We often create anxiety by thinking too much about the past or worrying about the future. The Power of Now teaches us to focus on the present moment.
Here are three simple ways to reduce anxiety and find greater peace in everyday life.
I don’t want these thoughts on my mind. But why do these thoughts keep coming to mind?
By the way, what addiction are 99.99% of the world’s people addicted to? The answer is, thinking.
That is, there is no person in the world who does not think. Think of a smoker who smokes one after another unnecessarily. Similarly, an addicted thinker keeps thinking one thought after another unnecessarily.
The most interesting thing is that he cannot stop thinking even if he wants to. If you don’t believe it, you can try it yourself!Stop reading the article for 10 seconds and refrain from all thoughts. What’s happening?
I know you can’t. There is no reason to worry. I am also in your team. 99.99% of the world’s people can’t do this. What is the food of the mind? The answer is feelings.
Because the mind uses us and keeps collecting its own food. In a word, our mind has made us its slaves. Eckhart Tolle was in the same situation.
Do you know who he is? He is the author of the famous book “The Power of Now”. At the age of 29, these unbearable thoughts led him to a state of extreme decline. He couldn’t sleep well for months.
Struggling with deep hopelessness, he once thought about ending his life. But one night he discovered something that changed his perspective on life. He found a peaceful life.
When people asked him about the change, he started sharing those things. With this purpose in mind, he published the book “The Power of Now” in 1997. This book was recognized as a New York Times bestseller in 2000.
At that time, the famous American host Oprah Winfrey strongly recommended everyone to read this book at least once.
The book is for those who are stuck in their past. The book is for those who have lost control of their brains.
The book is for those who are waiting for something from outside, something that will change their lives. This book is important for those who blame others for their own miserable lives.
This book is for those who spend each day in anxiety and despair. If you have any of these problems, then today’s discussion is for you.
Because today, based on this book, I will share some ideas that will help lighten the burden of despair in your life. Let’s go to the main discussion.
Idea Number 1: The Most Important Time is “Now”
The author believes that we waste the best times of our lives on the failures or sorrows of the past and the uncertain future. Our life exists only in the present moment; the past is gone, and the future has yet to come.
Our existence is only in the present. Everything we experience happens in the present. If you think deeply, the past is a collection of some present moments that have already passed.
And the future is a collection of some present moments that will come. Therefore, trying to live at any time other than the present is a futile effort.
You are given a project and given 7 days. But for various reasons, you couldn’t do the work for the first 4 days.
You are very worried about this. Also, you may be under a lot of pressure in the future if the work is not completed.
You are not at peace thinking about this either. But in reality, wasting time in the past and worrying about the future is worthless. Because you have to finish the project from the present.
The most appropriate step would be to start the work from this moment and finish it within the specified time.
Idea Number 2: You Are Not Your Mind
The mind is a big and powerful tool for us if we use it correctly. But the sad thing is that we don’t use our brains correctly. Moreover, the brain uses us. Ask yourself, who am I? What is my identity?
If you say, “I am a student” or “I am a government employee,” you are describing what you do, not who you are.
Or, religious, tribal identity, professional life, etc.” Then I ask you. Are these identities really yours?
Or is this some data collected through the brain? Even if we leave aside the matter of death, do these identities stay with you during sleep? I would say, no. But your existence is in the present during sleep.
Otherwise, how can you sleep or dream? The author has called all these egos. These are not used. But we have accepted them as part of ourselves. These are just collected information and data.
So what is your identity? Who are you? Knowing this is called enlightenment.
Idea Number 3: Get The Way Of Enlightenment
Gautama Buddha said, enlightenment means the end of suffering. The real cause of all sorrow and suffering is our self-centered and egocentric thinking. These are the things that we consider part of ourselves.
But in reality, these are not used. When you think about the present time, is there any sorrow or suffering?
Sorrow and suffering exist only when we move away from the present and create false identification with the past and the future and try to live in the past or the future.
Suppose a machine deletes all your memories for 5 minutes. For that moment, you don’t remember anything from the past or the future.
You are only experiencing the nature of the present, the surrounding sounds, smells, and what is happening at that time.
So, do you have any feelings of frustration, suffering, sorrow, regret, etc. for this moment?Now think if you gained the ability to do this without any machine.
Not just for 5 minutes, but as long as you want, you have gained the ability to do this.
What would life be like then? It is the end of suffering. That is, enlightenment. This can lead many people to form the wrong idea.
Should we not use our memories then? It’s not like that. In this case, you will have complete control.
Like that machine! If you want, you can remove worries about the past and future from your mind and learn from the past to achieve future goals. You can do as much as you need.
Read More: The Law of Attraction Book That Inspires Millions!
Your brain will not be your master, but your brain will become your servant. Many may ask, is this really possible?
Whether it is possible or not, countless people have reached this stage and proven it. The author is also an example.
The way to acquire any skill or experience is to practice. There is no exception to practice in acquiring this skill. The author has mentioned some ways to practice acquiring this skill.
The first exercise is, ‘Watch The Thinkers
‘Try it right now. Try to find out what you are thinking and which part of your brain you are thinking about.
Did you understand any magic? Whenever you consciously went to see this, your thoughts stopped for that moment!
The second exercise is, what will be my next thought?
Think repeatedly, “What will I think about next? “What is my next thought?” This exercise is based on quantum physics.
It is called the quantum Zeno effect. It is also called, “A system can’t change while you are watching it”.
By constantly asking yourself this question, the speed of your thinking process slows down. As a result, you get the opportunity to catch your autopilot mode.
The third exercise is surrender
If you cannot overcome the current situation, if it is not possible for you, then you have to surrender.
Surrender does not mean being mentally weak. Accepting any event or situation that you cannot change even if you want to.
And stopping the tendency to resist accepting it.The feeling of forgetting everything and living in the present cannot be expressed in words.
It’s like the feeling of a fish being placed in water instead of on land.
This is something that can only be felt personally.The author has said an important thing in his book, the summary of which is, “Whatever you have to say is only in the present.
Bring this present moment to the center of your life’s focus.”
