The Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of the Lord," is probably the best known of all the Indian scriptures, and Easwaran's clear, accessible translation is the best-selling edition. The Gita opens dramatically, with prince Arjuna collapsing in anguish on the brink of a war that he doesn't want to fight. Arjuna has lost his way on the battlefield of life, and turns to his spiritual guide, Sri Krishna, the Lord himself. Krishna replies in 700 verses of sublime instruction on living and dying, loving and working, and the nature of the soul. This book includes an extensive and very readable introduction, which places the Gita in its historical setting, explains the key concepts, and brings out the universality of its teachings. Individual chapter introductions prepare the reader for the main themes, and notes, a Sanskrit glossary, and an index are included. Although the battlefield is a perfect backdrop, for Easwaran the Gita's subject is the war within, the struggle for self-mastery that every human being must wage. Arjuna's dilemma is acutely modern, and the Gita's message remains as relevant for us now as it was for ancient India.

This is the moving story of a nonviolent hero, illustrated with more than 70 photographs, and told by a highly respected author who grew up in Gandhi's India. Gandhi's life continues to inspire and baffle readers today. How did an unsuccessful young lawyer become the Mahatma, the "great soul" who led 400 million Indians in their struggle for independence from the British Empire? What is nonviolence, and how does it work? Easwaran answers these questions and gives a vivid account of the turning points and choices in Gandhi's life that made him an icon of nonviolence. Easwaran witnessed at firsthand how Gandhi inspired ordinary people to turn fear into fearlessness, and anger into love. He visited Gandhi in his ashram to find out more about this human alchemy, and during the prayer meeting watched the Mahatma absorbed in meditation on the Bhagavad Gita, the scripture that was the wellspring of his spiritual power. Quotations highlight Gandhi's teachings in his own words, and sidebar notes and a chronology, new to this updated edition, provide historical context. This book conveys the spirit and soul of Gandhi -- the only way he can be truly understood.

This little book of wisdom is full of insights and advice from one of the twentieth century's great spiritual teachers. "Patience is the ornament of the brave," Eknath Easwaran's wise grandmother used to say. Patience is also the mark of love, says Easwaran - with our children, our parents, our partners, our colleagues, and our communities. Easwaran is one of the twentieth century's great spiritual teachers and an authentic guide to timeless wisdom. In this little book, Easwaran lifts our spirits and gives us courage, with insights and advice, stories, and inspiration from the world's saints and sages. Just keep trying, Easwaran says, and you'll find there's no end to your patience - no end to the wisdom, love, and compassion in your heart.

Through his interpretation of one important Upanishad, an ancient wisdom text, Eknath Easwaran shows how the timeless Indian tradition offers guidance on how to live today. Lyrical, dramatic, and inspiring, the Katha Upanishad presents the core ideas of Indian mysticism in a mythic story all can relate to -- the adventure of a young hero, Nachiketa, who passes into the kingdom of Death in search of immortality. The King of Death tests his resolve, but the teenager stands firm, demanding answers to the age-old questions, "What is the purpose of life? What happens to me when I die?" Death emerges as the perfect spiritual guide -- direct, uncompromising, and challenging. Easwaran's approach to the Katha is both practical and universal. He explains key Sanskrit terms like "karma" and "prana, " illustrating them through everyday anecdotes and entertaining analogies while placing Indian spirituality into the broader context of world mysticism.

Among the oldest of India's spiritual texts, the Upanishads are records of intensive question-and-answer sessions given by illumined sages to their students - in ashrams, at family gatherings, in a royal court, and in the kingdom of Death. The sages share flashes of insight, extraordinary visions, the results of their investigation into consciousness itself. The Upanishads have puzzled and inspired wisdom seekers from Yeats to Schopenhauer. In this best-selling translation, Eknath Easwaran makes these challenging texts more accessible by selecting the passages most relevant to readers seeking timeless truths today. This book includes an overview of the cultural and historical setting, with chapter introductions, notes, and a Sanskrit glossary. But it is Easwaran's understanding of the wisdom of the Upanishads that makes this edition truly outstanding. Each sage, each Upanishad, appeals in a different way to the reader's head and heart. For Easwaran, the Upanishads are part of India's precious legacy, not just to Hinduism but to humanity, and in that spirit they are offered here.

Make your life a message of hope, love, and purpose.No matter what crises may threaten the world, you can live in harmony with your highest ideals - and help others to do the same. This practical and inspiring book, a classic from a much-loved spiritual teacher, shows how. You can find harmony with yourself by gaining mastery of your internal environment, a world within of thoughts, desires, and feelings as real as the world outside. You can build harmony in your relationships with family, colleagues, and your community by learning to love more fully than you had thought possible. You can establish harmony with the physical environment by living your life to ensure, in every way, a brighter future for all our children. By making small changes, day by day, you can support the health, happiness, and well-being of everyone around you.

