‘Practicing The Power Of Now’ was a very natural consequence of ‘The Power Of Now‘ book written by Eckhart Tolle.
The reason why it was a needed, was because there was a natural demand for people to enter and be in the Power of Now.
The first book is essentially telling you how to do it, but for many people who read the book and witnessed glimpses of the NOW, it was necessary to have some kind of a guide or exercise book on how to practice it.
Below you will find a summary of practices on how to be in the NOW.
At the end of the article you will also find a link to a FREE online game created by us to help you practice being present and living in the NOW.
Practicing The Power Of The Now
To be present and stay present you need to practice. The identification with your ego and the constant noise that your mind is creating are strong enough boundaries to make you struggle to access the NOW effortlessly.
Your ego won’t let you be present so easily because when you are present you are dissolving the ego and detaching from it. The ego will try to keep you within the stream of compulsive thoughts. When you are in the state of thinking you can’t be fully present.
In order to let go, thinking about accessing the present moment and staying in the present moment, you need some portal that is beyond your mind. Accessing NOW and staying in the NOW will be easier for you if you use one of the gateways that Eckhart Tolle is mentioning in his books.
Practicing the Power of The Now is basically rooting yourself in the NOW by using these gateways.
Join our Facebook Group – Practicing The Power Of Now
This is how you can practice The Power Of Now:
- Take a few conscious breaths. In and out.
- Try to feel your hands. Feel the energy within them.
- Try to feel your whole body. Felling just your hands might be easier for you at the beginning. When you are able to do that, then try to feel your whole body, scan your body, feel the energy inside. You can try to feel different parts of your body, one at a time and then feel your whole body.
- Try to listen to the silence around you. There is always a dimension of silence around you. Listen to this. It diverts the attention from the thinking mind to the present.
- Accept everything as it is now. The present moment is as it is. Surrender yourself to the present moment. Don’t think, don’t assess, don’t judge.
- Try to observe your own mind. Wait for your next thought. Observe your mind as a rabbit hole. Wait for your next thought. What thought will come out next? Wait for it. Observe Your Mind. If a thought appears, just let it go. Return to presence and wait for your next thought.
This is a very powerful practice as it allows you to stay in the present moment for longer.
At the same time, try to feel your body – this will help you to stay rooted in the present moment.
Here’s also a short video tutorial that you may want to bookmark or share with friends:
These gateways are explained in all the Eckhart Tolle’s books but they are not necessarily in the same place. Eckhart is however repeating the information about the portals that will allow you to enter the present moment across his books.
Here’s also a simple infographic that describes the mentioned above ways to be present:
There is one publication that I’m a big fan of. It is not very well known. Many people that have read ‘The Power Of Now’, ‘Practicing The Power Of Now’ or ‘A New Earth’ (the most popular Eckhart Tolle’s books) didn’t hear about it and it is possibly one of the most powerful in my opinion.
The name of the publication is ‘Gateways Into The Now’. I found it while watching Eckhart Tolle’s videos. I think I watched most of the Eckhart Tolle’s videos on YouTube and this one I consider as possibly the most significant and brilliant in a way. The reason why I consider it this way is that it is treating about the practice, it shows you how to Practice The Power Of The Now.
One thing that I like very much about this audio-book is that Eckhart is reading it himself.
I strongly encourage you to watch this video series.
What is The Difference Between ‘The Power Of Now’ and ‘Mindfulness’?
‘The Power of Now’ and ‘mindfulness’ in essence mean the same. Eckhart Tolle didn’t use the term mindfulness in ‘The Power Of Now’ as it is confusing for many people. It is implying that your mind has to be full, and as we know it has to be in the opposite state, it has to be empty when you are present in the moment.
The Power Of Now was possibly the first book that explained in an approachable way what mindfulness really is and how to practice it.
One thing that you have to understand.
The Power Of Now is not a knowledge, it is a skill. If you want to enter the NOW and stay in the NOW you have to practice it.
Only by knowing what The Power Of Now is you won’t feel its Power! You will not feel the bliss of presence that exist beyond thinking mind if you will stay in the thinking mind.
In order to experience something new you have to do something new. After reading the book, practice it. Believe me, the results can be astonishing.
You have possibly already felt the glimpses of the NOW, if you will take few more steps you will cross the barrier of awakening. You will see the world from a whole new perspective. Perspective of a freedom without the boundaries of the ego.
Practice The Power Of The Now.
It can be a very pleasant practice. Just do it NOW.
Great Tool To Practice The Power Of The Now
If you want to practice being present in the NOW you will find on this website a free game with a daily practice.
I strongly encourage you to check it out. Practice is the key.
You can find it here: The Observer
Good luck and stay present.
I totally agree on the fact you pointed out that ego is always creating a repelling force that inevitably makes us struggle with whatever it is that we want to do in the present moment. I like your techniques that u suggested as it sounds pretty much similar to meditating, which helps us be more calm and make decisions immediately with ease.
Thanks for the insight Dexter. Yes I agree with you – being present is simply ‘meditating on the go’.
It is a constant meditation during the day. The results are the same, benefits as well are the same. I like ‘The Power Of Now’ as I like to observe my mind and ‘meditate’ throughout my whole day.
