Ekhart Tolle's message is simple: living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. And while this message may not seem stunningly original or fresh, Tolle's clear writing, supportive voice and enthusiasm make this an excellent manual for anyone who's ever wondered what exactly "living in the now" means. Foremost, Tolle is a world-class teacher, able to explain complicated concepts in concrete language. More importantly, within a chapter of reading this book, readers are already holding the world in a different container--more conscious of how thoughts and emotions get in the way of their ability to live in genuine peace and happiness.
Tolle packs a lot of information and inspirational ideas into The Power of Now. (Topics include the source of Chi, enlightened relationships, creative use of the mind, impermanence and the cycle of life.) Thankfully, he's added markers that symbolise "break time". This is when readers should close the book and mull over what they just read. As a result, The Power of Now reads like the highly acclaimed A Course in Miracles--a spiritual guidebook that has the potential to inspire just as many study groups and change just as many lives for the better. --Gail Hudson
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Read it NOW! Comment: Fabulous book - felt like I'd shifted perspective through just reading it without doing any exercises. My friend is drinking it up right now, and I will read it again as soon as I get it back. Customer Rating: Summary: The Beauty of the Moment! Comment: I love this book! Eckhart Tolle has a wonderful way of describing the magic of living in the present moment. He speaks about "watching" the mind and stepping out of resistance patterns. It is so great to learn that I am not the voice inside my head! Now I listen to the conversations that go on inside my mind and I don't have to take them seriously or make them mean something. Most of my thought processes - especially the self-doubting ones - simply are not true. What a relief!
I have also learned this from Ariel and Shya Kane, in their books Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Life, How to Create a Magical Relationship: The 3 Simple Ideas that Will Instantaneously Transform Your Love Life: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Love Life and Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment. These books are amazing! The power of now is easy to access with their simple technology.
This is the second time I have read "The Power Of Now". In between these readings, I discovered Ariel & Shya Kane. As I reread Eckhart Tolle's book for the second time, it was exciting to recognize that I live my life presently - with consistency. I experience the magic that he writes about. Eckhart describes the beauty of the moment and the Kanes supply the "How To" get into the moment. These books work well together. Thanks to authors like the Kanes & Eckhart Tolle, anything is possible! Customer Rating: Summary: A must read... Comment: Well worth the few pounds on a life changing book and completely ignore the 1 star reviews. Read it slowly and let the words absorb into your very being. Customer Rating: Summary: Happiness is the Road Comment: This book focuses on the way in which living 'in the present' is the road to true happiness.
If you enjoyed the book, you simply have to check out Marillion's recent CD, Happiness is the Road - Essence, which takes Tolle's work and builds it into a stunning musical journey.
Tolle's ideas, clearly explained in this book, although sometimes simplistic, provide a strong basis for achieving enlightenment - and are closely aligned with many principles of buddhist philosophy.
The book and CD are both recommended! Customer Rating: Summary: please avoid this book Comment: First of all, he is claiming to be an 'enlightened being' and yet to me it seems quite egotistical to start your book by declaring your own superiority and wisdom in this way. Surely the enlightened one would not need to resort to such desperate methods of catching our attention.
This book is not original. It describes a philosophy based on the central claims of many doctrines associated with eastern mysticism and ancient Indian philosophy. These maybe true. But Eckhart Tolle is cheating by presenting himself as an original fountain of this knowledge. He is just saying what he has learnt from his own study in this area, and then branding himself as a source. Good business.
To my mind, this puts him in the same box as most other false prophets.
