"The Power of Now" Discussion Thread

[theuprising]

There is no centralized forum/knowledge base anywhere on the internet for this, a book which advocates a way of life, so I thought that I might as well start it here. If you don't know what it is, its basically eastern philosophy condensed for the western world, though most eastern creeds dissaprove of the book even though they share similar messages (since it adds some of its own philosophy into the fray)

I'll start it off, the book advocates that you live in the now, be at peace, and act out of presence and enlightenment. It said you would know when you are in such a state. I can't really tell, is it a state of peace or joy (it was described as both in the book). When I feel like I have no problems I feel happy like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, but I'm not always in a state of joy or even enjoying what I'm doing if I'm in the now, especially if I have to fight off an emotion. What am I doing wrong?

[izorline]

patience my young padawan

[Analytheque]

To seek is to fail, to accept it as evident and reality is to succeed.

[Starby]

The book doesn't suggest you are happy all the time. There's a difference between peace and happiness - even in the midst of the greatest pain there can be peace. The key is freedom - in being with whatever you're feeling in the present moment you are being true to yourself. Peace is ultimately about freedom to be who you are and what you feel in each moment, not letting your mind dicate the past and/or future.

Go into how you feel - accept it totally as who you are at this moment. This does bring peace.

[Chris_1977]

The book describes a state where the mind is quiet but I think that by just reading that book you will not be able to keep that state of mind for very long. That is my experience, at least. A bit tantalizing, really... I think people who are interested in this should use many different resources on the subject of a quiet mind and on emotional intelligence in general. Especially practical ones where you get to do excercises. I am currently doing the course at pathwaytohappiness.com.

[legod]

my experience was that my overall emotional situation gradually improved, but the improvement can be so subtle and gradual that it takes months before you can notice a significant difference. so, yea, its sometimes frustrating when you still feel like **** even after practising the power of now

what you're doing wrong is that you're expecting to be in a constant state of joy or whatever emotion you want to feel. depending on how messed up you were before you started the power of now, it can take quite a while (i'm talking about years) before you feel predominantly peaceful and content with life.

[theorique]

Originally Posted by theuprising

I'll start it off, the book advocates that you live in the now, be at peace, and act out of presence and enlightenment. It said you would know when you are in such a state. I can't really tell, is it a state of peace or joy (it was described as both in the book). When I feel like I have no problems I feel happy like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, but I'm not always in a state of joy or even enjoying what I'm doing if I'm in the now, especially if I have to fight off an emotion. What am I doing wrong?

If you're fighting off an emotion, you're certainly not living in the now and you are not present. Instead, you are looking forward with hope to a future in which this emotion is not there.

Reading the book is a starting point, not a quick fix. Training your mind in the habit of returning to the now is possible, however. Meditation and breathing exercises are a couple of ways to take action.

One quick way to get started meditating - sit cross legged on a cushion for twenty minutes in the morning, every morning. Count your breaths up to 10, then start over.

Try this for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference.

-jack

[The Truth UK]

Hi, I have also been searching for a forum dedicated to the power of now, so that I could discuss my situation and thoughts on the PON, and everything it throws up.

I have joined this board just to post on this thread, ill put another post up very soon with my situation and the problems I have; and also I would like to impart any knowledge that may help others.

Thanks

[Cloverhart]

Originally Posted by Analytheque

To seek is to fail, to accept it as evident and reality is to succeed.

I love this

[spacedout]

All of the above are excellent suggestions. The Power of Now is a very good book but it doesn't go far enough in describing the process of maintaining nowness. To stay in that state of consciousness is not easy because it takes a lot of energy to do so. But as time goes on and practice prevails, less energy is required to maintain it. It is very easy to fall back into the emotional states of lower levels of consciousness like waking sleep and absorption because of the ego and vanity. But those who are dedicated and are willing to put in effort, time, patience and much practice will experience higher levels of consciousness.

Pureawareness.info. Pure Awareness

[The Truth UK]

Yes its such a simple quote and basically tells it like it is!

I have found too that it takes a lot of energy to focus yourself on the now, indeed on any part of the teachings; im only right at the start of it all and have to admit that it is a pure need to change my way of thinking....or not thinking!

[Dharma]

The state of focusing on the now is. There is no not focusing on the now. You are always focused on the now.

What you are experiencing is focusing on the now and pretending you're not. The effort you feel is trying to keep at bay all the habits that help you escape the now. It is quite a force to recon with.

