The Power of Now
A beggar was living on a city footpath for many years. As a stranger passed by, the beggar asked him, “Sir, will you spare some coins for me?” The stranger replied, “I don’t have any change with me. But what is that box on which you are sitting?” “I don’t know. It has been there for so many years.” But the stranger encouraged him to open it, and with some difficulty, they together opened it and were quite taken aback. It was full of gold!
As you have begun the new academic year, it is worth considering the above story taken from the famous book The Power of Now by the British author Eckhart Tolle. In the book, Eckhart exhorts us to be aware, awake, and fully present in the moment we live. The present moment is all we will ever have, so live in the here and now. Yet, people spend a lot of time thinking and planning their future. If you take a break and listen to your mind for 10 minutes, you will notice that your mind repeatedly speaks about the same things.
Your present moment is putting foundation to your future. Unlike animals, human beings are gifted with a higher level of consciousness which is fashioning your life. What you repeatedly think today will be unfolded in your life in the coming days. A rich man’s son thinks in the present moment that he will be rich like his father. A poor man’s son thinks that he will not be able to become like that rich man.
The greatest treasure that everyone owns is one’s consciousness of NOW, by which one can alter one’s destiny. You and your mind are not one but distinct and independent. Your identity is separate from your mind, thoughts, and perceptions. If you watch your mind silently, with eyes closed, you will observe how it loves to escape either to the past regrets or future worries. So, it is challenging to become conscious of the present moment and to observe our thoughts without judgement.
Therefore, silently watch your thoughts. This way, you can have mastery over your thoughts, retaining those that help your happiness, and rejecting what is harmful. You are helpless regarding your past or future, but you can handle the present moment now when you can deliberately insert a great idea or delete negative ones. So, fill your present moment with those thoughts which you wish your mind to dwell in. All the things that you see around were built, discovered or invented by creating the mental images at their present moment and pursuing them moment after moment.
In this issue, we happily present the great story of Kaavya Karthikeyan, who conquered Mt Everest in her mind years before she actually reached there on 20th May 2024. The story of Elon Musk too is the same. So remember, you are sitting on the treasure box of NOW! The same is possible for you in every aspect of your life. Give it a try!
Vincent Carmel is the Chief Editor of The Teenager Today. He brings with him years of experience in working with young people. He was actively involved with the Indore-based Universal Solidarity Movement (USM) for over three years. A great lover of the North East, he was the Director of the North East Social Communications (NESCOM), organising motivational programmes for the youth of the region.
