My Time-Traveling Mind

With a Little Stop In Awareness

We hear a lot nowadays about being mindful, staying in the present moment, and all the good these things can do for our well-being. After reviewing Eckhart Tolle’s book, The Power of Now, I’m all in for experiencing all the time warps my mind can handle.

Tolle’s book is a deep reflection on three simple ideas. That may sound kind of crazy and it can make your head hurt a little if you’re not careful, but they ring true. I had to work with them slowly, revisit them a few times, and I’d say I’m still not done learning everything I can from The Power of Now. If you feel like you can’t slow down long enough to absorb these abstract ideas, Tolle is here to explain that your mind is already in charge. You have handed over the remote. But you can get it back and watch something a little more rewarding, like your life.

First, he presents us with the truth that we are not our minds. As you slow down and let your thoughts float through your mind, you can begin to see you’re simply observing them. Not judging. Not labeling. Just thinking, “Oh, there’s a thought,” and then watching it pass on to make room for the next.

This is the ‘muscle’ we build when we meditate. As beginners, we may think that it’s impossible to stop the mind. Funny, but that’s your mind telling you that. It doesn’t want to give up its power.

Your mind isn’t a muscle or an organ, but like other muscles, you can strengthen it with practice. The more you focus on letting thoughts drift by, the better you get at it. Soon, the time between thoughts- the gap- gets longer. That’s when you know your practice is working.

It’s never complete. It’s never “done”. It's practice. You keep exercising that ability. And as you observe the thoughts, you realize you are the observer. Proof that you are not your mind. You’ve wrestled back the remote. Congratulations!

Next, we learn that the present moment is all we will ever have. This can feel tricky to accept because you remember what you had for dinner last night (well, maybe…sometimes that can be an age thing). But last night isn’t the present. Nor is the day you got married or the time you fell out of a tree and broke your arm. Those events happened, but what you have now is the memory.

Scientists say we remember feeling pain, but not the pain itself. The mind doesn’t work that way. In the same way, we can imagine the future, but it only exists as projection. Past and future are both mental reconstructions, our brain’s best replays and previews. If that sounds unbelievable, that’s your mind again, clinging to its role as the one in charge.

The mind thrives in memory and anticipation. It also processes sensory experiences, which is where the power of “now” lives. Still, it loves to chew on questions about the future: What will she say? When will they leave? Who will I ask to help? Where will we go on vacation?

When I find myself lost in memories, I usually conclude my current self doesn’t measure up. When I lean too far into the future, my anxiety rises, fueled by the fear of not being my best self. The scenes may change, but the worriment seldom does. The mind is too entertained by the past and future to let me have the peace of now. That’s when the lightbulb goes on, realizing the role of the observer is not just a meditation trick but the heart of the practice.

We can come to realize we are the observer, not the mind. We use our senses to experience without judging or labeling. That leads to Tolle’s third concept – acceptance of what is.

Everything in the now is okay. Only when we create resistance does it become a problem. The situation itself isn’t the problem- it just is. Our resistance is where the pain lies. The pain point is not in the now; it’s in the remembered associations we attach to the situation. The circumstances may be challenging, but it’s the resistance that creates the suffering.

I heard the phrase ‘love the resistance’ a few months ago and it struck a chord while I was struggling to stick to an exercise schedule and nutrition plan for weight loss. At first I tried logic, talking myself into 30 minutes of cardio or psyching myself up for strength training. I was losing the battle (and not ‘losing’ in the way I wanted) until I said to myself, “Love the Resistance!”

That single shift pulled me out of regrets and away from anticipating another failed attempt. With a smile on my face, I made it through and felt pride I hadn’t felt in a while. Tolle writes that between what is and what we expect lies a gap where resistance lives.

This gap is another ‘muscle’ we can strengthen. Over time, we can learn to notice resistance without judgment, letting the present moment simply be.

My time-traveling mind loves to dwell in beautiful memories, some joyful, some painful, all of them instructive. It also enjoys visiting the future, anticipating events and milestones worth celebrating. Even the contemplation of reaching personal goals can be a fun stop.

But I’m learning my most peaceful place is right here, in the now. I don’t want to trap my mind here. I want to keep enjoying my memories and looking forward to what’s ahead. After reading Eckhart Tolle, I think I’ll just let my mind take all the scenic routes it wants, knowing I can always enjoy the view from right here. After all, even the best time-traveler needs a home base.