the power of now by eckhart tolle: key tips & takeaways
written by Jasmine Irven
This book begins by Eckhart Tolle describing a spiritual awakening he had after a life of suicidal depression and feelings of absolute dread.
After chronicling his own spiritual awakening, the teachings in his book outline how you too can rediscover yourself. Tolle clearly states that he, “cannot tell you any spiritual truth that deep within you don’t know already. All [he] can do is remind you of what you have forgotten.”
In other words, this book is about a coming home: to your true self, to finding presence in every moment, to noticing how external factors may be dictating your thoughts and feelings, and noticing the power that your own thoughts may be having over you, and after noticing, this book is about how you can consciously bring your awareness continually back to what’s truly important.
While the book is deeply spiritual, it is also simply about being. Simply about noticing the power of now (as the title so aptly describes), in each moment. And, in that sense, this book is truly for everyone who wants to reconnect with their sense of true self and to take their power back from unhelpful thoughts and distractions.
Below I’ve outlined my key tips and takeaways from the book, and hope they’re a helpful resource when you’re looking for simple reminders on how to come back to yourself and appreciate the present.
And as always, if my words resonate, you’d likely find great joy in picking up the book and reading it in its entirety.
the concept of enlightenment
Tolle describes that many people perceive the concept of enlightenment as some superhuman achievement, but the reality is that it’s simply a return to your “natural state of felt oneness” with something greater than yourself.
You are not a separate entity; a separate being; you are not isolated. Rather, you are connected fully to the world around you. And when you recognize this, you are able to feel at peace. For when you know you are one with source, there is no need for fear or incessant thinking.
you are not your mind
When you recognize that you are one with “source” or “being” (or whatever term feels good to you), you’re able to recognize that the constant thinking and ruminating patterns we find ourselves in are truly not serving 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… You believe that you are your mind. This is the delusion.”
Your mind is a tool - to be used for specific purposes and then set down. But the problem is that we have become attached to our mind, to our thinking patterns. So much so that most of our thinking is repetitive, useless, and often harmful.
If instead, you begin to become an observer of your mind, you’re able to tap into a higher consciousness. You’re able to separate yourself from your thoughts.
freeing yourself from your mind
Almost everyone hears a voice or several voices in their head all the time (judging, complaining, ruminating on the past or worrying about the future), and unfortunately many don’t recognize their ability to stop or at least begin to take control of these involuntary processes.
Tolle describes that this voice belongs to your conditioned mind, which is the result of all your past history and the collective cultural mindset you inherited. It therefore is completely distorted.
Instead of allowing these thoughts to completely run your mind and life, start listening to them as often as you can. Pay attention to repetitive thought patterns. Be a witnessing presence - listening without judging, just observing.
When you do this, “the thought then loses its power over you and quickly subsides, because you are no longer energizing the mind through identification with it… when a thought subsides, you experience a discontinuity in the mental stream -- a gap of ‘no mind.’ At first, the gaps will be short… but gradually they will become longer. When these gaps occur, you feel a certain stillness and peace inside you.”
In this state you use your thinking mind as needed, but it is much more effective because the stream of useless, unhelpful thoughts is lessened. There is a greater stillness, greater focus on what’s truly important.
focusing on the present
You can also create a gap in your stream of constant thoughts simply by directing your focus into the present moment. This is the essence of meditation, but can be used throughout the day in any routine activities -- giving the activity your fullest attention.
P.s. we speak about this concept more deeply in our post on 9 ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life.
We identify with our mind and the past and future because of our ego. It relies on the past to describe who we are, and identifies with the future holds the promise of salvation, of fulfillment in whatever form - “one day, when _____ happens I will be happy.” Both are illusions.
The present moment is all we have. “The eternal present is the space within which your whole life unfolds, the one factor that remains constant. Life is now...In the Now, in the absence of time, all your problems dissolve.”
you are not your emotions
Emotion is the body’s reaction to your mind, “a reflection of your mind in the body.”
We are generally not conscious of all of our thoughts, and it is often only through watching our emotions that we can bring them into awareness. Your body will give you a truthful reflection, so as you do with your thoughts, practise becoming an observer of your reactions and how they manifest in your body.
