The Power of Now: Cure for All Problems :)

[Josee]

Dulma;920442- That's awesome, how were the seminars?

Magic! lol Defies description.

I'm thinking of taking a trip to Canada for one but it would be tough with classes and a yoga program I'm doing. Worth it, do you think?

Worth it!

I was not into the people who went either time. I didn't get 'peeps'.
But just him, the focus on him and what he says and how he says it.
This is a spiritual master.

Also I went before the Oprah popularity. So I don't know if the crowd is expecting new cars or what now. lol!

But he would still be who he is- realized being.

Go.

[Blissin]

That is a nice conversation.
I have almost finished reading the "power of now". I already knew most of the concepts, but it was a refreshing read to see them all explained in easy language in a single book and gave me a different angle on things and a good feeling. Definitely worth reading it!
However sometimes I found it too superficial, especially on the techniques. He practically took techniques used in Vipassana retreats, personalized them and made them much more light (which in a way is expected from a western self help book), and he also suggested to do meditation for only "10-15" minutes a day. This is just too light and not enough.
So I understand where alexplatups's frustrations and misbeliefs come from. This is a very watered down version of the oriental techniques, and I think that only very few elects will be able to fight appropriately the Ego with those instruments alone. But reading some of those books is not enough to dismiss for example the teachings of Bhudda...
Alex, did you ever do a Vipassana retreat? (normally 10 days with 10 hours of compulsory meditation per day)
I would strongly suggest you to do it. That was probably the strongest experience of my life and I believe it might change your mind on what can be achieved inside our mind. If you want more information I would be happy to give it to you.
Also the battle that you picture like a lost cause against the Ego is not as bad as you say because it doesn't have a binary solution that either you destroy it completely or lose... you can slowly diminish his size and dismantelling it with time.
Currently in the world there are thousalnds of enlightened people ("Bodhisattvas" which is different from reaching "Buddhahood"), and definitely there are many more with only small traces of Ego.

I also wanted to ask you some questions that might help:
What is your objective in life?
And your (real) source of joy?
Do they coincide?
I am really not trying to attack you so I hope you won't become defensive.

I did a Goenka retreat, and at the end most of the baggage that I kept inside my unconscious I felt was gone, I was also able to see inside myself in a detail that was new to me with a feeling a bliss and complete peace.
That changed forever my view of life. But the thing that I loved the most and I feel most practical is that now I have a "happy place" that I can rely on when I need it.
Whenever I feel like and in whatever condition I am, I know that I can be fully in the present, smiley and happy if I meditate for 1 hour. And the effect of this normally last for a couple of hours afterwards.

However, I am not able to keep the presence, and the "power of now" for long (as also the particular retreat I did is not one that focuses a lot in keeping the "power of now" throughout the day).
And what about you guys, what is your current experience?
How long do you manage to stay in the moment in a day?
Which portals do you find more effectives and useful to keep you in the now?

[Josee]

Originally Posted by Blissin

That is a nice conversation.
I have almost finished reading the "power of now". I already knew most of the concepts, but it was a refreshing read to see them all explained in easy language in a single book and gave me a different angle on things and a good feeling. Definitely worth reading it!
However sometimes I found it too superficial, especially on the techniques. He practically took techniques used in Vipassana retreats, personalized them and made them much more light (which in a way is expected from a western self help book), and he also suggested to do meditation for only "10-15" minutes a day. This is just too light and not enough.
So I understand where alexplatups's frustrations and misbeliefs come from. This is a very watered down version of the oriental techniques, and I think that only very few elects will be able to fight appropriately the Ego with those instruments alone. But reading some of those books is not enough to dismiss for example the teachings of Bhudda...
Alex, did you ever do a Vipassana retreat? (normally 10 days with 10 hours of compulsory meditation per day)
I would strongly suggest you to do it. That was probably the strongest experience of my life and I believe it might change your mind on what can be achieved inside our mind. If you want more information I would be happy to give it to you.
Also the battle that you picture like a lost cause against the Ego is not as bad as you say because it doesn't have a binary solution that either you destroy it completely or lose... you can slowly diminish his size and dismantelling it with time.
Currently in the world there are thousalnds of enlightened people ("Bodhisattvas" which is different from reaching "Buddhahood"), and definitely there are many more with only small traces of Ego.

