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The power of now by eckhart tolle
- Thread starter Starlight
- Start date
I've read that one. An overall good read, though a bit monotonous.
I think to write about afterlife would have defeated the purpose of 'now'.
I think to write about afterlife would have defeated the purpose of 'now'.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
A pseudoscience rip off.
Even the official site disabled all their yt videos.
Red flag there.
Starlight
Spiritual but not religious, new age and omnist
Why do you think the book is pseudoscience? i am just curiousA pseudoscience rip off.
Even the official site disabled all their yt videos.
Red flag there.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Mostly through Andrea Sachs commentary that the book is awash in spiritual mumbo jumbo and lacks practical advice along with James Robinsons comments on the book as being a mix of pseudoscience and new age.
It's more of a religious book to me than a self help book.
Sand Dancer
Crazy Cat Lady
It's one of my favorites.
I actually found it pretty straight forward.
I think it was targeted towards a new age audience, but overall, it was pretty practical.
I don't think religious or self help really fit, though... modern mindfulness, perhaps?
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I still think of it as a spiritual book for those who are privy to those kinds of thoughts.
I wouldn't call it mindfulness either but do think it's more a comfort endeavor that can enhance a person's own sense of well-being for those who are attracted to that sort of thing.
The whole thing reminds me of another version of Deepak Chopra.
RestlessSoul
Well-Known Member
I know a few people who have read this book and credited it with changing, for the better, the way they look at themselves and their lives.
As far as I know, Eckhart Tolle has never claimed either to be a scientist, nor to have a hotline to God. He seems to offer practical advice based on his personal experience of overcoming depression.
As far as I know, Eckhart Tolle has never claimed either to be a scientist, nor to have a hotline to God. He seems to offer practical advice based on his personal experience of overcoming depression.
You read the book, then? I got them impression you just read the review. If so, my mistake.
Yeah, it does have some spiritual aspects; I think there's bits about Jesus and Buddha. I do remember he is somewhat dismissive of the idea of God, and somewhat discourages the reader from focusing on that too much. If I recall right, the only opinion he seemed to give on God was something to do with God being in emptiness.
I really didn't find the book comforting, especially when he tells you that now matter how bad it gets, stick to your breath, your mindfulness.
I'm unfamiliar with Deepak Chopra.
ajay0
Well-Known Member
It is said that if you live life in present moment awareness right to the point of physical death without getting unconscious, you will find that there is no death at all. You just move into an another dimension consciously.
Most people allow their great fear of death or nothingness to make them unconscious and thus miss the experience.
ajay0
Well-Known Member
I consider it authentic and not pseudo-science. Bertrand Russell had stated that we need a science to protect us from the evils of science, as in wmd.
Western philosophy, psychology and literature has no idea of enlightenment or Buddhahood though in eastern religious philosophy which has a more ancient timeline, this theme is predominant in Hinduism, Buddhism and sufism.
This ignorance is further compounded by scientific materialism and nihilism which negate the role of consciousness considering it derivative of matter, and preventing the necessary scrutiny it warrants.
So there are bound to be all sort of cynical remarks against the likes of Tolle, mainly because they are not able to understand what he is talking about in the first place or make any coherent sense of it to relate to it due to their intellectual and experiential limitations.
Tolle's works are more like a powerful flashlight in the dark, which may have a blinding effect and hence may have offended some. But it has helped illumine the paths for many as well.
Great book.
I would like more metaphysics too (like an afterlife) discussed but then that controversy will detract from his central message. I like Eckhart Tolle PLUS other sources of information like Vedic, Spiritualist and Theosophical.
osgart
Nothing my eye, Something for sure
I think without the past I have nothing to propel me forward. As long as one is not anchored in the past, the past serves as lessons forward. Without the past there is no growth. The more one can bring to the present in the best possible light from the past, the better the present moment will be; within context of course.
Granted sometimes the NOW is a fresh blank canvas to write on. Sometimes that can be a healing thing to only focus on the now. Some now's are better than others. Just like some pasts are worth forgetting.
ajay0
Well-Known Member
Practical thinking and planning does not cause emotion and suffering. One checks one's memories for relevant data necessary for planning and working at present, and after the task is over, one tells the mind to lie down or switch off. It draws on the memory only to the extent of the job at hand.
Inability to switch off the mind is what leads to insomnia, anxiety and psychosomatic illnesses.
Most of the thoughts coming to our mind unconsciously are of an emotional nature related to past memories. We are easily carried away by these emotional thoughts which become compulsive and incessant, creating worry that can actually hamper practical thought and work.
In Buddhist psychology, an unskillful thought ( as opposed to skillful thoughts) is one connected with greed, hatred, or delusion. These are strong emotions conducive to suffering. The trained and skilled mind is that which gives rise to wholesome and skillful thoughts that create peace and happiness rather than unskillful ones. As per Dalai Lama, with such a trained mind one can live peacefully and happily in adverse conditions while with an untrained mind one would be unhappy even in prosperous conditions.
Ramesh Baleskar, a nondualist teacher, has similarly talked about the working mind and thinking mind, with the former anchored in the present and the latter anchored in the past or future leading to stress and tension.
Eckhart Tolle has also distinguished between useful thinking and emotional thinking...
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As with all teachers, the teachings are useless unless put into practice. If you read one self-help book, and like it, why read another one if you haven't applied the stuff from the first one.
One of the reasons I like watching sports competitions is the 'now' of it, as I fing ithat relaxing, less draining on mind. So too with walks in nature. Lots of activities put you in the now, but with the mind you can bring old 'nows' and potential 'nows' ,and create habits.
One of the reasons I like watching sports competitions is the 'now' of it, as I fing ithat relaxing, less draining on mind. So too with walks in nature. Lots of activities put you in the now, but with the mind you can bring old 'nows' and potential 'nows' ,and create habits.