The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle is a thought-provoking book that encourages us to live in the present moment for personal enlightenment. Published in 1997, this book has become a timeless classic in spiritual literature. It hooks readers with meaningful ideas and practical tips for a fulfilling life, no matter where they come from. At least for the first fifty pages.

Tolle recounts his own journey toward awakening, which began with a period of despair and ended with a transformative spiritual experience. Drawing from this experience, he introduces the central theme of the book, which is the ‘Now’. Tolle suggests that being too attached to the past or future hinders our ability to fully appreciate the present moment.

I’ve read similar concepts in other books that were presented in better formats. Once he presents his ideas, the book goes on to a question-and-answer session. Honestly, this felt very condescending. No matter how softly someone speaks, words can still be pretentious. Anyone who doesn’t get right on board with his ideas isn’t enlightened enough, doesn’t get it, or the ego is getting in the way. The book becomes very repetitive at this point and I had a hard time paying attention because the same ideas were beaten into the ground.

Tolle challenges our attachment to thoughts, material possessions, and identity. It’s not beneficial to engage in thinking, and ego is unhealthy. I don’t agree. Too much of anything can have negative consequences. I found his manner of speaking when answering questions to be patronizing.

Overall, the ideas presented are thought-provoking even if I don’t agree with everything. I think it could have been forty pages instead of 200+ pages and almost eight hours of audio that I struggled to finish.

Some readers may find Tolle’s The Power of Now to be a transformative, empowering book deeply rooted in teachings of mindfulness, spiritual awakening, and the power of presence. It may resonate with them and they might appreciate the repetition of the concepts. Sadly, while I found the first portion of the book enjoyable, the rest appeared to be more about boosting Tolle’s ego than imparting any new knowledge.