Get a Better Boat

31b Understanding time and the “now point”


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About: Time and our shortcuts to bliss

This chapter shifts into a more abstract but surprisingly practical idea: time isn’t quite what we think it is. Instead of something fixed and linear, it’s described as a byproduct of how we perceive reality in fragments.

What actually exists, according to this view, is the “now point”—a kind of ever-present moment where creation is always happening. We don’t usually experience it fully, but we catch glimpses of it in moments of deep connection, clarity, or even joy.

From there, the chapter gets very grounded. If this deeper state exists, why don’t we live there more often? Because we keep looking for shortcuts. Whether it’s through sex, substances, rigid spiritual practices, or even daydreaming, we try to bypass the harder work of actually changing ourselves.

These shortcuts can offer temporary relief—or even flashes of something real—but they don’t last, and they often leave us more fragmented than before.

What stands out is the honesty: there’s no hack for real growth. The only way forward is through—facing what’s uncomfortable, understanding what’s underneath, and gradually becoming more aligned.

The takeaway is simple but not easy: lasting fulfillment comes from doing the work, not skipping it.

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Get a Better BoatBy Phoenesse