But as you said – the ego is sometimes obstructing it 🙂
Well understood write up and I must commend you for an excellent article you have up here. Getting to unlock the power of the now requires constant practising as you have stated. Practice makes perfect and for one to be in the now, one has to let go of every other thing and focus on the moment and tackle the moment for what it is. This is a powerful post centered on a sensitive topic. It was a good read for me. Thanks
Thank you. As you said, practice is the key
Thank you for another great article about this subject. I remember when I first found the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. It was in 2011. It was an audio thing called Stillness Speaks I think. He talked about the dimension of space between words and sounds. Like the silent spaces between things. Space consciousness instead of object consciousness. It really changed the way I thought about things. I got really into meditation from that.
I don’t have perfect acceptance. My friend once told me “accept that you don’t accept”. That was helpful. I hope Eckhart Tolle would accept that I don’t accept everything! LOL
That’s why I appreciate the NOW watches on your site so much. You have a nice shop there. It is a great gift for almost anyone. Take care and I may be back soon.
Thank you Charles for the comment. Yes Stillness Speaks is a great book as well. Listening to the silence between the sounds is itself a great exercise and a doorway to presence. The acceptance that you mentioned is another one. As also Eckhart says – you don’t have to constantly use all the gateways to the present moment, one is enough. If being still and present and listening to the silence around you works for you – then you don’t need anything more. I will give you one tip on the acceptance however. Accept the present moment as it is. You can’t change the present moment as it always is as it is. Accept it as it is. Even just for a moment so you will get back to the stillness, it will clear your mind.
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it.
I’ve been at my lows and I’ve tried coaching and physical activity to help calming the mind including yoga, however I too find self practicing the most helpful, it’s like moving away the blocks from within instead of using external forces. Empowering oneself is about physical and mindful work. Thanks for sharing with us. Blessings
I thing you are right Laureen. In the end we need to find our own stillness ourselves. We can’t look for ourselves outside ourselves. Everything is within us. I really recommend you the book – The Power Of Now if you havn’t read that yet. The lecture of it is a milestone and a life-changing moment for many people.
I’ve always enjoyed reading Eckart Tolle’s work; he is a very inspiring person. I like how yo have the desired to practice the power of now. I have always try to live in the conscious moment. Being present is the best thing a person can do for themselves.
It has helped me not to miss the little things, as well as not bring the past with me, which has many complications. I have left this behind. Mind you sometimes they do pop-up, thanks for this timely article, as I was starting to remunerate about past hurts and such.
I also like the card game, it seems like something I could do with my children to teach them to live in the present moment as well.
Thank you Jagi for stopping by. Practicing being present can’t go wrong. The cards are a great tool I agree. They are based on teachings of Eckhart Tolle. After I felt the real presence for the first time I just could not stop practice being mindful everyday. This is my story. I guess the quality of life when you are fully present and conscious is just so much better.
Wow, this is a fantastic post about Now..really, I like it very much! I am such a problem to be always some steps ahead without the possibility to enjoy a moment I am currently experiencing. I realise that and probably this could be the first step to get better in chasing away the thoughts and stay present. I have not heard about Eckhart Tolle until I have read your post, so I will check some youtube videos and see whether are the books you recommend in my mother language or not. Anyway, thank you for this great post! All the best
Renata
Thank you Renata for the comment. English is also not my first language however I like to read these books in English to see the original wording and feel better the spirit of them. The Power Of Now book has been translated into more than 30 languages from what I know so you have pretty good chances to find it in your local bookstore.
Great post and I think my time is Now. The power of now doesn’t look so technical like some other steps I’ve seen of attaining inner peace through thoughts. I feel with enough practice, I can learn to not go beyond my thinking. And maybe I might purchase one of Eckhart Tolle’s book to further help me. I’ll check out those recommended games too. Thanks for sharing this educative oist
There is also a free pdf of this book, you can find the link to it on this page – Introduction to The Power Of Now.
And yes I agree with you that what differs Eckhart Tolle from other spiritual teachers is that he is saying the same what Jesus and Buddha have said before, in a more approachable and simple to understand way.
I am so glad that I came across your website. I was “researching” ways to try to turn my mind off at night. Much of what I keep thinking about at night is a combination of worrisome things and things that I want to do but don’t seem to have time to do.
AS Mr. Eckhart says, when we are in bed at night, we are warm, comfortable, safe and breathing. We shouldn’t be worrying.
I wanted to thank you for including the video on this post because until I scrolled down, I was already worrying that I might get busy and forget to take time to watch it. I got out of the now. lol Well, I want to go back and finish watching the video but I wanted to quickly write a comment to say thank you before I started worrying that I would forget. By getting this task out of the way, I can better focus on the video. Afterwards, I want to try the tools that you have provided to practice the power of now.
Thanks for the comment Sondra! Yes, the moment when you realize that there is a constant voice talking in your head is the important “aha” moment.
I also really enjoy watching these video clips, even in the background while I work.
Thank you so much for the sharing! I agree with you about Mr. Eckhart Tolle and his books. I’ve been practicing Zen for years and, I know he’s telling the truth and teaching the ways. How fortunate we are that we have the spiritual teacher like Eckhart Tolle in our age!
Hello. I agree with and love Mr. Tolle’s approach. One thing in your post that may be misleading to newcomers is when you wrote that the mind must be empty to be present. This is actually equally damaging idea as the self idea. The mind is NEVER empty! It’s always FULL! it’s full of sounds, physical feelings and passing thoughts. This flow NEVER stops. If your conscious you’re mind is full. Awareness requires an object. Instead, the idea is not to attach to any thought or object of awareness. When you notice attention shifting, let go. Thoughts are not the enemy…attachment to thoughts is. The very instruction to have empty mind is actually damaging as it is impossible as well as incorrect. You want a steady unattached mind, but the passing objects of awareness…they are the very cause of awareness itself!