“The Power of Now” is a spiritual guidebook that explores the concept of living fully in the present moment, indicating that most of human suffering is due to being trapped in thoughts of the past or future.

Key Concept 1: The Power of the Present Moment

Tolle posits that the past and future are illusions: all existence is in the eternal NOW. By anchoring ourselves in the present, we can escape the perpetual cycles of pain that are rooted in the past and in anxieties about the future. This is referred to as achieving “presence” which is the key to peace and enlightenment.

Key Concept 2: Domination of the Mind

The book extensively discusses how our minds dominate us. Our minds create a relentless stream of thought, most of which are useless, repetitive, and negative. This is referred to as the “egoic state”. The author suggests that a quiet mind is needed to appreciate the beauty of the present moment and to connect with our true selves, something that the egoic mind obstructs.

Key Concept 3: Acceptance is the Key to Transformation

Tolle explains that accepting our present situation is the first step to changing it. Resistance to what is currently happening is seen as creating a ‘pain-body’, an accumulation of old emotional pain. This highlights the importance of surrendering, non-resistance and accepting the now to dissolve the pain-body.

Key Concept 4: Steps to Awakening

Several methods are offered to achieve presence and awaken into consciousness. Notably, Tolle emphasizes the practice of mindfulness, such as observing our thoughts as separate from our beings, and bringing an awareness to our own bodily sensations: an energy field he calls ’inner body’.

Key Concept 5: Living in the Now

Tolle advises that once one’s awareness has been raised, ongoing vigilance is needed to prevent the mind from dragging us back into unconsciousness. He promotes the concept of ‘watchfulness’, a constant alertness to our thoughts and feelings which form our reality.

Key Concept 6: The Nature of Enlightenment

The book underlines that enlightenment is not a mystical state only achieved by ‘gurus’ but rather a presence and alertness to the true nature of existence. There is no set path to reach it and each person has their own journey with the ultimate goal of achieving consciousness.

Throughout “The Power of Now”, Eckhart Tolle consistently emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment as the foundation of spiritual growth and happiness. This work is deeply philosophical, offering a transformative approach to life by shifting one’s perspective and promoting the disidentification with one’s mind.