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Thanatos10
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Power of Now
#23379275 - 06/25/16 12:58 AM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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I'm referring to the book by Eckhart Tolle. I read it and just got lost. It felt like everything flew over my head, with a lot just being a rerun of Buddhist books I have read in the past. I'm not a big fans of the way the book is done, and it honestly did me more harm than good. But apparently people swear it's life changing in some way. Am I doing it wrong?
-------------------- As lightless oblivion devours you, drown in the ever-blooming darkness.
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yeah


Registered: 02/08/09
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What concept didn't you get?
And before you answer that, remind yourself who "you" even are
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Khancious
da Crow



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I haven't read it but honestly I think all one "needs" is to graze on some quotes from the writings to plant the seed of change...
“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”
“As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out the present-moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care, and love - even the most simple action.”
“Thinking is only a small aspect of consciousness. Thought cannot exist without consciousness, but consciousness does not need thought”
“...the past gives you an identity and the future holds the promise of salvation, of fulfillment in whaterver form. Both are illusions.”
-------------------- I am that, which is.
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Snazz
Polymath



Registered: 11/24/15
Posts: 1,584
Loc: Canada
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His book 'a new earth' is a great deconstruction of the Ego.
For those who feel schizo because their mind and consciousness seem to be at odds, it's great material.
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yeah


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Re: Power of Now [Re: Snazz]
#23380229 - 06/25/16 09:57 AM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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uh huh
not sure what would've happened if I didn't learn about Tolle before getting into marijuana again
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pineninja
Dream Weaver



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Loc: South
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Re: Power of Now [Re: yeah]
#23380234 - 06/25/16 09:59 AM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Complexity in disguise complexity in simplicity.
-------------------- Just a fool on the hill.
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Thanatos10
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Quote:
Khancious said: I haven't read it but honestly I think all one "needs" is to graze on some quotes from the writings to plant the seed of change...
“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”
“As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out the present-moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care, and love - even the most simple action.”
“Thinking is only a small aspect of consciousness. Thought cannot exist without consciousness, but consciousness does not need thought”
“...the past gives you an identity and the future holds the promise of salvation, of fulfillment in whaterver form. Both are illusions.”
Thing is to me all those quotes are just words he expects you to take for truth. There's honestly no reason to believe any of that just because he says it. Even Buddha said not to believe what someone said just because they say it.
-------------------- As lightless oblivion devours you, drown in the ever-blooming darkness.
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yeah


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it's funny because if you just disregard all that bullshit and just get yourself in the moment then it all just works...
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Thanatos10
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Re: Power of Now [Re: yeah] 1
#23380643 - 06/25/16 12:14 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
yeah said: it's funny because if you just disregard all that bullshit and just get yourself in the moment then it all just works...
How though? People say that all the time and there is nothing that would lead me to believe such a thing works. What about those living in poverty or in war torn areas, or who get kidnapped and sold. How could it possibly work for those with serious problems? What about rape victims?
-------------------- As lightless oblivion devours you, drown in the ever-blooming darkness.
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cez

Registered: 08/04/09
Posts: 5,854
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Quote:
Thanatos10 said:
Quote:
Khancious said: I haven't read it but honestly I think all one "needs" is to graze on some quotes from the writings to plant the seed of change...
“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”
“As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out the present-moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care, and love - even the most simple action.”
“Thinking is only a small aspect of consciousness. Thought cannot exist without consciousness, but consciousness does not need thought”
“...the past gives you an identity and the future holds the promise of salvation, of fulfillment in whaterver form. Both are illusions.”
Thing is to me all those quotes are just words he expects you to take for truth. There's honestly no reason to believe any of that just because he says it. Even Buddha said not to believe what someone said just because they say it.
The book offers practical techniques that take you past the words, bringing you to what the words describe. If you didn't try the techniques, or reflect/pause where the book recommends you to reflect/pause, I imagine you went into the book with your mind already made up.
I think it's impossible to argue against the value of this book if you read it with an open mind.
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Thanatos10
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Re: Power of Now [Re: cez]
#23381034 - 06/25/16 02:43 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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I tried reading it with an open mind. Even so I found some of the things to be rather contradictory. A lot went over my head. Like how it says you can still pursue goals and strive to achieve things, but isn't that ego and looking in the future?
-------------------- As lightless oblivion devours you, drown in the ever-blooming darkness.
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EternalCowabunga
Being of Great Significance