Practice being in the now and the habits will slowly drop away. Try a meditation, or a walk in the woods where you keep your focus present. I sometimes set my watch to chime every minute and see if I'm still in the now when it goes off. It takes practice. Yes, I wish we could all be like Tolle and have it turn on like a switch.

[Tren]

If the ultimate goal is a state of joy, which is constant and present, why accept feelings that are negative in any way?

If you're fighting off an emotion, you're certainly not living in the now and you are not present. Instead, you are looking forward with hope to a future in which this emotion is not there.

Does recognizing a negative feeling toward something and then choosing to be nuetral to that feeling before 'setting it free' count as fighting it off?
I wonder as I was thinking about this last night.
It came up for me after reading Steve's blog (I don't know how to do fancy links )

Dealing with Difficult People


"There was a story about the Buddha where a verbally abusive man came to see him and starting hurling insults. But the Buddha just sat there calmly. Finally the man asked the Buddha why he failed to respond to the insults and abuse. The Buddha replied, “If someone offers you a gift, and you decline to accept it, to whom does the gift belong?”

If my reaction to a situation is anything other than positive can I not accept that feeling?
Our center is pure contentment. If living from one's center there should be no reaction other than a positive one yes?
I'm confused

[MariconesUnited]

Originally Posted by Tren

If the ultimate goal is a state of joy, which is constant and present, why accept feelings that are negative in any way?

The idea is to accept these feelings completely as they are, in the present moment. But more importantly, it is to observe those feelings without thinking about them ie. labeling them. When you consciously observe that emotion within yourself, without labelling it, without identifying with that feeling as being a part of who you are, rather than a temporary impression like any other emotion, the pain naturally goes away. When you reject your negative feelings and thoughts, all you do is keep them within your unconscious, which in turn is only going to empower them. Only by facing your emotion head on can you set yourself truly free. Try it, it works!

[ethereal]

I think there's a fundamental insight that is often overlooked by people practicing the PON, and that is that there is no such thing as a "now", and "no one" to focus on it. If there is no past, and there is no future, then the present which we think is a moment between past and future can't really exist either. There's no such thing as present moments succeeding each other for eternity. To use the mind to focus on the Now, is to keep the ego/mind alive "doing" something.

To enlighten, one has to deconstruct the mind that is focused on past, present, and future, until there is "no one" left to be in any "now". What you are looking for is a no-self / no-space / no-time state of awareness.

For example, for people who are practicing the PON, you can ask yourself "who is it that is trying to be in the now?" It's still "me" or "my mind", a movement of ego. Of course, it's better to be in the now than to be in the past or future, it is closer to enlightenment to be in the now. But you have to transcend even the now, in the end.

[The Truth UK]

"If you're fighting off an emotion, you're certainly not living in the now and you are not present. Instead, you are looking forward with hope to a future in which this emotion is not there."

This is exactly what I am constantly doing. I am fighting the intensly negative emotion rather than accepting it. It has been part of me for so long.

How do I accept it?

[MariconesUnited]

Originally Posted by The Truth UK

"If you're fighting off an emotion, you're certainly not living in the now and you are not present. Instead, you are looking forward with hope to a future in which this emotion is not there."

This is exactly what I am constantly doing. I am fighting the intensly negative emotion rather than accepting it. It has been part of me for so long.

How do I accept it?

The first step is to consciously be in the Now. As often and intensely as possible. If it helps, keep in mind that emotions are like any other phenomena that we experience through perception, in that it is only temporary. The more you focus on the feeling within you without labeling it, the faster it evaporates.

[The Truth UK]

Originally Posted by MariconesUnited

The first step is to consciously be in the Now. As often and intensely as possible. If it helps, keep in mind that emotions are like any other phenomena that we experience through perception, in that it is only temporary. The more you focus on the feeling within you without labeling it, the faster it evaporates.

Yes, thanks I think I can see this point, and someone else has made it above too. I will attempt to understand it.

Its funny, when we talk about, and try to help someone else it all seems so logical and straight forward; and yet when it is us; we cant see the wood for the trees!

It is my fault that I am in the situ I am in, and it has a good part to it, as well as a very challenging part.

[Tren]

To enlighten, one has to deconstruct the mind that is focused on past, present, and future, until there is "no one" left to be in any "now". What you are looking for is a no-self / no-space / no-time state of awareness.

