Awakening 2017 Book Club: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

This year, we have welcomed 2017 with open arms. We know that life can be crazy at times, but we are dedicating the time and energy to look within. 2017 has been our year of Awakening.
 
As part of this year’s Beach House theme, Awakening 2017: A Year With Intention, we have been seeking out different sources of inspiration to help us find our inner calm. One of the ways that we are doing this is poring over books from our Holistic Library, found at our signature Dark Night events taking place on the Friday closest to the New Moon. We believe that reading is dreaming with your eyes open, so we chose some thought-provoking titles to stir our soul and imagination.
 
Every month we are discussing a book that has captured our hearts. For September, we read Eckhart Tolle’s bestselling guide to spiritual enlightenment, The Power of Now. In this influential book, Tolle emphasises the importance of living in the present moment. A word of mouth phenomenon since its first publication, The Power of Now is one of those rare books with the power to create an experience in readers, one that can radically change their lives for the better.
 
Here we share some of our favourite passages and what it means to us on our journey to self-discovery.
 
“As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease.”
 
This quote really resonated with us. Living in the present is a conscious decision and usually does not come easily. Some people would always rather be somewhere else, and their ‘here’ is never good enough. At our Beach House, we strive to embrace the ‘here and now.’ Changing one’s mindset to focus on the present moment can be difficult at first. But once this is done, happiness and acceptance can flow more freely.
 
“If your mind carries a heavy burden of the past, you will experience more of the same. The past perpetuates itself through lack of presence. The quality of your consciousness at this moment is what shapes the future.”
 
Dwelling in the past can be toxic and can have negative effects on how your future unfolds. Learning from past mistakes is vital for self-development and progress, but equally as important is moving on and making sure that your focus is on the present moment.
 
“Accept – then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your whole life.”
 
Acceptance is key. Whatever you choose to do – do it with acceptance. No inner conflict, no resistance and no negativity. At our Beach House, we are true believers that acceptance is not weakness, but requires strength and conviction.
 
“Be at least as interested in what goes on inside you as what happens outside. If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place.”
 
So much goes on inside of us that people don’t see on the outside. Human beings are wonderful at hiding their true selves. But the more we are comfortable and accept who we are on the inside; the more we will be in harmony.
 
“Whenever anything negative happens to you, there is a deep lesson concealed within it, although you may not see it at the time.”
 
At our Beach House, we believe that everything happens for a reason, including negative situations. Hardship is presented in life as a way to learn and improve from it. It may not feel like this at the time, but when we overcome difficult circumstances, we are blessed with more clarity and wisdom.
 
Don’t miss out on our next signature Dark Night event is taking place on Friday, 20 October at Anchor & Den from sunset.