The Power of Now
A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
by Eckhart Tolle · first published 1997
79% recommend18% neutral3% critical
Why HN recommends it
Plain-spoken guide to living in the present and watching your own thoughts; recommended for calming a racing mind, anxiety, rumination or anger. Praised for skipping needless digressions and not asking for belief.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Eckhart Tolle has emerged as one of today's most inspiring teachers. In The Power of Now, already a worldwide bestseller, the author describes his transition from despair to self-realization soon after his 29th birthday. Tolle took another ten years to understand this transformation, during which time he evolved a philosophy that has parallels in Buddhism, relaxation techniques, and meditation theory but is also eminently practical. In The Power of Now he shows readers how to recognize themselves as the creators of their own pain, and how to have a pain-free existence by living fully in the pr
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I think the only book I can recall having a direct impact on my conscious awareness was The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle[0]. The book is very easy to read and quite enjoyable with everything that it includes. I definitely recommend to check it out. [0]: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenme...
on “Ask HN: What book changed your life?” ↗Two books that aren't mentioned, surprisingly, are: The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz In my humble opinion, these two books alone, have the ability to change one's life.
on “Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2014?” ↗Happiness by Matthuei Ricard (great book!) Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind Book by Shunryū Suzuki Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Quantum and the Lotus by Mattuei Ricard
on “Ask HN: Looking for new books to read” ↗…our list isn't really important. And I have personally identified Time as my #1 enemy in my quality of life. There are a few resources that provide a different perspective. One I would suggest is The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle. As thinking, analytical people, we should (grudingly?) realize that there truly is nothing other than this moment. And this moment usually doesn't care about your time on a foam roller...…
on “There's Not Enough Time” ↗…positively influenced my life. Here are some and why: 1.CODE by Charles Petzold (book) - this book is single-handedly responsible for getting me into programming and starting my own business. 2. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle (book) - you can watch your thoughts, woah! I now do this every single day. Every hour I pretty much catch myself thinking about stuff and... I'm aware that's happening. 3. Naval Ravikant…
on “Ask HN: Which resources have most positively influenced the way you live life?” ↗…the whole point of his lifestyle: presence. The reason he dislikes money is because money indicates a distaste of the present and an obsession with the future. I recommend reading Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now for more information.
on “Could you Survive Without Money? Meet the Guy Who Does.” ↗…but you can't see that clearly until you've mastered the situation. Finally, your anger is something that comes from within you. It isn't part of the situation, and other people didn't put it there. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle provided really useful tools for me in learning to understand and manage my emotions. I highly recommend it in your situation.
on “Ask HN: I'm a programmer. I am always angry at job. Is this normal?” ↗Try living in the present and not stressing out about the future or past... I recommend you read (or better yet listen to the audio book version) Ekhart Tolle's "The Power of Now". From the Amazon description: "the author describes his transition from despair to self-realization soon after his 29th birthday."
on “Ask HN: Are you happy, well-rounded? (dealing w/ depression/lack of motivation)” ↗…becomes easy and natural after a while. If you've suffered (been unhappy) then you have the motivation not to give up, to take this through to completion. Go through Eckhart Tolle and Mooji (on youtube). "Power of Now" is good. Start this moment.
on “HH Dalai Lama: Countering Stress and Depression” ↗…is independent. And yes, modern/western science has it backwards. Consciousness does not depend on the brain or body, these are events in consciousness. A simple book that can help you get it is The Power of Now by Tolle. Science assumes that consciousness depends on the brain, we often take these assumptions to be facts.
on “Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Time” ↗I really enjoyed 'The Power of Now' by Eckhart Tolle. If you have not read it yet, the book starts with Eckhart's "I" and "myself" realization... very powerful stuff imo. It's in audio book format too. http://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenmen...
on “I am depressed and I need someone to talk to” ↗…some preferred future. So by coming back to experiencing the present moment as if I had chosen it myself, it's quite a powerful way to then move forward. Best book I've read that can help with this is Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. There are many kinds of visualisations, breathing techniques, silence and stillness exercises, but the most useful to actually making a difference in life is mindfulness from my experience.…
on “Ask HN: Learn transcendental meditation?” ↗…tried mushrooms, LSD, or any sort of hallucinogen beyond MDMA. MDMA alone changed my life, but what followed was how I utilized that moment of awareness that I experienced. I started meditating, read The Power of Now by Tolle, and having had enough of a philosophical and meditative foundation for understanding what Tolle was saying, I can occasionally enter a realm of understanding far beyond the shallow experiences…
on “Psilocybin shows success in medical trials” ↗…days I'm able to fall asleep at 10h30. Here's what I think helped me personally: - learning about mindfulness (useful to stop/slow down the intense flow of thoughts. I recommend reading/listening to The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle) - 500 mcg of melatonin at the end of dinner. (the chewable ones sold at Trader Joe's work for me) Required read: http://www.gwern.net/Melatonin During the transition, some days I may…
on “How Sleep Clears the Brain” ↗Reading The Power of Now (Eckhart Tolle), A New Earth (Eckhart Tolle), and Radical Honesty (Brad Blanton). I am now at peace and happy all of the time. I could spout off about technical stuff, but none of that has paid off…
on “Ask HN: What was your best investment in yourself?” ↗