I also wanted to ask you some questions that might help:
What is your objective in life?
And your (real) source of joy?
Do they coincide?
I am really not trying to attack you so I hope you won't become defensive.

I did a Goenka retreat, and at the end most of the baggage that I kept inside my unconscious I felt was gone, I was also able to see inside myself in a detail that was new to me with a feeling a bliss and complete peace.
That changed forever my view of life. But the thing that I loved the most and I feel most practical is that now I have a "happy place" that I can rely on when I need it.
Whenever I feel like and in whatever condition I am, I know that I can be fully in the present, smiley and happy if I meditate for 1 hour. And the effect of this normally last for a couple of hours afterwards.

However, I am not able to keep the presence, and the "power of now" for long (as also the particular retreat I did is not one that focuses a lot in keeping the "power of now" throughout the day).
And what about you guys, what is your current experience?
How long do you manage to stay in the moment in a day?
Which portals do you find more effectives and useful to keep you in the now?

Listening to silence.

[Dulma]

Originally Posted by Blissin

However sometimes I found it too superficial, especially on the techniques. He practically took techniques used in Vipassana retreats, personalized them and made them much more light (which in a way is expected from a western self help book), and he also suggested to do meditation for only "10-15" minutes a day. This is just too light and not enough.

Interesting that you say that because it's just that lightness of approach that he advocates which is part of the reason I enjoy his teachings. I tend to be a perfectionist and I'm also prone to being impatient, so that combination makes it easy for me to treat personal spiritual progress as some sort of a competition or race - a source of stress, really. And I enjoy that he is guiding people to a very personalized, easygoing way to realization.

I also wanted to ask you some questions that might help:
What is your objective in life?
And your (real) source of joy?
Do they coincide?
I am really not trying to attack you so I hope you won't become defensive.

Is this for me or Alex?

And what about you guys, what is your current experience?
How long do you manage to stay in the moment in a day?
Which portals do you find more effectives and useful to keep you in the now?

I meditate in ways that aren't as conventional because the sitting and chanting or watching the breath style of presence really turns me into an agitated wreck.

I breathe and really enjoy "drinking in" my breath. It's distinctly a different sensation than "watching" the breath because I'm not detached but rather wholly and completely experiencing my breathing.

I also love to listen to everything and take in the sounds as well as the gaps of silence in between.

Feeling my inner body is becoming a very powerful practice of mine. I tune into my inner energy field whenever I find my thoughts going off on some unnecessary or negative tangent and it starts to feel like this faint, subtle buzzing of electricity throughout my body.

[Lifeisamazing]

I picked up Tolle's The Power of Now, because one of my mentors spoke so highly of it. The interesting thing is that I already believed that most people are unhappy because of how they use their thinking. In other words, how they are imprisoned by their own thinking. There is nothing new for me, nothing enlightening, but it's something that needs to reminded of continuously, because I'm not using my thinking to my advantage all the time, yet.

I agree with those who think that his style is a bit awkward to read. I felt that he was preaching some religion to me and he says the same thing over and over and over again. (Geez, I already got it.)

[Perry M]

I read "A New Earth" and practiced for a while, but I felt like I was losing touch with my sense of reality.

[James81]

I resonate highly with his ideas, but "The Power of Now" (the book itself) didn't impress me much. I imagine if I hadn't spent so much time HERE discussing those ideas, the book might have made more of an impression on me. But by the time I actually read the book, I had already discussed the ideas in his book to death here on the forums.

[Solipsist]

I make it a point to read as much of Tolle as possible. I even have an Eckhart Tolle calendar. The monthly photos are as inspiring to me as his words. Indeed, he is one of the most influential people I've ever had in my life.

