The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle -Book Review

Canada's Keynote Humorist

Book Review -The Power of Now – A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now should be on everybody’s bookshelf I still remember the day when I saw this quirky spiritual teacher and self-help author being introduced to us on Oprah’s show in 2000. Winfrey was so impressed with Tolle that she recommended The Power of Now in her magazine O. Two years later, the book reached number one on the New York Times Best Seller list. By 2008 it was translated into 33 languages. But before I get into the book review, did you know that Eckhart Tolle was homeless for two years? From Park Bench to Prophet Eckhart Tolle lived a life that could only be described as extraordinary. Born in Germany, he wandered through Spain, and studied in England before finding himself as a researcher at Cambridge University. Despite battling with suicide obsession, depression, and anxiety, he eventually found spiritual enlightenment. At one point, he found himself isolated from society, homeless and jobless. But instead of despair, he embraced the simplicity of his new life. For two years, he roamed the streets, finding solace in park benches and the beauty of the world around him. People were intrigued by his inner peace and sought to learn his secrets. And so, Eckhart Tolle emerged as a prominent spiritual teacher, spreading his message of mindfulness and living in the present moment to people all over the world. In The Power of Now, Tolle challenges us to break free from the voices in our heads- our egos. Instead, he reminds us to stay in the present -the here and now because he stresses the present is all we really have. Tolle basically says that there is no use worrying about the past or the future because events only happen in the ‘now’. The past and future only occur during a constant stream of ‘now’ moments. It is not uncommon for people to spend their whole life waiting to start living. ~Eckhart Tolle Are you constantly living in the past or the future? So, let's talk about why living in the present moment is so crucial. Think about it - the past is already done and dusted, and the future hasn't even happened yet. The only time we truly have control over is right now, at this very moment. By focusing on the present and being fully engaged in what's happening around us, we can make the most of our experiences and truly appreciate everything life has to offer. Tolle describes the damage and waste of time that we do to our thoughts by thinking either too much about the past or the future. He says when we think too much about the past and not enough about the present- we create guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness and all forms of non-forgiveness in our thoughts. He also says when we think too much about the future, we create fear in the form of unease, anxiety, tension, stress and worry in our thoughts.