This book is classified in the category of "Personal Growth". So, the content is relevant to that topic. It combines some ideas of attending life's activities attentively, being observant of reactions happening in body, mind (emotions) and intellect (thoughts), which the author calls 'Present Moment Awareness'. The author says that by this ability to observe, quality of life will improve. He supports this proposal by saying that we react to the events in our life and world based on how we perceive them, and not necessarily what they truly are. He says that this reactivity based on flawed perception of ours is caused by our 'Negative Core Beliefs' of what we think we are, based on our childhood experiences. He says that by being able to relate our reactivity to the origins of our reactive patterns and the original causes, we will be able to let them go and live a better life.

If what is said above is all that is desired of life by someone, this book may help by convincing through some logic, some examples and some theory to work with.

But, if one's search is for 'TRUTH' of Life, this book is inadequate. 'Present Moment' is different from 'the Present' which is time bound. How can you define 'Present Moment' ? . Is it a day or an hour or a minute or a second or a split-second ? In 'Spiritual' sense, Present Moment Awareness is 'TIMELESSNESS'. This book does not communicate at that level, and instead confuses between 'Present' and 'Present Moment'.

But, for some who does not know any thing other than living an ordinary life, and who is missing joy of living, this book may provide some guidance to center himself/herself to the central theme of living i.e. 'living with ease'. This should be a worthy gift to youngsters and beginning spiritual seekers.

Here are excerpts from the book:

Introduction

Page xiii:

"In learning to live in the present, you discover how to set aside emotional baggage from the past, and worries about the future, in order to appreciate the opportunities you have available to you, right here and right now."

The power of this moment

Page 3:

"Present moment awareness is being aware of what is happening in ourselves and our world instead of being lost in random fears from the past and uncertainties, hopes and expectations for the future. In the absence of those fantasies we have the opportunity to enjoy our day-to-day living."

Page 4:

"When we are present in the moment, we are not thinking about our environment. We are simply experiencing it. The goal is to observe without judgment, analysis, or thought."

The illusion of limitations

Page 31:

"What is vital to recognize is that aside from the laws of Physics, we are only limited by our beliefs. These beliefs, however, can seem as real and insurmountable as the walls of a jail cell."

Page 55:

"Until I paused to question my beliefs about the very nature of who I am and why life should be different for me than anyone else, I was isolated and alone."

Emotional Presence

Page 60:

"What is important to remember is that emotional responses are triggered by our PERCEPTION of a given situation."

Page 71/72:

"All emotions are an inevitable part of our existence that can not and will not be denied. If we are feeling an emotion, then there is a reason for it. We can investigate whether or not that reason is based on reality, but what we can not do is deny that emotion its natural existence. In being present in the moment and allowing emotions to pass through us, we not only reduce their demands on our bodies, but we also gain the opportunity to understand their origin."

Page 86:

"We must always be aware of the fact that our thoughts and perceptions are not necessarily based on reality, even though the resulting physical sensations of emotion are very much real. When we stay in the present moment with what we are feeling in our bodies as the emotions take place, their power is allowed to run its natural course. The river is allowed to pass, instead of the dam being forced to burst."

Reactivity roller coaster

Page 91:

"Inappropriate modeling, as well as painful childhood experiences, have created in most people deeply rooted Negative Core Beliefs - beliefs that they are, to some degree, not good enough. They feel a sense of shame about who they are."
. . . .
"These Negative Core Beliefs are our conscious and unconscious insecurities."

Page 110:

"Negative Core Beliefs are experienced as "feelings" until they are named. They are normally summed up in a single word, such as "worthless", "helpless", "weak", "ugly", "small". Sometimes a Negative Core Belief is preverbal, in that it was made before we could understand our world through words."

Page 115:

"Think of these emotions as raindrops on a car's windshield. If we become absorbed in them, then we can't see where we are going or what we are going to crash into. But, if we take a deep breath and look through them, we still know they are there and that there is also the road ahead."

Good book, but if you've read a lot in this genre, you may be surprised how basic it is. No a-ha's, just practical advice. And there's nothing wrong with that. I just was looking for the same kind of fascinating stuff that I got from Eckhard Tolle's "Power of Now".