Chapter 9 takes us even deeper into presence. It challenges some of our most deeply held beliefs about happiness, success, and what it means to live a peaceful life. This chapter is called Beyond Happiness and Unhappiness There Is Peace, and it has been one of the most surprising and freeing parts of the book for me.
In the video above, I talk through a few of the big ideas that stood out to me and how they have shown up in my own life. If something here resonates, 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
Beyond Happiness and Unhappiness There Is Peace
Eckhart says most of us spend our lives swinging between moments of happiness and moments of unhappiness. We chase the highs and try to avoid the lows. But both are temporary. Both depend on circumstances going our way.
“Happiness depends on conditions being perceived as positive; inner peace does not.”
He invites us to see that there is something deeper than happiness. Peace. A peace that does not depend on getting what we want or avoiding what we do not want.
This landed for me when I noticed how often my mood was tied to external things. A good meeting. A compliment. A sunny day. But as soon as things shifted, my happiness disappeared. The practice became finding a steadier place to stand. One that is not built on conditions.
The End of Your Life Drama
So much of our suffering comes from the stories we tell about our lives. Eckhart calls it the life drama. The mental commentary that says this is good or bad, success or failure, worth celebrating or worth regretting.
When I started noticing my own life drama, it was almost funny. I could see how much energy I spent narrating my days like I was in some epic movie. But when I paused and let the commentary go, the moment itself was always simple. Often peaceful.
Ending the life drama does not mean you stop caring about your life. It means you stop turning it into a problem or a performance. You just live.
Negativity and Inner Resistance
This chapter also digs into the ways negativity shows up in our lives as inner resistance. That quiet voice saying this should not be happening. The subtle tension that colors everything we do when we are pushing against reality.
Eckhart suggests that every moment of negativity is a sign we have left presence. The way back is to notice it. Feel it in your body. Let it be there without adding another layer of judgment.
For me, this practice has been humbling. I still notice resistance all the time. But now it feels like an invitation to return. To step out of my head and back into the moment.
Watch the Full Video
If any of these ideas speak to you, I hope you will watch the full Chapter 9 video above. In it, I share more about how these shifts have changed the way I experience peace and how they have invited me to let go of the constant striving for happiness.
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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