Eknath Easwaran taught spiritual living for nearly 40 years and drew deep, ongoing inspiration from the sacred literature of all traditions -- the great river of wisdom that is always flowing throughout the world. The 149 short extracts in this anthology come from the much-loved saints, sages, and scriptures of the Christian, Hindu, Sufi, Jewish, Native American, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions. These passages can be read for daily inspiration, for their insights into other spiritual traditions, for the light they throw on how to live, for the sustenance they offer when we feel sad or tired, and for the deep transformation they can bring in Easwaran's method of passage meditation. Rich supporting material includes stories from India, detailed background notes, suggestions for memorization and for studying the texts in practices such as lectio divina from the Christian tradition, and instruction in using these texts in passage meditation.

The Bhagavad Gita opens with a crisis - Prince Arjuna despairs on the battlefield, unsure if he should fight his kinsmen in a dreadful war. For Easwaran, the Gita's epic battle represents the war in our own hearts and Arjuna's anguish reflects the human condition: torn between opposing forces, confused about how to live. Sri Krishna's timeless guidance, Easwaran argues, can shed light on our dilemmas today. Placing the Gita's teachings in a modern context, Easwaran explores the nature of reality, the illusion of separateness, the search for identity, the meaning of yoga, and how to heal the unconscious. The key message of the Gita is how to resolve our conflicts and live in harmony with the deep unity of life, through the practice of meditation and spiritual disciplines. Sri Krishna doesn't tell Arjuna what to do. He points out the prince's choices, and then leaves it to Arjuna to decide. Easwaran shows us clearly how these teachings still apply - and how, like Arjuna, we must take courage and act wisely if we want our world to thrive.

It's one thing to start a meditation practice, but much harder to sustain it--and harder still, once we have finished morning meditation, to keep a calm mind in our media-saturated, time pressured world. A master teacher who is as entertaining as he is authoritative, Easwaran gives all the instruction needed to establish a vibrant meditation practice and keep it going. His classic manual on meditation and spiritual living has now been extended by over thirty percent with new material from question and answer sessions with his students, and offers a unique source of practical spiritual support for new and experienced meditators. In passage meditation, you focus attention on passages, or texts, drawn from all the world's sacred traditions. You choose the passages that appeal to you, so this universal method stays fresh and inspiring, prompting you to live out your highest ideals. Meditation is supported by the mantram and six other spiritual tools to help us stay calm, kind, and focused throughout the day. This book shows how, with regular practice, we gain wisdom and vitality, and find a life that fulfills.

A practical and inspiring approach to tackling our environmental crisis, from a master spiritual teacher. We can heal our earth by choosing a simpler, more fulfilling lifestyle, as trustees of a compassionate universe. Eknath Easwaran presents a penetrating analysis of the spiritual roots of our current predicament and offers a realistic and hopeful way forward. Each of us has a role to play in making wise choices, and each of us can genuinely make a difference. Drawing inspiration and insight from Mahatma Gandhi, Saint Francis, and his own experience of living in the East and the West, Easwaran shows the connections between individual thoughts and actions that move beyond consumerism to the unity of life. Mahatma Gandhi formulated a series of diagnoses of our seemingly perpetual state of crisis, which he called "the seven social sins": knowledge without character, science without humanity, wealth without work, commerce without morality, politics without principles, pleasure without conscience, and worship without self-sacrifice. Easwaran explores each of these diagnoses in turn and presents an alternative hypothesis of who we are and how we fit into the universe. This is ecology as a great adventure, filled with the challenges and rewards of inner growth. Easwaran tells us that "once we open our eyes to cooperation, artistry, thrift, and compassion, we begin to see thousands of little things we can do to help restore the environment - and restore dignity and deeper fulfillment to our own lives." Eknath Easwaran is renowned as a teacher of meditation and for his translations of the Indian scriptures. His writings express timeless spiritual insights and are illustrated by stories from East and West. His books reflect two cultures: India, where he grew up in a self-supporting agrarian village, and the United States, where he taught and lectured for over thirty years. His early experiences of living in harmony with nature, his firsthand acquaintance with Gandhi's India, and his long familiarity with an American audience have resulted in this book: a deeply thoughtful examination of our present situation, and a blueprint for living as trustees of a compassionate universe, in a world that we would want our children and grandchildren to inherit.

