Dearest readers,
“Nothing ever happened in the past;
it happened in the Now.
Nothing will ever happen in the future;
it will happen in the Now”.
With this quote, I want to introduce you to one of the most profound, deep diving books I’ve ever read in my entire life. It directly stems from the “The power of Now” – the book I want to share with you from the bottom of my heart. I just read it right before my trip to India, right before I went through my own very unique transformational journey at the Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh. Plus, it was right before I had my very first most profound experiences in meditations which led me to my regular, beautiful meditation practice. Eckhart, you’ve had a massive impact on my spiritual path so far. Thank you very much indeed for bringing this message of your very own experience out into the world; because what our society urgently needs right now is mindfulness; awareness; It is time for us to become aware of the power of NOW.
It is written in a Q & A (questions and answers) style, so every chapter rolls up a question. In between Eckart’s answers, further questions are posed which represents common doubts and unbelieving thoughts which came up into a human mind. Thus, it is perfectly written for anyone who is drained and exhausted by our fast-paced society; who has had enough from their overdemanding job; who feels like a machine (human doing) rather than a human being; and it’s written for anyone who is ready to take a look beyond our physical existence as well as our compulsive thinking process…
This book is literally full of so many detailed wisdoms that it’s pretty hard to sum it up shortly. However, let’s give it a try and let’s step right into the world of real existence – pause – let’s take a deep dive into the state of NOW.
~ The mind: blessing or curse? ~
Just imagine yourself waking up in the morning. Right at the moment you open your eyes. What happens? – Well, it is the process of thinking which happens. Your mind starts to become active. You might think about what task to do first today, what you may have forgotten to do yesterday and beat yourself up about it. Once one thing is done the next one waits for you to be done, etc. Does this sound familiar? You might think that’s normal because EVERYONE thinks all the time, right? However, this is not as it is supposed to be.
Being unaware of this present moment, we are (over-)thinking compulsively. I can somehow call it the biggest addiction humanity is obsessed with. That may sound exaggerative and you might say “But it happens automatically” – it simply does because we have been conditioned to absorb all these belief-systems; because we’ve been shown by society that living your life like a random victim of your thoughts is completely normal; because nobody has ever told us that we are NOT our thoughts. We do have thoughts, but we are not supposed to identify with everything that rushes through our head.
The mind is energy which is created by the collective. These thoughts are passed on and on, they visit us, but they actually won’t stay unless we keep holding onto them. The mind is attached to the identification with the ego. And this is per se not a bad thing as we are given the opportunity to experience this beautiful world through our senses, therefore, we need a body. We are given the amazing opportunity to express ourselves through so many different things. We can create, we can spread our message, we can connect with so many amazing other souls on a physical level, we can help this planet to heal. To transform. To raise global energy levels. The mind itself is not the problem. We are just not making use of it the way we want it to work. We rather let it do its own thing. That’s what destroys us.
“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly.
Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.
To put it more accurately, it is not so much that you use your mind wrongly—
you usually don’t use it at all.
It uses you.”
Why does a human being feel unfulfilled, constantly striving for more? Either dwelling in past situations or dreaming about the future? Always striving for the next. Always judging according to past experiences. Always on a mental run, a treadmill, a hamster wheel – further, further, more, more, no, even more, this and that, etc. Why does this constant process “happen” to us?
~ The Power of “Now” ~
I intentionally didn’t want to answer the question from my last paragraph directly. Instead, I would like you to take the time to reflect on what you’re reading here right now. To take time. To step a second back from whatever just came up into your mind. So for right now: Take a breath. ~ Inhale deeply. ~ Exhale completely.
What did you experience just now?
“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.
Make the Now the primary focus of your life.
Whereas before you dwelt in time and paid brief visits to the Now,
have your dwelling place in the Now and pay brief visits to past and future when required
to deal with the practical aspects of your life situation.”
