The Power of Now

A spiritual book of ideas and short exercises about overthinking, resistance and acceptance. The surrender chapter and the watch-the-thinker practice are the most useful parts. It repeats itself, uses abstract language and makes bold claims without evidence, and it is not medical advice. Three and a half out of five (draft). Read it if: you overthink or worry about the future more than you would like; you want a spiritual book not tied to one religion; you prefer short practices to theory. Skip it if: you want research, studies or step-by-step habits; mystical language makes you roll your eyes; you are in a crisis: a book is not treatment, so talk to a professional. The Power of Now Review: Key Ideas and Who Should Read It →

The Power of Now summary, one idea per chapter: you are not your mind, the pain-body, the Now, the inner body and surrender. A spiritual book, not medical advice. The Power of Now Summary: Ten Chapters, One Idea Each →

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle argues that most suffering comes from identifying with the thinking mind and living in the past and future. It teaches watching your thoughts, feeling the body and accepting the present moment. It is a spiritual book, written mostly as questions and answers.

You are not your mind, so you can watch your thoughts. Much pain comes from resisting what is. The pain-body is Tolle's name for old emotional pain that wakes up and feeds on drama. Problems are mind-made situations, and surrender means accepting this moment, then acting.

Readers who overthink, worry about the future or want a spiritual book not tied to one religion. It suits people who like short practices more than theory. Skip it if you want research, studies or step-by-step habits.

The prose is plain and the question and answer format keeps it moving, but the ideas are abstract and repeat. Most readers do better with one chapter at a time and a pause to try each exercise.

The full text is about 61,000 words by our count, in ten chapters plus an introduction.

No. It is a spiritual book. It makes claims about health that we have not evaluated, and it is not a substitute for a doctor or therapist. If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, talk to a professional.