World Famous Comics: The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
From: New World Library Publisher: New World Library Average Rating: Binding: Audio CD Format: Audiobook, CD, Unabridged Label: New World Library Number of Items: 8 Number of Pages: 7 Publication Date: December 10, 2001
Now on CD, the best-selling Power of Now shows how a combination of Buddhist principles, meditation theory, and relaxation techniques can connect a person to “the eternal, ever-present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death.” “A reminder to be truly present in our own lives.... The result? More joy, right now.” — O: The Oprah Magazine
Amazon.com Review: Ekhart Tolle's message is simple: living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. And while this message may not seem stunningly original or fresh, Tolle's clear writing, supportive voice, and enthusiasm make this an excellent manual for anyone who's ever wondered what exactly "living in the now" means. Foremost, Tolle is a world-class teacher, able to explain complicated concepts in concrete language. More importantly, within a chapter of reading this book, readers are already holding the world in a different container--more conscious of how thoughts and emotions get in the way of their ability to live in genuine peace and happiness.
Tolle packs a lot of information and inspirational ideas into The Power of Now. (Topics include the source of Chi, enlightened relationships, creative use of the mind, impermanence, and the cycle of life.) Thankfully, he's added markers that symbolize "break time." This is when readers should close the book and mull over what they just read. As a result, The Power of Now reads like the highly acclaimed A Course in Miracles--a spiritual guidebook that has the potential to inspire just as many study groups and change just as many lives for the better. --Gail Hudson
Changed my life This book is amazing. I am a person who takes everything personally worries about the future and the past all the time and never has time to enjoy now. I am in a transition period in my life and can't stop thinking about the future. I am a college student who never thought that now mattered, I always thought about what will happen after I graduate. I have also been clinically depressed for at least five or six years. This book put it all into perspective. It put details into what I knew somewhere in my heart and explained that what has happened in the past is not who I am and my Ego is just something that gets in the way but is not truly me! I was always defining myself with events in my life and how I saw my future (which is sometimes a really scary thought). "The Power of Now" let me look into my soul and find my true spirit. Things that would have given me anxiety attacks and sent me to xanax and bed, now let me look inside and push myself to see who I truly am; not to look back, or forward but to NOW. This book alone will not give you perfect peace but if you use the book as a guide and work on it yourself you can achieve peace in most of your life; maybe one day in every aspect.
Great gift! I gave this to my sister who's been struggling for about a year or so. She's already writing in plans for the new year. I highly recommend this as a gift for someone else or yourself.
My Personal Experience with the Message of this Book I am a middle-aged professional with an academic background in philosophy.
As I grew older, I felt more strongly that there must be a spiritual realm to our existence. But I relegated myself to the belief that any understanding of this spiritual realm was not to be. That such things would remain a mystery. At times, I would have more spiritual feelings and sensations which reinforced this belief, but still felt that my belief of the spiritual realm would be faith-based and could never go beyond this.
As I entered into my forties, I entered into unrest and discontent with life. I felt spiritually, intellectually and even emotionally dead. Raising two great children and being married to a wonderful person was not enough. The routine of daily life was not fulfilling, materialism provided nothing of spirtual value, and I walked through life with a general feeling of discontentment.
About a year ago, I entered Barnes and Noble because my 11 year old daughter wanted to buy some new books. I dropped her off in her BN department and walked straight across the floor to this book which was sitting on a shelf -- the book not being singled out or advertised specially. It was the Power of Now. I picked it up, looked at the cover and decided to allow myself to impulsively purchase it (something that was out of the ordinary for me).
The next two weeks were incredibly intense for me. And what happened after that was even greater. Tolle's words rang truth to my core. For the first time in my life, my existiential views were married/bridged with a deep spirituality. It made sense. I couldn't put the book down. As I read it, I used the meditation practices that Tolle subtley infers. The inspiring energy of his words aided me immensely to get into a transcendental realm -- a switch. Not magic, not really enlightenment (as the term conjures up something unreachable and unrealistic). But I felt at peace and felt joy. I felt intensely transformed. The world came to me and I accepted what it gave me. I accepted the world existentially. My mind was finally much, much calmer. For the first time as an adult, my mind didn't control me. People and my environment vibrated with a vibrant energy. I knew (not believed, not faith) that there was a One Being that essentially came from stillness or silence and everything was one with that One Being. (Reminiscent of what I think Sartre's Being and Nothingness painfully attempted to point out). I felt this sense of peace on and off for a month or so. Admittedly this intense feeling declined somewhat as a result of some crisis life situations that proved too difficult to surrender to. I am still "working on it" with the joy of knowing that this spiritual realm exists.
This book is the greatest book I've ever read which -- to me -- says much considering I have read many of the great works of literature and most philosophers. No book has come close to this. Tolle's presentation (and what he calls "sign-posts") are succinct and clear. The only problem I have with this book -- and I say this with humor -- is how the book was marketed. Its title, "The Power of Now," and cover art is so sensationalistic that it looks like it should part of an info-commercial along with Ginsu knives and the Ronco fruit dehydrator. I fear that many in the academic world will dismiss the book as such without giving it a chance. I hope I am wrong. I also hope that if the world makes deeper into the future, that this book is mandatory reading for all students.
I hope you find the energy of my review helpful.
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
The best book ever written on Exposing the False Self (EGO) When I saw Oprah mention this book on her show I ran out and got a copy right away. All I can say is THANK YOU VERY MUCH OPRAH. Excellent book teaching you how to live in the now. The best book I have ever read that exposes the false self (EGO) and how the primary job of the ego is to take your happiness away and create all kinds of problems every day.
Here's the ego's program that it is running to justify it's existance "Never Satisfied"
No matter how a situation turns out, the ego will find a way to be unhappy about it.
P.S. The book is so good, I ran out and bought extra copies for all my friends and family.
Waste of Money....Compiled from various sources.... ...and it's not even the "best of", sort of reference. My thoughts are, that this guy is potentially a cult figure, with followers who are grabbing at straws. I can't imagine what Oprah was thinking. Her original spiritual strengths, were strong enough to take her, further than most people can imagine going. 2-stars is over-rating his books...in my book. My concern: Charlatans, exploiting those who may be needing real help.
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