Journey Into Now
Clear Guidance on the Path of Spiritual Awakening
“When you are fully present, you are an awakened Being, at least for those moments you are present…There is no practice. There is no process. Either you are present in the moment, or you are not,” writes the author. Jacobson’s message is that by learning the art of being fully present in the moment, it is possible to awaken now.
Jacobson, author of four books including Words From Silence, Embracing the Present, and Bridging Heaven and Earth, is a respected teacher, healer, and mystic. Journey Into Now, his newest publication, offers long-time travelers on the spiritual path and new seekers a detailed map to enlightenment and a clear description of what it will look and feel like when one gets there. Of special interest is his inclusion, at the end of the book, of his own very personal awakening experiences.
Refined over many years, the author’s method consists of two steps that can be done by anyone who is serious enough to finally stop studying and begin living the knowledge. The first step, to gently remember to be present with what is already present, is shown to be the key to liberation. Being fully present in the moment stills the mind, which can only be active in the past or the future, and brings about a state of pure, silent awareness in which one encounters the I AM—the inner Christ or Buddha nature, dwelling in oneness with God. When one becomes fully present, the ego, or “you from the past insisting it is you now,” feels threatened and floods the mind with all manner of thoughts in an attempt to stay in control. It acts as a very good “prison warden,” and will even happily engage in spiritual study and reading as long as that is all one does, letting the seeker feel “spiritual” while tightly holding the keys to real freedom. Jacobson shows how to make the ego an ally by treating it with compassion, gratitude, and the recognition that it is “our protection in an unconscious world.”
The second step involves mastery of the mind and ego. Resistance, denial of who one has become, repression of past emotions and entanglement in others are the main reasons Jacobson cites for loss of the ability to remain present. Short paragraphs and stories give immediately applicable instruction in recognizing and dealing with these issues, and reveal how to integrate awakened awareness into daily life so that all one does reflects the deep and abiding Presence of God.
“To awaken, you will have to choose to be present many times each day. You will have to honor the present moment as the truth of life. You will have to know that everything outside of this moment is an illusion, created through the power of thought, memory and imagination,” Jacobson writes. Spiritual seekers need look no further than this book to find the inspiration, challenge, and direction needed to become a “fully awakened Being.”
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