Easwaran takes the timeless teachings of the Buddha and other mystics and shows how we can train the mind not just during meditation but throughout the day. Feeling trapped by unwanted thoughts and emotions can seem an inevitable part of life. But Easwaran, who taught meditation for nearly forty years, shows a way to break free. Just as a fitness routine can create a strong, supple body, spiritual disciplines can shape a secure personality and a resilient, loving mind. Writing as an experienced, friendly coach, Easwaran takes the timeless teachings of the Buddha and other mystics and shows how we can train the mind not just during meditation but throughout the day. Working with difficult colleagues, choosing what to eat, and listening to a child's needs are all opportunities to try out different, wiser responses. Easwaran shows how training the mind is a glorious challenge - one that brings joy and purpose to life. --

Use your mantram when you're ill or anxious, tired or restless, and it will guide you and comfort you like a true friend. The Mantram, or mantra, is a short, powerful, spiritual formula from the world's great traditions, repeated silently in the mind, anytime, anywhere. Easwaran, the author of Passage Meditation and the best-selling translations of The Bhagavad Gita, The Upanishads and The Dhammapada, taught the use of the mantram for forty years as part of his passage meditation program.The mantram can help you to steady your mind and free it from anxiety, anger or resentment. Easwaran explains how the mantram works, and gives practical guidelines for using it to focus your thoughts and access deeper resources of strength, patience, and love.

A master spiritual teacher invites us on a journey – to the summit of self-discovery. This is a book to lift the spirit of anyone aiming to live a kinder, calmer, more meaningful life, in the midst of all the challenges facing the world today. Fifteen warm, engaging essays present different aspects of meditation and the spiritual life, showing how we can rearrange our lives, little by little, to fit a higher purpose. Featuring saints and mystics from East and West, and a host of stories and anecdotes, this book reads like a conversation with a wise friend, with deep spiritual insights that you’ll want to come back to again and again. Easwaran writes, “When you travel within, every day is fresh with discoveries and challenges, inspiration and profound peace. The scenes I paint for you in the following pages are just a fleeting glimpse of the continuing adventure that awaits you as you enter this world.” The final essay, “Climbing the Blue Mountain,” which gives the book its title, is a moving account of the spiritual quest. Easwaran compares this with a long journey that he makes from the hot, dusty plains of Central India, up through jungle and plantations, to his home in the cool hills of the Blue Mountains, where his mother waits for him – reminding us that on the spiritual path, we too will one day find our true home.

A practical and inspiring approach to tackling our environmental crisis, from a master spiritual teacher. We can heal our earth by choosing a simpler, more fulfilling lifestyle, as trustees of a compassionate universe. Eknath Easwaran presents a penetrating analysis of the spiritual roots of our current predicament and offers a realistic and hopeful way forward. Each of us has a role to play in making wise choices, and each of us can genuinely make a difference. Drawing inspiration and insight from Mahatma Gandhi, Saint Francis, and his own experience of living in the East and the West, Easwaran shows the connections between individual thoughts and actions that move beyond consumerism to the unity of life. Mahatma Gandhi formulated a series of diagnoses of our seemingly perpetual state of crisis, which he called "the seven social sins": knowledge without character, science without humanity, wealth without work, commerce without morality, politics without principles, pleasure without conscience, and worship without self-sacrifice. Easwaran explores each of these diagnoses in turn and presents an alternative hypothesis of who we are and how we fit into the universe. This is ecology as a great adventure, filled with the challenges and rewards of inner growth. Easwaran tells us that "once we open our eyes to cooperation, artistry, thrift, and compassion, we begin to see thousands of little things we can do to help restore the environment - and restore dignity and deeper fulfillment to our own lives." Eknath Easwaran is renowned as a teacher of meditation and for his translations of the Indian scriptures. His writings express timeless spiritual insights and are illustrated by stories from East and West. His books reflect two cultures: India, where he grew up in a self-supporting agrarian village, and the United States, where he taught and lectured for over thirty years. His early experiences of living in harmony with nature, his firsthand acquaintance with Gandhi's India, and his long familiarity with an American audience have resulted in this book: a deeply thoughtful examination of our present situation, and a blueprint for living as trustees of a compassionate universe, in a world that we would want our children and grandchildren to inherit.

Revised second edition (July 2017) has a new cover, minor corrections, and a comfortable new size and updated interior layout.Is it possible for ordinary people like ourselves to be kind, patient, and loving - always? Easwaran comments on short texts from Saint Paul, Mother Teresa, Saint Augustine, and Saint Francis to show how we can apply the teachings of these great mystics to daily living, and chapter introductions provide insights into their lives.Easwaran explains how the practice of meditation can help us find the strength and compassion we need at any time, even when we are tired, frustrated, or filled with doubt. Eknath Easwaran taught meditation for over forty years, drawing from all the world's traditions in his spiritual teaching.