Registered: 04/04/05
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Loc: Time and Space
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You don't need to always make elaborate plans to know where are you going.
When you walk to the kitchen to make yourself a snack, do you think in your head "okay, I'll move my left foot first, then my right, then my left again, when I get to the stairs I'll lift my foot from the ground and then place it on the first step...etc"
Most thoughts are unnecessary and they end up using us instead of us using them
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Thanatos10
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Quote:
EternalCowabunga said: You don't need to always make elaborate plans to know where are you going.
When you walk to the kitchen to make yourself a snack, do you think in your head "okay, I'll move my left foot first, then my right, then my left again, when I get to the stairs I'll lift my foot from the ground and then place it on the first step...etc"
Most thoughts are unnecessary and they end up using us instead of us using them
That's a bit of an exaggeration that doesn't really answer my question.
-------------------- As lightless oblivion devours you, drown in the ever-blooming darkness.
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cez

Registered: 08/04/09
Posts: 5,854
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Quote:
Thanatos10 said: I tried reading it with an open mind. Even so I found some of the things to be rather contradictory. A lot went over my head. Like how it says you can still pursue goals and strive to achieve things, but isn't that ego and looking in the future?
You didn't try the techniques?
Im not gonna argue semantics. My only point is the book works. If you haven't done any of the exercises, I would suggest going back and giving them a shot.
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Thanatos10
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Re: Power of Now [Re: cez]
#23381925 - 06/25/16 07:30 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
cez said:
Quote:
Thanatos10 said: I tried reading it with an open mind. Even so I found some of the things to be rather contradictory. A lot went over my head. Like how it says you can still pursue goals and strive to achieve things, but isn't that ego and looking in the future?
You didn't try the techniques?
Im not gonna argue semantics. My only point is the book works. If you haven't done any of the exercises, I would suggest going back and giving them a shot.
I have tried meditation and mindfulness in the past, but it led to me feeling dead and sucking the life out of, well, life. Not sure why.
-------------------- As lightless oblivion devours you, drown in the ever-blooming darkness.
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cez

Registered: 08/04/09
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I can only recommend to try again if you're earnestly seeking 
The techniques in this book work, if you try them. I don't know what your previous meditations were, but Tolle gives solid instructions on how to perform each technique and the proof is in the pudding if you try them.
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Thanatos10
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Re: Power of Now [Re: cez]
#23382109 - 06/25/16 08:40 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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I have tried them all before, his exercises aren't any different than the ones I have read through eastern philosophy. Except for one, wondering what your next thought is, that never worked with me.
-------------------- As lightless oblivion devours you, drown in the ever-blooming darkness.
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viktor
psychotechnician



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Maybe you're doomed to misery while you're on this planet? Have you considered that you're just going to suffer forever no matter what you do?
-------------------- "They consider me insane but I know that I am a hero living under the eyes of the gods."
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Thanatos10
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Re: Power of Now [Re: viktor]
#23383949 - 06/26/16 12:04 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
viktor said: Maybe you're doomed to misery while you're on this planet? Have you considered that you're just going to suffer forever no matter what you do?
Life is suffering, Buddha made that pretty clear and I kind of accept it. It's not bad all the time, but it guess it helps when it feels like you NEED to be happy.
But I highly doubt that not being affected by one book dooms you to misery.
-------------------- As lightless oblivion devours you, drown in the ever-blooming darkness.
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bass head
Oh... Nice.



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i loved the book. i read it during a transitional point in my life about 10 years ago. it's new age so it does borrow from buddhist concepts. if you go into it with the mindset that you already know what it's presenting then i could understand your viewpoint. but for me it was new to me and it resonated on a very deep level. to each his own.
-------------------- Steal your bass right off your head.
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