If our mind is working on its’ own, there can only exist the past or the future within our dimension of time. This is because “thinking” is an active process, whereas experiencing the present moment – the NOW – is a state of stillness. I just asked you to focus on the breath as it is the easiest tool which brings us instantly to the present moment. Actually, it is the pause between the inhalation and the exhalation which creates space. Like there is always – a tiny little or even bigger – space between our constant thoughts. Have you ever realized this gap? If not yet, I would love for you to take the time and pay attention to it.
As Eckhart says: Don’t let your past and your future dictate your present moment of life. You can take short mental trips to these times, however, make the NOW the primary focus of your life. It is simply all you have.
~ Relationship issues and human’s suffering ~
Are you familiar with the feeling of loneliness? Looking out for the other part or “half” of yourself who shall make you feel whole? It may sound hard, but if someone cannot enjoy life on his own and waits around for someone else to fill this gap of loneliness, he will never become fulfilled. To put it simply, it’s not the job of someone else to fulfil your life. This is your very own job and you are the one and only person on this entire planet who is able to experience this state of contentment. Nothing external can ever make you complete. Other people or things may support you on that journey as they are a mirror of yourself. But they won’t be able to fill any missing pieces within yourself…
“If you’re alone and you’re getting bored,
obviously you’re in bad company.”
(Sadhguru)
This does definitely not mean that you’re supposed to stay alone, to cocoon and hide away from everyone else for the rest of your life. It simply means that when you learn to become comfortable and even fulfilled alone and with who you are, you will automatically become attractive to everyone outside. This is because you’re not sending out the vibrations of lack, need and dependency anymore. Probably each of us has already heard this common quote which says “You have to love yourself first before you can love another person.”
“You cannot be lonely if you like the person you’re alone with.”
(Wayne Dyer)
Relationships are one of the examples of why human beings are suffering. And it traces back to a principle that can be applied to many other different areas of life as well. It is the attachment. But what gives us this strong urge, this need for adherence? Right. Our mind. May I ask you a question? – How would you feel, if your partner left, if you lost your job or your house got burned to ashes? If your control over certain things will be taken away from you. Still confident?
People spend their time desperately trying to achieve certain things – more money, a big house, an expensive car, the perfect partner – constantly hoping they will finally find happiness. But the intention of doing so is always to meet a certain need they have. Waiting that the inner emptiness finally becomes fulfilled.
~ The authors‘ intention ~
Eckhart Tolle is one of the most influential spiritual teachers nowadays. He himself suffered from intense depression, speaking about unbearable, very close to suicidal moments. However, there was this moment his life changed completely – his “inner transformation” or “awakening moment”. After a night with excessive depression, he woke up the next morning and all of his anxiety, fear, all these painful thoughts were gone. He experienced the world as if everything was a miracle, seeing it for the very first time. Tears came into his eyes. Everything was so peaceful and perfectly beautiful as if it just came into existence. At that moment he realized that the mind forced to identify him with all the potential “problems” which are ultimately just a fiction of the mind. In this night, this mind made-up ego-identification collapsed and he was able to see the world from an unattached, blissful state of being; like a baby who has just been born into this earth.
This life-changing experience is something everyone may experience. We all have the capability to see the world in this way. It is just our noisy mind which has become so extremely loud that we are unable to realize our true nature. It is the story of a man who has become a spiritual teacher and who wrote several books, like the Power of Now.
I want to add one more quote from Eckhart Tolle:
“Death is a stripping away of all that is not you.
The secret of life is to ”die before you die“ —
and find that there is no death.”
Thank you so much indeed for reading, my friends! As this piece of literature is an absolute popular bestseller, you might have read it as well!? What thoughts and especially what feelings came up within yourself by reading it? Or by reading my article right now?
I invite you to take 5 minutes from now. To take a breath. To create a white space in your mind. To observe all the walking-by thoughts and to follow the gaps between them. You CAN step outside, observe and witness these thoughts because they are not you. Always remember: You are not your thoughts. You have thoughts. And you can consciously choose them, by being aware of this fact…
Love & trust!
Namasté,
yours Isabel!
Pictures
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