However, I feel it necessary to respond to something in the OP, as well as to some of the rest of the conversation in this thread.

Originally Posted by Dulma

I would like to spread the light. Eckhart Tolle's books (The Power of Now and A New Earth) have been quite literally the most important investments of time and money I've ever made because they've opened my eyes to the correct way to deal with all and any problems that may arise in my life.

First of all, Dulma, I'm very happy that you understand and have been inspired by Eckhart Tolle and his work. It's always nice to hear about someone else who understands the importance of awareness, the present moment, and surrender.

However, you may want to consider what I've bolded above, which may or may not have sparked alex's assertions. While I like Tolle, and have adopted some of his methods (particularly pain-body work), I have never been one to tout him as the empirically correct way to enlightenment. Though I have no doubt that Tolle is most effective in your understanding of presence, it doesn't mean that he will be as effective to everyone else.

Moreover, though I, myself, have found his books most beneficial to me, so also have I found other works beneficial--David R. Hawkins, Nisargaddat Maharaj, and Ramana Maharshi are also an important to me, in terms of the influence upon my understanding, especially of my own ego.

In other threads, I have read and understood (or, at least think I understood) where alex is coming from. For guys like him and me, everything boils down to Being. Being is consciousness, conscious of itself as consciousness. It all boils down to simply Being. Just Be Who You are. Anything short of that is a belief system, and to us, belief systems fail. For me, Eckhart Tolle, like the others I have mentioned, point in that direction, which is why I enjoy reading them all. They resonate with me, a very great deal.

But no single spiritual teacher is the answer to everything. The answer to everything lies within you. It IS you. And, I think Eckhart Tolle himself would likely agree. Such is what makes effective real spiritual instruction--he (or she) opens the door to show you Who You Really Are, simply by being Who They Really Are. I have no doubt that Eckhart Tolle has done that for you. He has done that for me, too. But there are others that I have read who have opened the door for me ever wider. In fact, you, yourself, have opened the door a bit more for me, by starting this very thread. You, yourself, have thus served as a spiritual instructor. Hence, I am grateful, both to you, and for you.

That's somewhat of how it all works, I've discovered.

[Amama]

I have The Power of Now audio and I listen to it in my car on the way to work, and other times to condition my thinking and my awareness to the present tense.

[srikant]

my whole being resonates with osho's words. And Eckhart tolle voices the same thing in a new manner. One of my fav osho's sayings "its time to give up material goals, time to give up spiritual goals and just be "

[Derelle]

It's a pretty good book, I read most of it a few years ago. It has words of wisdom you can live by. It helped me realize there is always another way to deal with a problem. Instead of confining yourself to looking at problems in one way, if you alter your outlook slightly, it can change your attitude and how you deal with issues.

Thanks for sharing. It reminds me to go back and finish reading it. I'm sure I will pick up some other valuable insights. Keep sharing your reading list. I like knowing what other people are reading.

[Sponge]

I haven't read this whole thread, but wanted to add that I can say that The P.O.N is the best self-help book I have read (along with 'stillness speaks'- recommended to me by Angel P - thank you). For years I have been judging/labelling and being hurt when people don't live up to my expectations, this book has helped me to see the light. I was compulsively telling muself stories 'he didn't ring' so that means he doesn't care' 'they didn't turn up to the party' means they don't care. I have suprised myself in realising how much Power I was giving away and how little worth I was giving to myself and others. Even as I write this I realise I am labelling so will stop there, I am working in just Being but it isn't an over night thing. I personally feel like I need to meditate to really see what this is about, in saying that I have practiced being Present in daily situations and it is helping. I am even making my husband read it who really isn't into Loa or anything spiritual at all.
So in short - for me, lifesaving stuff. However, I tried to read a New Earth a few years ago and found it v boring, I realise now I simply wasn't ready for his books then. When I have a chance I will read through these posts.