You are not your mind
Summary of chapter1: ‘The Power of Now’
Living in the present means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. Where is this explained? It is revealed in the book ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle. The title of the book says it all. In this fantastic book, he is trying to explain the importance of living in the present. In other words, the Power of This Moment.
“The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.” — Abraham Maslow
Let’s see what he is trying to convey in Chapter 1.
Before moving to the details, let me ask you a question. Do you think you and your mind are the same? Do you think your mind is your best friend? If you answered yes, then it’s time for me to correct it. You are not your mind. You might think I am talking blunder. Once you complete reading this summary or this book, you will understand what I meant by “You are not your mind.”
The first thing the author wants to convey is Enlightenment. He uses Buddha’s definition to explain what it is. Enlightenment is the end of suffering. Now, I am sure you might be thinking, how an ordinary person can be free from suffering?
Let me explain it to you.
What is blocking you from reaching that state of Enlightenment? The culprit is our mind, which builds a big wall between Enlightenment and us. Yeah, you heard me right. With our thoughts and emotions, our mind is building a giant wall between Englightenment and us. The mind is considered the best gift to a human, but nothing is in our control when our mind starts to rule us. Same way, thoughts and our power to think is good, and ensure we use them the right way so that our mind won’t be the worst enemy of ourselves.
Have you ever observed what is happening with you or your surrounding at this moment? I am sure most people reading this would say No. We, ordinary people, live in the past or future. We don’t know how to live in the present moment. Sometimes, we will be worried thinking about the past incidents by criticizing the situation and people involved in the incident. The same is the case with future thoughts. This is how our mind takes over us, and the thoughts start to play their part too.
But do not worry! We can train our minds to reach that state through continuous practice. The author is confident that with awareness, we can live in the present moment. Let’s see how we can do that.
Are you ready to spend 5 minutes a day to start practicing it? If so, the key is to stay aware of your surroundings without any judgment or resistance.
Just observe things around you. For example, imagine you are washing your hands. Watch the sound of water, the sound your hands make while cleaning, without any judgment or resistance. By observing without judgment, you are living in the present. I know this may sound silly but try to make it a practice starting with 5 minutes every day. If we can practice this regularly, we will learn to live in the moment, and that will be our most incredible win against our minds.
“Pure observation should come into action.”
Let me know who is ready to do this to start their mindfulness journey. 🧘♀️
