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Time isn’t precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now. That is precious indeed. The more you are focused on time—past and future—the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is.
Eckhart Tolle
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment rather than being preoccupied with time, which is an illusion.

Eckhart Tolle's quote encourages individuals to focus on the present rather than getting lost in the concept of time. He suggests that while time may seem significant, it is actually an illusion, and the true value lies in experiencing the 'Now'. By fixating on the past and future, one risks missing out on life’s most precious moments, which occur in the present.

Themes

TimeNowPresentIllusionMindfulness

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational talk about mindfulness, this quote can be used to emphasize the importance of focusing on the present.

More from Eckhart Tolle

Bring awareness to the many subtle sounds of nature - The rustling of leaves in the wind, Raindrops falling, The humming of an insect, The first birdsong at dawn.
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Whenever you become anxious or stressed, outer purpose has taken over, and you lost sight of your inner purpose. You have forgotten that your state of consciousness is primary, all else secondary.
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Nothing that was real ever died, only names, forms, and illusions.
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Suffering has a noble purpose: the evolution of consciousness and the burning up of the ego.
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Sometimes surrender means giving up trying to understand and becoming comfortable with not knowing.
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