I think I understand although something about it makes me sad (or afraid maybe??) This no-self / no-space / no-time state seems so empty when I think about it.

Until now I had tried to live in this place of sunshine and rainbows and butterflies. Any negativity directed toward me was bounced off. Its not [B]my[B] issue, its the issue of the other party.

I am going to try this:

Originally Posted by MariconesUnited
The first step is to consciously be in the Now. As often and intensely as possible. If it helps, keep in mind that emotions are like any other phenomena that we experience through perception, in that it is only temporary. The more you focus on the feeling within you without labeling it, the faster it evaporates.

today.

Thanks

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by The Truth UK

This is exactly what I am constantly doing. I am fighting the intensly negative emotion rather than accepting it. It has been part of me for so long.

How do I accept it?

wasn't there something about the pain body in the PON?

accepting is basically feeling it and letting it run it's coarse and letting it shift into whatever the feelings go into.

not accepting would be amplifying it with re-telling the story or being ruled by it such that your behavior is not of your choice. being swept up into the drama of it and actually choosing to make it bigger. or being tied to the feeling as being who you are. It's not "I am sad" - but "I am experiencing sadness".

and also not accepting would be trying to ignore an emotion, choosing to suppress it and banish it in the subconscious where it WILL turn into the pain body eventually as a different feeling in the body.

in other words not fixating on the emotion, just letting it run out with awareness on the feelings in it, is all that is needed. and keep in mind fixating is either amplifying it or denying it. you kind of leave it alone but give it absolute non-verbal awareness.

the body will go through the emotions and chemicals generated and leave you alone after a spike, as long as you don't fixate on the emotion.

I don't think accepting is figuring out the reasons you feel that way because that might be trying to justify it - which is an identity move. "I have a right to feel this and it's because blah blah..." story, identity, amplifying, drama.

[theuprising]

Ugh its so hard to stay in the Now all the time, sometimes I just drift off, not to return for like 6 hrs. Its so appealing to drift off.

I don't understand though, emotions play a very important part of learning, when I don't let emotions take a hold of me, I don't learn from my mistakes as well since I can't identify how big of a mistake it was and am not reminded emotionally when I am about to redo it. The previous fact alone is making me inch closer to dumping the whole power of now stuff and have a separate time for meditation, and a separate time for living.

EDIT: to above post, the binural stuff is a experimental tech on hypnosis, what does this have to do w/ meditation... There is no such thing as a guided meditation...

[MariconesUnited]

Originally Posted by theuprising

Ugh its so hard to stay in the Now all the time, sometimes I just drift off, not to return for like 6 hrs. Its so appealing to drift off.

I don't understand though, emotions play a very important part of learning, when I don't let emotions take a hold of me, I don't learn from my mistakes as well since I can't identify how big of a mistake it was and am not reminded emotionally when I am about to redo it. The previous fact alone is making me inch closer to dumping the whole power of now stuff and have a separate time for meditation, and a separate time for living.

EDIT: to above post, the binural stuff is a experimental tech on hypnosis, what does this have to do w/ meditation... There is no such thing as a guided meditation...

The important thing to take note of is to OBSERVE. When you do that the emotion doesn't linger on naturally as long as it would otherwise. It leads to a certain detachment of the emotion. But through your observation you remember the pain or whatever negative emotion, but most importantly, what caused it (regardless of what we believe caused our pain, it is a thought that was at root). Doing it this way we remember our mistakes and learn from them, without perpetuating our suffering endlessly. You'll still feel the emotion even though you're not identifying your true nature with that emotion.

I understand your frustration. It's hard for most of us to practice this from moment to moment. We have mostly untrained minds. Just don't beat yourself up over what you can't achieve. Focus on your achievements, no matter how small. It will help you persevere. I'm still learning myself, and I can tell you that the more you practice it the more you understand it and its benefits become more and more obvious. Keep your spirits up bud!

[nicbrahms]

Originally Posted by theuprising

Ugh its so hard to stay in the Now all the time, sometimes I just drift off, not to return for like 6 hrs. Its so appealing to drift off.

I don't understand though, emotions play a very important part of learning, when I don't let emotions take a hold of me, I don't learn from my mistakes as well since I can't identify how big of a mistake it was and am not reminded emotionally when I am about to redo it. The previous fact alone is making me inch closer to dumping the whole power of now stuff and have a separate time for meditation, and a separate time for living.

