The Power of Now

[Yoder]

The Power of Now: A guide to spiritual enlightenment.

I'm about halfway through this audio book. A good friend of mine recommended it. I know the title will turn off a lot of people thinking this is some weird hippie nonsense. I know that was my first thought. The book is about focusing on the present. It has a lot of the principles of Buddhism. The more I listen, the more I realize the amount of time I waste and the pain it causes worrying about the future and dwelling on the past. Everything in the future is not real. It may or may not happen. The past is over and done with. The only thing that is real is this instant, and it's the one thing we generally never notice. I've been trying to work the principles of this book into my daily life and it has been extremely helpful to me. Anytime I find myself worrying about things I can't control, I try to focus on the present. Is there anything I can do about it right now? If yes, I need to just get it done. If not, move on and accept it. I'm realizing that the voice we all have in our mind is like a spoiled child. Constantly whining, needing attention and trying to distract us. For the overwhelming majority of us, that spoiled child is running the show, while the true self sits in the background watching helplessly. I think changing that is really important and I think this book is a good tool to help.

I will warn you, it's a little tough to listen to. There is a really loud chime or bell between chapters that is pretty annoying and the narrators are not exactly exciting but the information is great. I hope some of you will check it out.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Yup, just what I need, weird hippie nonsense with loud annoying chimes to top it off.

 

[doc holiday13]

Hard Pass.

Mixing Buddhism and Christianity is a recipe for becoming "that guy" no one wants to talk to

 

[roadrunner]

You learn from the past while living in the present, while planning for a better future.

If you can't learn from history, nothing will save you and at that point, the present is irrelevant because you're unwilling to change for that better future.

It's all tied together...

 

[ODB]

I listened to that book about 25 years ago while painting a house. It’s an easy concept to understand but it’s impossible to really live by unless all external factors are taken care of.

A better way to think, in my opinion, is the opening of the serenity prayer:

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

You can address the past, present, and future with that mindset. Which is much better than to pretend anything but the present does not exist.

We do always live in the past, present, and future. Our presents are the consequences of our pasts, and our futures are the consequences of our presents. Yes, the present is important, but it is absolutely informed by understanding the past and future.

 

[Yoder]

Hard Pass.

Mixing Buddhism and Christianity is a recipe for becoming "that guy" no one wants to talk to

All I got out of it is to try to be more present instead of listening to the little monkey in your head 24/7. I'm not shaving my head and giving out pamphlets at the airport.

 

[displacedtexan]

I don't believe in "those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it" the way many seem to.

But there's lessons to be learned. Trauma and emotional scarring are real.

And a lack of planning for the future won't set you up for success.

Hard Pass.

Mixing Buddhism and Christianity is a recipe for becoming "that guy" no one wants to talk to

No bro. Just gimme a minute. Think about it. It'll open your eyes.

 

[Steve from GA]

It's an interesting read that I got a lot out of. I also get a lot out of Buddhism and quantum physics. Of course, a lot of people will try to slag all of that and other modes of thinking because they challenge their fundamental notions of reality. To narrow minded folks, that might as well be like practicing witchcraft. When in doubt, just add it to the book burning list.

 

[Jethro6x6]

anything to help him that can use it,, the hardest s.o.b we ever deal with watches us shave in the morning,,,,

Peace

 

[displacedtexan]

anything to help him that can use it,, the hardest s.o.b we ever deal with watches us shave in the morning,,,,

Peace

I agree with this.

I also hate being told what will help me.

Definitely at least somewhat of a contradiction...

 

[Yoder]

I think it's more like stop ruminating on the past and worrying about the future. Both are completely useless and I do both all of the time. Using some of the ideas in this book to be more present, has been helpful to me in stopping these bad habits. I've also stopped bathing, turned vegan and only go barefoot to become closer to mother earth.

 

[Rob5589]

Along similar lines, Un#@%! Yourself is very good. Just finished it last night.

 

[49ereric]

At least you are searching.

 

[Bfdavis89]

I listened to that book about 25 years ago while painting a house. It’s an easy concept to understand but it’s impossible to really live by unless all external factors are taken care of.

