summary ofThe Power of NowBook by Eckhart Tolle

second KEY POINT

Be Buddha instead of quoting him

We are addicted to thinking. We find comfort in the voices in our heads as they shield us from terrifying creatures — our authentic selves. Our thoughts often dress up our inner nudity to make it presentable for, first and foremost, ourselves. On rare occasions, the voices stop talking. But instead of being relieved, we're terrified of the smallness of our true selves hidden behind our opinions of ourselves and others, otherwise known as ego. In other words, our mind is the ego.How can we recognize this unfathomable entity? In short, these are all the meanings we attach to ourselves: opinions, judgments, ideologies, favorite art genres, and even aesthetics. Put differently, we need things to identify with and to present ourselves in a favorable light. We often refer to these external factors as our personality. However, if we momentarily detach ourselves from our favorite band or show, the sense of emptiness and indifference may resurface. As social beings, we fear the inability to connect with others, which can lead to being labeled as an outcast. That is why we’d rather let our minds feed off our worries and insecurities than confront them and become whole without relying on external validation.Speaking of worries and insecurities, our emotions can also stab us in the back. What is emotion if not a spillover of our thoughts? Sometimes the feelings grow so intense we lose the sense of consciousness and let them defeat us. What follows is anger, irritation, confusion, or panic — literally any emotion on the negative spectrum.No idea is entirely correct, and no opinion is exhaustive. Let's look at an example. When someone points out our mistake or challenges our view with a valid argument, our ego starts to panic. Built on the illusion of its decisive, but frankly baseless, credibility, it’s scared of exposure. Our ego refuses to admit its mistakes. The emotional reaction we’re experiencing is feeling offended; however, it's not a personal insult to ourselves but rather an attack on our ego. Since it depends on outside markers like our tastes and ideas, our ego becomes vulnerable and exposed when they are questioned.

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