Power of Now Journal – Doorway to Presence

“When you wash your hands, pay attention to all the sense perceptions associated with the activity; the sound and feel of the water, the movement of your hands, the scent of the soap, and so on.”

Eckhart Tolle – The Power of Now Journal

Featured Image: pexels free photos images washing hands with soap bar – Search

March 13, 2026

How practicing presence through focus, gratitude, and sensory perception has transformed my daily life.

This month I thought I would write a little more on presence. I want to share how it has touched my life after reading Eckhart Tolle’s philosophy on this topic. Not only that, but I also want to show how it applies practically. I focus on paying attention to what I am actually doing when I’m engaged in my many activities.

For me, focus is the key word to attaining presence. If I add, it also contributes to effectiveness in what I am trying to achieve. After focus is openly voicing my gratitude. I appreciate what I can do and the facilities I have at my disposal. The list is a long one.

In the past, I was never one to pay attention during various activities. While showering, I never focused on how pleasant the sensation of water flowing down my body was. This was especially true on a cold day. I never expressed gratitude for the privilege of hot, clean water.

Now, I express my gratitude for the water’s condition and the cleanliness of the shower cubicle. I have cultivated the habit of voicing my gratitude for all manner of my daily activities. This habit has also made me aware of my sensory perception.

I delight in feeling the soap and the cloth I use on my body. The sensation is a pleasure. It is no longer an activity I rush to finish. Through the key of gratitude, I have strengthened my sensory perception and focus.

I never excelled at focus. This weakness got me into a great deal of trouble in my early schooling years. In my later life, a lack of focus cost me dearly in many ways. Even up to the time I penned these words, I have to work hard to focus. After all, how will I sharpen my sensory skills without it?

I have a small woodworker’s cabin with a few tools inside. This enables me to do certain maintenance around our home and to make things out of wood.

For instance, I made my wife seven wooden flower boxes from wood I salvaged by breaking up disused wooden pallets. I also do modeling from this cabin. I make miniature props for the little dollies and animals my wife crochets.

She uses these props, taking photos of them and posting them on her blog. She includes stories and tips for her followers.

Writing is my first love among my other activities, and it improves my mental dynamics and emotions. Here, my focus is less sensory but otherwise deeply gratifying. Like my wife, I post my work on my blog site and also on a Christian Missionary website.

I exercise regularly, and this is where I practice my sensory perceptions as well. I have seen improvement in my physical condition as a result of conscious focus on each exercise.

All that I have mentioned above leads to living in presence. Presence is a state of ‘being. We say that being is the state in which we achieve a balanced emotional and mental state. I focus on what I am doing, so I am present. As I continue being present, and I am being.

I hope that sharing my experiences from reading Eckhart Tolle’s dynamic philosophy will inspire you. It will motivate you to keep a journal and to read ‘The Power of Now.’

Until next month, when I will publish another article based on Elkhart’s Journal.

Peter-James

I want to reassure you that I never store or use your details. I do not bombard my readers with post distribution. If I post eight a month, that would be a lot. At the moment, I post a limit of four.

This site can be reached with any of the following: https://lovelightpurpose and https://sirpeterjamesdotcom.com.