These practical commentaries on life at its best are drawn from Easwaran’s previously unpublished talks and writings – part of an ongoing effort to make his teachings freely available around the world. New articles are featured in each issue of our quarterly journal, Blue Mountain.
“When a person’s vitality is divided among many small desires,” writes Eknath Easwaran, a sense of futility builds. The man or woman who has unified desires, however, “sweeps all obstacles aside.” Here Easwaran tells us how we can lead victorious lives.
From the Autumn 2009 issue
of Blue Mountain.
“The same spark of divinity – this same Self – is enshrined in every creature. My real Self is not different from yours nor anyone else’s. The mystics are telling us that if we want to live in the joy that increases with time, if we want to live in true freedom independent of circumstances, then we must strive to realize that even if there are four people in our family or forty at our place of work, there is only one Self.”
From the Autumn 2007 issue of Blue Mountain.
“It has been said that a great book is the lifeblood of its author. I would say a great prayer is the soul-force of a saint. The few lines known as the Prayer of St. Francis give us the key to his transformation and a new vision of what a human being can become.”
From the Autumn 2006 issue of Blue Mountain.
“One of the surest signs of progress in meditation is an increase in the amount of energy that flows into daily life. As you go deeper into consciousness, more resources flow into your life, which means more energy at your disposal.”
From the Spring 2007 issue of Blue Mountain.
“Something in all of us cheers when a captive creature breaks free. We are born for freedom, even if we don’t understand what that means or how to find it. Somehow we sense that we are not meant to spend our lives in the shallows of pleasure and profit.”
From the Spring 2008 issue of Blue Mountain.
“If we could listen in on the mind’s internal monologue, we would be astonished to hear a constant background refrain: ‘I like this; I don’t like that. I like him; I don’t like her.’”
From the Winter 2007 issue of Blue Mountain.
“If we grasp this great truth – that the Lord lives in each and every one of us, regardless of who we are – we will never be discourteous to others, we will never be unkind, we will never try to avoid people, we will always be glad to work in harmony with those around us. Then it becomes impossible to quarrel, to be angry, to hurt others, to move away.”
From the Summer 2007 issue of Blue Mountain.
“Just as the body needs training to perform skillfully, the mind needs training if we are to live skillfully – if we want to be at our best whatever comes. Every spiritual tradition uses this metaphor, but whatever our religious background – or lack of it – we can’t find a better coach than the Buddha, because his emphasis is completely on training the mind. ”
From the Autumn 2005 issue of Blue Mountain.
“Few human beings are born with the ability to weather storm and stress with grace. But everyone can learn. We can’t control the weather outside, but we can control how we respond.”
From the Summer 2005 issue of Blue Mountain.
“This is how you can test your practice of meditation. Can you spend time with those you dislike? Can you help those who have hindered you? If you can, you are making good progress on the spiritual path.”
From the Winter 2006 issue of Blue Mountain.
“All of us have wings, though we do not suspect it because they are so tightly tied. We are not meant to stay on the ground and peck at crumbs of personal pleasure and profit. We are meant to soar – to give our time and love freely to everyone around us.”
From the Spring 2006 issue of Blue Mountain.