Book Summary: The Power of Now

FREEING YOURSELF FROM YOUR MIND

• The Nature of the Mind:

  • The mind is characterized by continuous involuntary thought processes, often in the form of monologues or dialogues.
  • These thoughts can be irrelevant to the present situation, dwelling on the past or rehearsing future scenarios.
  • The voice of the mind can be a person's own worst enemy, attacking, punishing, and draining vital energy.

• Observing the Thinker:

  • The first step to freeing yourself from the mind is to start listening to the voice in your head.
  • Pay attention to repetitive thought patterns and observe them impartially, without judgment.
  • By witnessing your thoughts, you create a new dimension of consciousness, separating yourself from the mind.

• The Power of Now:

  • When a thought subsides, you experience a gap of "no-mind," a state of stillness and peace.
  • Practicing present moment awareness draws consciousness away from mind activity and creates these gaps.
  • You can integrate this practice into daily life by giving full attention to routine activities, making them ends in themselves.

• Disidentification and Enlightenment:

  • Learning to disidentify from your mind is crucial on the journey toward enlightenment.
  • Each gap in the stream of mind strengthens the light of your consciousness.
  • Eventually, you may find yourself smiling at the voice in your head, no longer taking its content seriously.

WHEN DISASTER STRIKES

• Limit-Situations and Surrender:

  • Limit-situations, such as disasters or deep loss, can shatter your world and force you into surrender, potentially leading to an awakened state.
  • Surrender involves complete acceptance of the present moment, even if it is unacceptable or painful.

• Transmutation of Suffering:

  • When disaster strikes, know that surrender can transmute pain and suffering into inner peace and serenity.
  • This peace brings the realization of your indestructible and immortal nature.

TRANSFORMING SUFFERING INTO PEACE

• Two Chances for Surrender:

  • The first chance is to accept the present moment as it is, creating a state of nonresistance and grace.
  • The second chance, when accepting the external is impossible, is to accept the internal by allowing and embracing your pain without resistance.

• Facing the Pain:

  • When suffering arises, avoid the urge to escape and instead face it fully.
  • Give your complete attention to the feeling without mental labeling, and observe the urge to turn away without acting on it.
  • By bringing the light of your consciousness into the darkness of pain, you allow for its transmutation into peace.

• Full Attention as Surrender:

  • Giving full attention to the present moment is a form of surrender, as it removes time and with it, suffering.
  • Facing deep pain consciously is a journey into death, leading to the realization that there is no death and nothing to fear.

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

• Suffering and Surrender:

  • Finding God or enlightenment through suffering occurs not because of the pain itself, but because of the surrender it forces.
  • Relinquishing resistance ends the mind's dominance and opens the realm of Being, characterized by stillness, peace, joy, and love.

• The Old Way and the New Way:

  • The way of the cross, enlightenment through suffering, is the old way, often involving intense and prolonged pain.
  • The new way involves consciously choosing to make the Now the main focus of your life, relinquishing attachment to past and future.

• The Choice for Enlightenment:

  • You have the power to choose enlightenment now by making the present moment your primary focus and accepting what is.

THE POWER TO CHOOSE

• Choice and Consciousness:

  • True choice requires consciousness and present-moment awareness; without it, you are compelled by the conditioning of your mind.
  • Unconscious individuals are often stuck in repetitive patterns, even if they are painful or dysfunctional.

• Breaking Free from Conditioning:

  • By becoming present and accessing the power of Now, you can break free from past conditioning and make conscious choices.
  • Compassion, rather than resentment, is the appropriate response to the unconsciousness of others.

• Forgiveness and the Now:

  • True forgiveness becomes possible when you access the power of Now and realize that nothing can touch the essence of who you are.

ENLIGHTENMENT: RISING ABOVE THOUGHT

• Thinking as an Addiction:

  • Most thinking is repetitive, useless, and harmful, causing a leakage of vital energy.
  • Addiction to thinking arises from identification with the mind and the belief that you would cease to be without it.

• The Ego and the Present Moment:

  • The ego, the false self created by mind identification, has little concern for the present moment, focusing instead on past and future.
  • The present moment holds the key to liberation, but it cannot be found while identified with the mind.

• Enlightenment and Thought:

  • Enlightenment means rising above thought, not falling back to a level below it.
  • In the enlightened state, thinking becomes more focused and effective, used primarily for practical purposes while free from internal dialogue.
  • The mind is a survival machine, not a creative one; true creativity arises from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness.

EMOTION: THE BODY'S REACTION TO YOUR MIND

• The Nature of Emotions:

  • Emotions arise where mind and body meet, reflecting the mind's interpretations in the body.
  • The degree of presence you have determines the strength of the emotional energy charge.

• Emotions as Messengers:

  • Emotions can reveal unconscious thought patterns, acting as messengers from the unconscious mind.
  • By observing your emotions without judgment, you bring unconscious patterns into the light of consciousness.

• The Pain-Body:

  • Emotions can become trapped life-energy, forming the pain-body, a negative energy field within you.
  • The pain-body feeds on experiences that resonate with its own energy, creating a cycle of suffering.

• Positive Emotions and Being:

  • Love, joy, and peace are not emotions but states of Being, arising from inner connectedness with the present moment.
  • Glimpses of these states are possible when there is a gap in the stream of thought.

CONSCIOUSNESS: THE WAY OUT OF PAIN

CREATE NO MORE PAIN IN THE PRESENT

• The Cause of Pain:

  • Most human pain is unnecessary, self-created through nonacceptance and resistance to the present moment.
  • The mind seeks to deny and escape the Now because it cannot function without time.

• The Power of Acceptance:

  • By accepting the present moment as it is, you free yourself from mind identification and reconnect with Being, reducing suffering.
  • Accept the present moment, then take action if necessary.

PAST PAIN: DISSOLVING THE PAIN-BODY

• The Pain-Body:

  • Past emotional pain can accumulate and become lodged in your mind and body, forming the pain-body.
  • The pain-body can be dormant or active, triggered by situations that resonate with past pain patterns.
  • It feeds on experiences that create further pain, seeking to survive through your unconscious identification with it.

• The Power of Presence:

  • Conscious presence and observation of the pain-body breaks identification with it and initiates its transmutation into consciousness.
  • By bringing the light of your consciousness into the pain, you dissolve it and become whole again.

EGO IDENTIFICATION WITH THE PAIN-BODY

• Resistance to Disidentification:

  • There may be inner resistance to disidentifying from your pain, especially if your sense of self is invested in it.
  • Observe this resistance and the attachment to your pain, bringing it into consciousness to break the identification.

• The Role of a Spiritual Teacher:

  • A spiritual teacher or therapist who embodies intense conscious presence can accelerate your journey toward disidentification and enlightenment.

THE ORIGIN OF FEAR

• Psychological Fear:

  • Psychological fear is not related to immediate danger but arises from the mind's projection into an imagined future.
  • It is rooted in the ego's fear of death and annihilation.

• Disidentification and Freedom from Fear:

  • Disidentifying from the mind and its mental positions frees you from the need to be right and the fear of being wrong.
  • True power and security are found within, in the present moment, not in the mind's projections.

THE EGO'S SEARCH FOR WHOLENESS

• The Ego's Need for Identification:

  • The ego, the false self, feels incomplete and seeks to fill the inner void through external things, such as possessions, status, or relationships.
  • This pursuit of ego-gratification never leads to lasting fulfillment.

• True Identity and Being:

  • Your true identity is not found in external things but in the timeless and formless realm of Being.
  • By letting go of ego identifications, you discover your true nature beyond the limitations of form.