An emotion is often an amplified thought pattern: “by dwelling mentally on [a] situation, event, or person that is the perceived cause of the emotion, the thought feeds energy to the emotion, which in turn energizes the thought pattern.”
When you become an observer, you can allow emotion to be without being controlled by it. You no longer are the emotion, it is simply moving through you.
Make it a habit to ask yourself: what’s going on inside me at this moment? Again, try to observe with awareness rather than judgement.
Moments of love and joy and peace are deep states of being - they go beyond emotion. These feelings are possible whenever we are able to simply be. Whenever there is a gap in our stream of thought.
letting go of psychological time
Learn to use “clock time” in the practical aspects of your life -- making appointments, planning a trip, learning from the past so we don’t repeat the same mistakes over and over, setting goals you can work toward, etc., but remember that the present is the most essential factor.
“Any lesson from the past becomes relevant and is applied now. Any planning as well as working toward achieving a particular goal is done now...If you become excessively focused on the goal, perhaps because you are seeking happiness, fulfillment, or a more complete sense of self, in it, the Now is no longer honored....Your life’s journey is no longer an adventure, just an obsessive need to arrive, to attain, to “make it.”
Remember that there is never a time when your life is not “this moment.”
on the way out of pain
The greater part of human pain according to Tolle is unnecessary and self-created, caused by the unobserved mind. According to Tolle, “the more you are able to honor and accept the now the more you are free of pain, of suffering.”
Yes you need the mind to function, but there comes a point when it takes over and is no longer helpful. If you are continually focusing on the past or future, you are often creating unnecessary pain and unhappiness for yourself.
Of course you can pay brief “visits” to the past and present to deal with practical aspects of your life, but in general start saying yes to the present moment more. Realize that the present moment is all you ever have. Accept it, and then act.
“Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy.”
on the way out of fear
Fear is often completely separate from any concrete or immediate danger. It comes in many forms: unease, worry, anxiety, phobia, etc. -- based on something that might happen, not something that is happening now.
You are in the now right now while your mind is in the future, and that creates an anxiety gap. Your ego is vulnerable and insecure, constantly seeing itself as being under threat and wanting to protect you.
When this happens, your body is reacting to the feelings of danger and being “threatened” and the resulting manifestation in the body is fear.
“As long as the egoic mind is running your life, you cannot truly be at ease; you cannot be at peace or fulfilled except for brief intervals when you obtained what you wanted, when a craving has just been fulfilled.”
By stepping more into the present, focusing on what is currently happening, you can begin to let go of fear.
on learning continuously
Your daily life offers endless opportunity to bring more presence and awareness to your thoughts and feelings. The more you can focus on the present moment, the more you’ll be able to experience feelings of ease and peace.
If you cannot be present even in “normal’ circumstances (i.e. waiting in a line, listening to someone, etc.), then you certainly won’t be able to stay conscious when faced with difficulties in life.
And so, it is essential to bring more consciousness into your life when everything is going relatively well. It is essential to practise, to view each moment as an opportunity to practise and learn and expand your awareness.
final thoughts
Simply reading this post can give you a great deal of awareness. Just knowing that you have work to do in this area (as everyone does) - in learning to become more present, in learning to observe instead of react, is a great success. That knowing is presence.
Everything is shown up by being exposed to the light, and whatever is exposed to the light itself becomes light.
— St. Paul
The moment you observe thoughts or emotions you create separation between yourself and them. When you take your attention to it, the identification is broken.
So, make it a practise to withdraw your attention from the external whenever possible. To go inwards. To bring attention to your thoughts and feelings, viewing them as separate from yourself. Become an observer.
Stay present, stay conscious.
And more presence will bring greater joy and peace in your life.
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about the author
Hey there! I’m Jasmine, founder of the Sustainable Bliss Collective, a Certified Meditation Teacher, and lover of all things self-care, slow-living, and personal development.
I believe that ambition and self-care can coexist, and as such I hope to encourage and inspire you to take care of yourself, breathe deeply, connect with who you are, manifest your dreams, enjoy the blissful moments of each day, and make an impact in this beautiful world we call home.
Connect with me on Instagram here!