EDIT: to above post, the binural stuff is a experimental tech on hypnosis, what does this have to do w/ meditation... There is no such thing as a guided meditation...

Ok this is all part of mind, there is nothing to learn just experience. All experience is neutral as are emotions.

All is human conception.

If you want to be now, just decide you want it, then say the following.

I am 100% in my body now, now, now.

I am present and focus on the present. Stop all thought or bring yourself back. If you must think, change the tense of thought to now. Imagine all as now.

There is only now as all is now. In future picture time as vertical, I have seen this through channelling along with realities and now I perceive time as vertical.

All moments are now, and stretch them over vertical line, if you can grasp this you can start thinking of time as vertical which will enable you to be now more.

I have now stopped thinking horizontal time and see only alternate realities when I think of things happening. There is nothing else, until there is something else.

It does help if you turn time on its ass and stop thinking in terms of linear horizontal. I did it and it was before channelling I realised I was perceiving time as vertical and channelling reinforced it.

I have also been timeless, in channelling I was shown how the consciousness is all and it became beyond comprehension at the time, however it is in the I channelled Anca thread on intention/manifestation forum.

Also if you want shortcut then try Ormus, this is also on the other forum, I have been taking it for some time, however recently upped my dose, and all I can do is be present. So-called past and future don't occur in my thoughts, not helpful with regards to my business like, lol.

I hope this helps.

[legod]

er, i think affirmations are a terrible way to effecr change or anything besides frustration.

emotions aren't important for learning at all, in fact they often mess learning up. your "mistake" is too general, i don't have a clue what mistake it is to make my point on why emotions aren't important for learning at all. you do something wrong, why would feeling lousy about it help you do it better next time?

oh yea, don't beat yourself up for not being in the now. its ****ing difficult. improvements are noticed in months and years, not days and weeks.

sometimes, when i get upset why it takes so long to achieve results, i get angry and pissed off and just "give up" trying. i think that helps, although it seems counter-intuitive to the whole concept of the power of now, but being angry and pissed off at how the whole thing took so damn long to work was better than feeling despair over why it worked so slowly. and the anger faded away eventually and there was still improvement.

how do you accept your emotion? let yourself feel like ****. yea, sounds like ****. too bad. thats the way it is. i was like "**** THIS **** NOTHING IS WORKING I'LL JUST LET MYSELF BURN IN THIS EMOTION" which is actually surrender to. accepting an emotion makes it go away but the time it takes to go away can vary from hours to days and even weeks and months and years.

months and years? wtf? yea, the mild state of unease, the blunt sense of discontent with life, the aching boredom. i count that as an emotion too. most people carry this emotion with them their entire lives.

acceptance is synonymous with surrender in PON, but somehow the word "surrender" has more resonance with the entire process of "acceptance". whenever i don't know what to do, how to deal with something, "accepting" it doesn't seem to make much sense, but surrendering to the fact that "**** this, if i screw this **** up, if i do something wrong, then sos be it. its not my fault anyway, its my ego's fault" sounds more practical and realistic.

you will definitely need more support along the way. i needed it many times. i read the pon many times over, listened to audio stuff of tolle on youtube and stuff i torrent-downloaded. but the PON works, it really works, i've practised it for two years now and i am a far more happier, confident, cooler person then i was. i estimate my state is better than most people's, but its still isn't at the level where i want it yet. im being self-indulgent here am i not, but this is a discussion thread, so **** that.

[theuprising]

today I was fully in the now, I felt like I was enlightened for a second or 2. I was going to a Chinese grocery store with my parents (I am not Chinese), because they wanted to see what was happening since it was Chinese new years. Well I meditated in the car and we went to several places and I was relatively peaceful, but when we got to the chinese grocery store, I was utterly in the now.

There were so many unfamiliar and bizzare things there, normally everything seems familiar, so when I try to be in the now, my mind sucks me in "its version" of the now since it recognizes so much and will tell me how things will go in the future. But here, I was with everything, I saw myself in everything, and I literally knew no time for 30 minutes.

Outside there was a dance of dragons/dogs and very loud drums. I remember reading somewhere the only thing that can do long term damage to our souls are drugs and loud noises (it kindof made sense, since from psychology the only things we are born to fear at birth are heights and loud noises). I mustered courage (the kind from steve's article on courage) to get rid of my fear of that incredibly loud drum and be close to it. But that wasn't the enlightened way was it? I think courage is an emotion, and the "correct" way to battle fear is just let it come, and let it pass, not to negate it with another emotion. Though courage is a very effective way to neutralize fear and gain instant self esteem, so I don't know..

