Chapter 3 is where Eckhart begins to really challenge the way we see ourselves and the world. This chapter is called Moving Deeply Into the Now, and it’s all about seeing through the patterns of thought that keep us trapped in suffering.
In the video above, I share some of the big ideas that stood out to me and how I’ve been trying to work with them in my own life. If something here connects with you, the video will take it further. You can also find a full video for every chapter of this book here:
Watch the full series on YouTube
Don’t Seek Your Self in Your Mind
Eckhart reminds us that we will never find our true self in our thoughts. The mind can only offer stories, labels, and memories. None of these are who we really are.
This hit me hard when I realized how much of my identity was built on my thoughts. I believed I was my achievements, my failures, my plans. But the more I practiced presence, the more I saw that there is something deeper. Something unchanging that is not tied to any of those stories.
The invitation is simple but radical. Stop searching for yourself in the mind. Look for what remains when you let the thoughts settle.
End the Delusion of Time
This chapter also talks about the illusion of psychological time. Most of us are either clinging to the past or reaching for the future. We tell ourselves peace is out there someday, after we fix everything or achieve enough.
But Eckhart says there is no future moment when life will suddenly begin. Life is always Now.
I noticed this in small ways. I would be washing dishes and thinking about tomorrow. I would be playing with my kids and planning my next project. I wasn’t living. I was waiting.
The practice became bringing my attention back to the present, again and again.
All Problems Are Illusions of the Mind
Eckhart says problems only exist in the mind. In reality, there are situations to address, challenges to meet, but the idea of a “problem” is a mental construct.
For me, this showed up when I was lying awake at night, rehearsing conversations and worrying about what might happen. None of it was actually happening. It was all imagined.
When I let go of the story and came back to the moment, the problem dissolved. What remained was the simple reality of lying in a bed, breathing, safe. There are challenges to deal with, yes, but why turn them into a problem?
Watch the Full Video
If any of these ideas speak to you, I hope you will watch the full Chapter 3 video above. In it, I share more about how these insights have shifted the way I relate to my mind and how they keep bringing me back to the present moment.
This is part of a full 10-part video series, with one video for each chapter of The Power of Now. If you are walking through this book or returning to it again, you are not alone. We are in this together. You can watch the whole series here: Watch the full series on YouTube
If something stood out to you in the reading or the video, I would love to hear about it. Leave a comment and share your favorite part or any ah-ha moments you noticed.
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