On my way to Mumbai from Pune my co-passenger was reading this book and I managed to read a paragraph just peeking into the book. I could not control myself and asked her about the book. She narrated to me how much after death of her brother she was mentally disturbed and the book has helped her to overcome that. Next day I could buy this book and till now I have gone through it a number of time.
About Eckhart Tolle
Eckhart Tolle is an inspiring spiritual teacher. He is not aligned with any particular religion or tradition. His teachings are helpful in achieving inner peace through practical guidance given in simple to understand practical ways. At the core of his teachings lies the transformation of individual and collective human consciousness - a global spiritual awakening.
The Book The Power of Now
Eckhart Tolle is the author of The Power of Now, one of the most influential spiritual books. It is helpful the spiritual awakening of oneself, helps find inner peace, helps to look things in a new perspective.
Best approach to study The Power of Now we will to start with a empty slate state, at first trying to understand what Tolle wants to tell us, without applying our analytical mind, our perceived view on the matter and our ego. Believe me you cannot reject the teachings. The book needs to be read slowly in order to accept/ realise what you get exposed to. Once you evaluate what he says about one subject it becomes very easy to accept it, it helps you to realise what is false within you, to change you from within, allows you to shed wrong beliefs/thinking that we accumulate during course of time. The book is written in very simple language and it is in a question and answer format.
It would not be an overstatement to recommend that this book is life a “self guide to spirituality”. I quote one of the para from the book that would help you realise what the book is about
Make it a habit tot ask yourself: What is going inside me at this moment? That question will point you in right direction. But don’t analyze, just watch. Focus your attention within. Feel the energy of the emotion. If there is no emotion present, take your attention more deeply into the inner energy field of your body………
He says nothing has happened in PAST, nothing will happen in FUTURE, everything has happened and will happen in NOW only. For this reason surrender to NOW. It is in NOW that we discover that we are complete and perfect.
The book systematically deals with subjects like a) Obstacle to enlightenment, b) way out of pain, c) moving deeply into Now, d) mind strategies…. e) the state of presence, f) the inner body f) portals into unmanifested, g) enlightened relationship h) beyond happiness i) meaning of surrender etc..
The Power of Now stands out because it is not based on some model or understanding of the mind, and does not depend on the writings or sayings of others. This is a book everyone should read and re-read.
Alok Ranjan.