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Inspired by Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. None of the links in this post are affiliate links. Enjoy the read.
Now is a powerful moment in time. It’s where the action takes place. It’s where we live. Now is the time and space where things get created, and memories get made. Now it’s also very brief. If you blink you’ll miss it. Luckily, it’s like waves washing a sandy shore; after one fizzles out, comes another.
Catching and riding the wave requires commitment, discipline, and courage. It also requires being present, fully present. One with the wave; this wave, not the next, or the one after that.
The Power of Now is Timeless and Time-Sensitive
As of the writing of this post, we’re beginning a new season and heading to the last quarter of the year. It might not seem the right time to think about “starting.” Or is it the perfect time?
You may be ruminating over all you’ve done or failed to do since the year started. You may think it’s too late to start doing something “now.” You might as well wait for the new year… Shake all that off.
In his book, The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle lays a path for peace and fulfillment that begins with awareness, the key that unlocks so much transformation. But awareness must be followed by action.
The moment your awareness turns to the now, you feel a presence, a stillness, a peace. You no longer depend on the future for fulfillment and satisfaction – you don’t look to it for salvation. (Eckhart Tolle)
Our mind is a powerful tool. But without the rein of an observer, and left to its devices it gets caught in a loop. Running from judgments about the past to worry about the future. We can easily settle uncomfortably in that loop and let it take over our lives.
It’s shocking to realize how much time we’ve wasted, but staying there is another mind-trap. See it for what it is, a passing cloud of fear about taking action and doing what must be done, right now.
The way to make this shift is to realize we are not our minds. We are not our thoughts or the thoughts that come into our minds, every second of every day. As the objective and impartial observer, you are somewhere deeper, a place of peace and stillness.
You Don’t Stand Alone: Now Is Where We All Are
Who is this objective observer? Well, that’s a deeper and more fundamental aspect at the core of who you are. The observer is curious and non-judgmental. Aware, not obsessed. It’s the curator of thoughts, ideas, and experiences. Residing fully in the present moment, one can choose, and respond to what is happening in this time and space.
And it’s a time and space we share with all others. Because, as Eckhart says, the present moment is all we will ever have. It’s a matter of now or never when it comes to living our lives. But as we’re all going through it, we can reach out to others, find support, and give encouragement.
We should remind ourselves and each other that the here and now is where: We ask the questions. Make the choice. Take that next step. Start with what we have, from where we are, and keep on going, now by now. You may have a plan, a bigger picture, but you won’t get there in one jump.
And once there, and if you are lucky to live a long life, you realize, the path keeps unfolding.
The Starting Line is Always Moving to Where You Are Standing
In his book, Eckhart highlights the importance of accepting and surrendering. Pain and frustration come from resisting and fighting against what we can’t control.
Acceptance of what is and surrender to the circumstances we’re facing is not an easy thing to do. Some may see acceptance and surrender as weaknesses, but they are acts of courage.
When we accept and surrender to what is, we don’t waste time coming up with excuses, blaming ourselves and others, feeling victimized, trapped, or doomed. Even in the most difficult circumstances imaginable humans have tapped into the power of acceptance and surrender to move forward.
With acceptance and surrender you gain clarity and perspective. You become aware of all you have, within the limits of your current circumstances, that can be a source of strength. But for that to happen, you must get out of your head. Because our minds are amazing, but we’re also body and soul.
Use your senses fully. Be where you are. Look around. Just look, don’t interpret. See the light, shapes, colors, textures. Be aware of the silent presence of each thing. Be aware of the space that allows everything to be. (Eckhart Tolle)
If you’ve ever dipped a toe into Buddhist philosophy, these concepts will be familiar. They also form the foundation of its teachings and practice.
Meditation and yoga as tools to quiet the mind and reach deeper have existed for millennia. There’s great wisdom in cultures, philosophies, and religions that embrace them. There are programs, apps, and gadgets that point to this existential necessity to take a moment to pause and breathe.
It’s so simple, yet so profound.
It is not uncommon for people to spend their whole lives waiting to start living. (Eckhart Tolle)
Final Thoughts
Every day, wake up, open your eyes, and take that first deep conscious breath. Stop yourself before jumping out of bed, and letting your mind get flooded with your long list of to-dos.
Gift yourself a few minutes to stretch, breathe, and give thanks. Let the gratitude and possibilities for each new moment of your day wash over you.
Start here. Stay in the now. Look creatively at your current circumstances. The journey we’re all going through is made moment by moment, step by step.
Share your reflections about the power of living in the here and now with the readers below!
