Seriously, The Most Practical And Uplifting Book I've Ever Read

Title: The Power of Now

Author: Eckhart Tolle

Length: 229 pages

Year Written: 1999

Why I chose this book: My friend Buddha introduced me to the concept of the 'pain body,' and through intensive Googling, I came across this book that I'd already heard of before in passing.

The first thing I will say is that everyone should read this book. The second thing I will say is that this is one of very few non-fiction books I have read for pleasure in several years. The third thing I will say is that this book is deeply powerful and highly practical. I'll stop counting the things I'm saying now. I can't believe it existed for 16 years without my having read it, but I’m glad I read it at this particular point in my life. I can admit that the very essence of me is skeptical of and resistant to terms like "spiritual enlightenment." Even the title, The Power of Now, initially strikes me as corny and barf-able. I immediately conjure mental images of preachers that wear pop star mics. As soon as I started reading, though, all my preconceived notions were shattered into a trillion pieces.

There are several chapters, all relevant to one another and the larger theme of being fully present in the moment without basking in the illusions of the past or worrying about the future. My favorite chapter was ‘Enlightened Relationships,’ which had genuine gems I was able to put into practice immediately. One of the biggest pieces that I identified with very closely was about our past pain and the way we lay back in it, unconsciously perpetuating more of the same for our lives. Tolle spells it out this way: “As long as you make an identity for yourself out of the pain, you cannot become free of it.” Having been single for the better part of the year, after being in a five-year relationship, this chapter reaffirmed my peace in my solitude. I realized that most “love” relationships are addictions, a vain search for wholeness in a secondary source, and largely and unknowingly operated by the ego. 

While I was reading, I checked hashtags on Instagram to see who was also reading this book. And then I talked to them about it. Surprisingly, a few people mentioned that the concepts in the book were difficult to grasp at first, and that they needed to reread multiple times. For me, it was more of a natural absorption, like the muted voice in my subconscious had gained confidence and volume. Overall, this is an excellent book—one that isn’t guaranteed to help you (at least not immediately), but it sure won’t hurt you.  

Rating: 9.8/10