[legod]

i don't think courage and power of now is mutually exclusive.

i used to have fear going up in my school's dialogue sessions with people of "high authority", like the heads of my school and the minister of finance. I surrendered to the fear, but the fear was still there, but i still pushed myself to go up and talk. What gave me the ability to push myself inspite of the fear? Courage. i accepted the fear and threw myself on the mic inspite of it.

i don't really see how courage is an emotion. its more like a trait, like quickness of mind, or adaptibility.

[wolfgang]

what's interesting to note is that all the thoughts of the future or past - are happening in the NOW!

you are never not in the now.

sometimes I think the issue is that the idea that it's possible to not be in the now is believed.

[sweetjohnny]

hey all.
i've been practicing PON for a few years now and can say with confidence that it has not only changed my life, it has saved my life.
i used to be a quivering bag of neuroses, worry, obsessive thought patterns and repressed rage. it not only affected me but the energy i was emanating affected how other people reacted to me too (although i was totally unaware of this at the time).
when i started following PON i had many of the same problems with crisis management (for want of a better term) that some of you guys are having, until some stuff from the book really fell into place for me.
i was out walking. the day was bright and crisp and i was feeling pretty bloody great for a change. i didnt want this feeling to end.
suddenly it hit me.
whenever i have a positive, pleasurable emotion or experience i usually try to hang on to it for as long as possible because it feels so good. unfortunately this 'hanging on' usually has the opposite effect and makes the feeling disappear much quicker.
conversely, i tend to try to fight off or run away from any negative, unpleasant stuff. seems the natural thing to do right?
so the logical next step was to see if, the next time i had an unpleasant thought/emotion spiral coming on, to try to hang on to it and feel it even more. in essence, asking for as much unpleasantness as i could get. gorging on it as i would a pleasurable sensation.
i was gratified to discover that it worked in exactly the same way!
as so often happens, the pleasant thoughts i was having turned dark, so i tried my experiment.
after digging deep into this darkness as hard as i could, trying to really hold on to it for as long as i could (and feeling utterly awful in the process i might add), it just vapourised (thoughts, sensation, everything) all on its own and i was left with a feeling of complete stillness, peace and a gloriously empty head. the hills and meadows i was walking through, the blue sky above, took on a hitherto unfelt grandeur, majesty and perceptual depth that i basked in for all of the 30 odd seconds that elapsed before some more thoughts intruded.
i have continued this practice ever since, wherever i may find myself, and the duration of the unpleasant feelings is decreasing with every passing month. through my total surrender and with diligent observance of the phenomena, i have come to understand what it says in part of the book, that;

emotions and thoughts are two separate things that feed off each other. (i have a negative thought, it causes an extremely unpleasant body sensation. this sensation reinforces the negative thought and provides a platform for other, usually worse, negative thoughts to make matters more unpleasant and so on, down into the dark hole)

the first thing i do when this happens now is try to separate the sensation from the thought by concentrating on the body sensation alone (i found this act brought me into the now immediately and the thought disappeared).

then, (and this was very difficult at first. sometimes i used to feel as though i could not bear it) i attempt to hold on to the unpleasant sensation for as long as possible. surrender to it and feel it as utterly and completely as i can. the wave of sensation rises and rises but within a short time (and getting shorter all the time), through my acceptance of and surrender to what is (in this case the crappy feeling) the wave recedes leaving me at peace for increasingly long periods of time.

i apologise if i've gone on a bit. this was the first time i've tried to share my experience.
i also realise this is only my subjective experience but i thought that maybe it might help someone, sometime. perhaps.

[MacFly]

The PON is a destructive, depressing material which will not do anything good to your life in the long run.

It does contain useful things, but they are misexplained, and overall, it's a stupid perspective on the world.

To sell million copies and make millions of dollars, and telling the listener to kill his identity, stop thinking and watch a cat for 2 hours is nuthing but preaching water and drinking wine. Don't go into that ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.

Don't want to release your ego, it's all you have. your pride, your past, your personality.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by MacFly

telling the listener to kill his identity, stop thinking and watch a cat for 2 hours is nuthing but preaching water and drinking wine.

That would be dumb advice to take, I agree. That advice, however, is nowhere to be seen in the Power of Now.