A better way to think, in my opinion, is the opening of the serenity prayer:

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

You can address the past, present, and future with that mindset. Which is much better than to pretend anything but the present does not exist.

We do always live in the past, present, and future. Our presents are the consequences of our pasts, and our futures are the consequences of our presents. Yes, the present is important, but it is absolutely informed by understanding the past and future.

I was going to give it a try, but you convinced me to go listen to wu-tang instead. I read your take twice simply because of my love of the wu!

 

[IdahoElk]

All I got out of it is to try to be more present instead of listening to the little monkey in your head 24/7. I'm not shaving my head and giving out pamphlets at the airport.

The Monkey in my head is the Holy Spirit and helps me everyday, can't imagine life without it.

 

[Rich M]

All I got out of it is to try to be more present instead of listening to the little monkey in your head 24/7. I'm not shaving my head and giving out pamphlets at the airport.

Yer supposed to hand the monkey off. 1 minute manager meets the monkey is the name of that book.

I vouldnt function without the future aspect. My whole life revolves around deadlines and keeping folks happy. Boss, clients, wife, father, etc. meeting deadlines is what i do and sometimes it takes more effort than you want.

Last year i looked forward to an antelope hunt w buds. Turned into a fun trip w lotsa sight seeing.

This year taking wife to costa rica fishing.

Already planning for first year of retirement.

Never underestimate the power of the future in motivating yourself to do some unpleasant tasks today.

 

[COJoe]

Yoder, I say this with all consideration for your beliefs and I don't normally respond to post such as this but I feel I need to, you are searching for something that is absolutely attainable, just not the way you're approaching it. Budhism seeks to free themselves from suffering however, that is a futile effort because there will be suffering in this world and nothing we do or a way we think will 'free us' from that. Living in the 'now' is simply trying to deny what is really going on in us and around us. King Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, tells it correctly when he states, "their is nothing new under the sun" and he states, "vanity, vanity, all is vanity". He was the wisest man to ever live and lived the most luxuriest life but in the end, his conclusions were this: "fear God and obey all His commands because this is for all humanity". Striving to be our own god of the Now will lead us to a place we will not want to be.

My past is extremly relevant because it showed me my need for a savior because I was a sinner. My present is lived to bring God glory in all I do even in all my failures (sins) and repentance which lead me deeper into God's perfect peace and my future is as real to me now as it will be in the future when I see it in all its fulness in eternity with Jesus. Please consider reading what Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes and see if it doesn't speak to what you are searching for.

 

[roadrunner]

The 7 most dangerouse words anyone can say to another are "well, what you ought to do is..."

 

[Steve from GA]

Yoder, I say this with all consideration for your beliefs and I don't normally respond to post such as this but I feel I need to, you are searching for something that is absolutely attainable, just not the way you're approaching it. Budhism seeks to free themselves from suffering however, that is a futile effort because there will be suffering in this world and nothing we do or a way we think will 'free us' from that. Living in the 'now' is simply trying to deny what is really going on in us and around us. King Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, tells it correctly when he states, "their is nothing new under the sun" and he states, "vanity, vanity, all is vanity". He was the wisest man to ever live and lived the most luxuriest life but in the end, his conclusions were this: "fear God and obey all His commands because this is for all humanity". Striving to be our own god of the Now will lead us to a place we will not want to be.

My past is extremly relevant because it showed me my need for a savior because I was a sinner. My present is lived to bring God glory in all I do even in all my failures (sins) and repentance which lead me deeper into God's perfect peace and my future is as real to me now as it will be in the future when I see it in all its fulness in eternity with Jesus. Please consider reading what Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes and see if it doesn't speak to what you are searching for.

Buddhism acknowledges constant suffering as an inescapable fact of the human condition. What Buddhism seeks to do is re-frame one’s relationship to suffering so that a person can be the observer and not buy into the noise that the mind continually generates. Buddhism simply says that you are not your thoughts, and once you understand that, then life improves pretty dramatically.

Descartes had it wrong. It’s not “I think therefore I am.” It’s “I am therefore I think.” The “I am” part is where the understanding and enlightenment live.

 

[MattB]

The 7 most dangerouse words anyone can say to another are "well, what you ought to do is..."

Ordinarily, but if it is on the internet you can it to the bank.