of spiritual people use the spiritual ideology as an excuse not to get out there and grind it out, up the "narrow road to success".

i would say, combine both.

be that guy who grinds it out, perseveres, loves the harshness of the journey, busts thru barriers and seeks to lead a charged existence but also , learn from ekhardt to spend 20 minutes a day, in peace and gratitude for where you are on that journey.

the good thing about meditation is that, no matter what is going on, for that 20 minutes every day, everything is the same.

this is the contraction phase that fuels the next expansion.

ynig yang and the dao....i think ekhardt just stole these ideas and sold them to Oprah 

freediver wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2018 at 8:30am:



i didnt mind the Power of Now.
his book A New Earth was quite biblical.

i think you have to be very wary when going down the 'spirituality " route that you arent using it as an excuse to put your feet up.

the world is harsh as f**ck.
the world is as unfair as f**ck.

to stay motivated and passionate is damm near impossible.

the advertisers sell this BS about the "golden years of retirement".
the welfare addicts see the DSP as the "big prize".
its tragic.

if you arent very careful, you can use spirituality as an excuse to sit on your arse and not get out there and enjoy the harsh reality of the game.
thats what i see when i see some pot smoking spiritual guy who thinks he is superior to a Wall Street stockbroker because he doesnt need all that cash.
i see a guy who is using spirituality to justify the fact that he was too gutless and too lazy to get in the ring and compete .
i cant see 'the call to adventure" in the ekhardts books.
yet, the bible constantly tells useless individuals to get off their ass and move out...moses, abraham,jonah, isaac...all were told to go on adventure , not sit on their ass and navel gaze