Eckhart Tolle - "The Power of Now"

Mindfulness - developing present moment awareness

Eckhart Tolle is the author of the number one New York Times bestseller "The Power of Now"

The core of Eckhart Tolle's teaching is about how to stop thinking - at will - and learning how to dis-associate our sense of identity from our thoughts. This is also known as the practise of mindfulness.

In my view, this is a pre-requisite for experiencing the Tao of change.

Tolle says: "Not to be able to stop thinking is a dreadful affliction, but we don’t realize this because almost everybody is suffering from it, so it is considered normal. This incessant mental noise prevents you from finding that realm of inner stillness that is inseparable from Being.

The philosopher Descartes believed that he had found the most fundamental truth when he made his famous statement: “I think, therefore I am.”

He had, in fact, given expression to the most basic error: to equate thinking with Being and identity with thinking.

The compulsive thinker, which means almost everyone, lives in a state of apparent separateness, in an insanely complex world of continuous problems and conflict, a world that reflects the ever-increasing fragmentation of the mind.

The good news is that you can free yourself from your mind. This is the only true liberation.

You can take the first step right now. Start listening to the voice in your head as often as you can. Pay particular attention to any repetitive thought patterns, those old gramophone records that have been playing in your head perhaps for many years… listen to the voice in your head, be there as the witnessing presence."

I have prepared a summary of the 6 key mindfuless practises outlined by Tolle in "The Power of Now" - see here: Tao of change - "Practising the Power of Now

My own personal "Grasshopper" moment...

Some years ago I saw an advert for a meditation product that promised me that I could meditate like a Zen master and without 25 years of practise several hours a day.

I was sceptical, but interested, and did some research.

Here is a summary of what I found:

Meditation - No More Boredom + No More Years Of Training!- HERE

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Managing Personal Change

Genpo Roshi - "Big Mind"

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