Practicing the Power of Now

Move over James Redfield. Since The Power of Now was published in the US in 1999 (2001 in the UK), Eckhart Tolle has become the exciting new name on the guru scene. Tolle's message is profound, but like many of the best spiritual messages, quite simple: you need to discover your true self. That's not the person who walks and talks, or even the person inside your head who thinks your thoughts. Step back, Tolle says, and observe the process of thinking; the person doing the observing is the real you. And the only moment that is real is Now; the past and future can both drag you down, so live in the current moment. This is the path to Enlightenment or Self-Realisation.

For those who have been deeply impressed by Tolle's first book and are waiting for a follow-up, note that Practising the Power of Now is not a new book; it is a collection of extracts from the original book--the edited highlights--and short spiritual exercises. Apparently, it is designed primarily for those who already have the original book, but want a slim and concise volume they can carry around and dip into--the meat without the veg, so to speak.

In comparison with the original book, Practising the Power of Now does seem a little scrappy. It's full of profound messages, but the well-argued connecting material is missing. For those who haven't read either, the original The Power of Now is certainly better value for money--twice the length at the same price. But for fans, for those who prefer bite-sized spiritual truths, or as a gift to either of these, Practising the Power of Now contains all of Tolle's teaching in an easily accessible format. --David V Barrett

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