by Leonard Jacobson
Review by Will Arntz

I create my reality. I manifest the future into which I will become. What I hold true in my mind, become the circumstances of my life.

These thoughts are fairly common in spiritual circles. Of course a big part of What the BLEEP was examining the creating reality part that each of us do. To not know you do create your life is to be a victim. Taking a hand in the creation is empowering. But then what?

After most of the hoopla died down around BLEEP I began examining the "I create my reality" concept. Specifically who is the "I" that does the creating. And is that "I" leading me towards something greater, or is it just adding more baggage to the I that I think I am. (Are there enough I’s in that for you?)

It became clear that most of the time that "I" was my Ego. The limited personal self. The one that buys into the separateness and limitations and fear. Spiritual teachers say there is the other I, the one that is truly who you are, lurking beneath the Ego. Dispense with that Ego and achieve realization.

Easier said then done. The ego is tricky. (As an example, I just reread the above paragraph and noticed how Ego was always capitalized. It doesn’t want to be any old word – but a special word!)

I must have been really interested in this because soon thereafter I first met Eckhart Tolle (author: Power of Now and A New Earth) and then Leonard Jacobson, who wrote Journey into Now. The first thing I noticed about Leonard was how normal he is. Normal like a glass of water. It’s just there. Not mint flavored, or colored, or bubbled – just there. No ego. Present.

In fact, being present is what a lot of this book is about. Its not about the idea of being present, it’s about simply being present. And being present is a lot like not thinking. Easy to say – difficult to do. What Leonard does in this book is step you through the obstacles to being present (a.k.a. being in the Now), tell some stories about people who have had breakthroughs, and give you some exercises and modes of being that lead you to the present.

But just for a moment let me slip into the past and back to my first meeting with Leonard. After talking for a few minutes he asked me:

L: "Is this present moment enough?"
W: "What?"
L: "Is there anything more that could be added to this moment to make it better?"

I immediately started thinking about things, occurrences, that if they had been happening would have made for a better moment.

W: "I can think of a few things…"
L: "As long as there is a sense that this moment could be better, you will never be truly present."

I have been chewing that over ever since.

Journey into Now cuts through so much of the spiritual mumbo jumbo that seems to accumulate in the years on the path. Like the glass of water, its just there. Anybody thirsty?