This month we begin a new Home Study series which focuses on the importance of being in the present moment. Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now took the spiritual community by storm at the turn of this century; you may remember Oprah Winfrey extolling the virtues of his other popular book, A New Earth. If you own a copy of The Power of Now you can follow along at home, but even those of you without your own text will likely be able to check one out at the library if you like.
Today’s text: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Publisher: Namaste Publishing; Copyright, 1999 by Eckhart Tolle
Study pages: pp. 178-188
As the new year unfolds, we have many opportunities to explore and implement our personal Intentions for 2012. But without presence of mind or what Eckhart Tolle refers to as “being in the Now,” we cannot hope to remember our Intentions at all, let alone put Them into practice.
In order to manifest change in our lives, we must first be mindful of the daily lessons that are seeking to guide us into that change. Being in the Now means we open to our lives as they are in this moment–not wistfully dwelling on how we wish they would be or how they once were. On pages 178-179 and page 182 Tolle says (paraphrase),
“Allowing things to be” takes you beyond the mind with its resistance that creates the positive/negative polarities…Remember that we are not talking about happiness here. For example, when a loved one has just died, you cannot be happy. It is impossible. But you can be at peace. Underneath the sadness you will feel a deep serenity, a stillness, a sacred presence. This is the emanation of Being (aka our sacred Inner Nature)…When you live in complete acceptance of what is, that is the end of all drama in your life. (In a disagreement) you can still make your point clearly and firmly, but there will be no defense or attack, so it won’t turn into drama. When you are fully conscious, you cease to be in conflict.”
An important element in experiencing the power of Now is to stop fighting what is taking place Now. Try “allowing things to be” while you look within to notice your reaction to what is happening around you. Knowledge is power, so if we find we are conflicted about our experience, that knowledge gives us the fuel to begin using our spiritual tools to dissolve anger, jealousy or fear. We must not be afraid of challenges in the Now, because we never know which ones might be special moments of fierce grace waiting to make us strong, selfless or courageous. Note Tolle’s words on pp. 183-185:
“All suffering is due to resistance. On the level of form…there are cycles of success and cycles of failure. If you cling and resist, it means you are refusing to go with the flow of life and you will suffer. Growth is usually considered positive, but nothing can grow forever…it would eventually become monstrous and destructive. Dissolution is needed for new growth to happen. One cannot exist without the other.”
So now the question becomes, “If I begin opening to life’s opportunities for growth, even the difficult ones, where does my joy come from? Where do I find my solace, my refuge, my sense of hope?” And the answer is, the only place these can ever come from–within you. On pp. 187-188 Tolle says:
“Things and conditions can give you pleasure, but they will also give you pain…they cannot give you joy. Nothing can give you joy. Joy arises from within as the joy of Being…Being takes you beyond the polar opposites of the mind and frees you…”
Make no mistake, Tolle’s words challenge us in a powerful way. They require we take full responsibility for our condition and the way we experience the world. So let’s begin our study of The Power of Now by honestly assessing how we feel about the challenges Tolle lays at our feet. Using a pen and journal or piece of paper, contemplate the following this week:
1. Do I believe it is actually possible to be at peace, even if I am sad or suffering? When in my life have I encountered such an experience?
2. Have I experienced a time when I was able to avoid drama because I was being very conscious and in the Now? When? How did that make me feel?
3. What challenges have made me stronger over time? How can I remember these when I try to hide from a difficult Now moment?
4. Is it true that the only lasting satisfaction comes from within as the joy of Being? How can I connect to that more often?
In session two of our Tolle Home Study, we will be diving deeper into The Power of Now and what the author has to say about relationships…don’t miss it! Be sure to click and follow our blog so you can be alerted when our next discussion commences. Until then, stay present in the Now!
Grace and Clarity 