Over-scheduled, always tired, struggling with the pull of the online world -- that's how many of us feel right now. Training a frazzled mind to embrace calm isn't easy. For over forty years, Easwaran dedicated himself to teaching meditation and the wisdom of slowing down. When the mind is unhurried, it is calm, kind, ready for anything, aware of what really matters amidst the clamor of a busy day. The secret is to learn to live in the present, to train our minds to work steadily and with one-pointed attention, however many tasks confront us. Through stories and parables, backed up by practical advice, Easwaran gives us gentle illustrations of a wiser way to live. As we read, we find ourselves in situations where we may get impatient or upset - standing in line, dealing with difficult colleagues, shopping with children with agendas of their own - but as Easwaran relates each event, we see it from the perspective of an unhurried mind. And we see small ways to change how we respond, opening the door to rich, loving relationships, creative and productive work, and a quiet sense of joy that can permeate our lives.

In this companion to his best-selling translation of the Bhagavad Gita, Easwaran explores the essential themes of this much-loved Indian scripture. Placing the Gita in a modern context, Easwaran shows how this classic text sheds light on the nature of reality, the illusion of separateness, the search for identity, and the meaning of yoga. The key message of the Gita is how to resolve our conflicts and live in harmony with the deep unity of life, through the principles of yoga and the practice of meditation. Easwaran grew up in the Hindu tradition and learned Sanskrit from an early age. A foremost translator and interpreter of the Gita, he taught classes on it for forty years, while living out the principles of the Gita in the midst of a busy family and community life. In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna, the Lord, doesn’t tell the warrior prince Arjuna what to do: he shows Arjuna his choices and then leaves it to Arjuna to decide. Easwaran, too, shows us clearly how these teachings still apply to us – and how, like Arjuna, we must take courage and act wisely if we want our world to thrive.

Dhammapada means "the path of dharma," the path of truth, harmony, and righteousness that anyone can follow to reach the highest good. Easwaran's translation of this classic Buddhist text is the best-selling edition in its field, praised by Huston Smith as a "sublime rendering." The introduction gives an overview of the Buddha's teachings that is penetrating and clear - accessible for readers new to Buddhism, but also with fresh insights and practical applications for readers familiar with this text. Chapter introductions place individual verses into the context of the broader Buddhist canon. Easwaran is a master storyteller, and his opening essay includes many stories that make moving, memorable reading, bringing young Siddhartha and his heroic spiritual quest vividly to life. But Easwaran's main qualification for interpreting the Dhammapada, he said, was that he knew from his own experience that these verses could transform our lives. This faithful rendition brings us closer to the compassionate heart of the Buddha.

A master spiritual teacher invites us on a journey - to the summit of self-discovery. This is a book to lift the spirit of anyone aiming to live a kinder, calmer, more meaningful life, in the midst of all the challenges facing the world today. Fifteen warm, engaging essays present different aspects of meditation and the spiritual life, showing how we can rearrange our lives, little by little, to fit a higher purpose. Featuring saints and mystics from East and West, and a host of stories and anecdotes, this book reads like a conversation with a wise friend, with deep spiritual insights that you'll want to come back to again and again. Easwaran writes, "When you travel within, every day is fresh with discoveries and challenges, inspiration and profound peace. The scenes I paint for you in the following pages are just a fleeting glimpse of the continuing adventure that awaits you as you enter this world." The final essay, "Climbing the Blue Mountain," which gives the book its title, is a moving account of the spiritual quest. Easwaran compares this with a long journey that he makes from the hot, dusty plains of Central India, up through jungle and plantations, to his home in the cool hills of the Blue Mountains, where his mother waits for him - reminding us that on the spiritual path, we too will one day find our true home.

Getting caught in unwanted thoughts and emotions can feel like an inevitable part of life. But Eknath Easwaran, a world-famous spiritual teacher who taught meditation for nearly 40 years, shows a way to break free. Just as a fitness routine can result in a strong, supple body, spiritual disciplines can shape a secure personality and a resilient, loving mind. Best of all, these opportunities to grow stronger spiritually arise not only during meditation but throughout the day. Whether working with difficult colleagues, going out to eat, or responding to a child's needs, readers learn how to try out different, wiser choices. With humor and empathy, Easwaran places timeless teachings from the Buddha and other mystics into contemporary scenes -- watching a juggler on the street, taking a tennis lesson, going to the theater. Training the mind is life's biggest adventure, and Conquest of Mind shows how this practice brings deepening relationships, increasing vitality, and a greater sense of purpose.

The Bhagavad Gita is the best known of all the Indian scriptures, and Eknath Easwaran's best-selling translation is reliable, readable, and profound. Easwaran's 55-page introduction places the Bhagavad Gita in its historical setting, and brings out the universality and timelessness of its teachings. Chapter introductions clarify key concepts, and notes and a glossary explain Sanskrit terms. Easwaran grew up in the Hindu tradition in India, and learned Sanskrit from a young age. He was a professor of English literature before coming to the West on a Fulbright scholarship. A gifted teacher, he is recognized as an authority on the Indian classics and world mysticism. The Bhagavad Gita opens, dramatically, on a battlefield, as the warrior Arjuna turns in anguish to his spiritual guide, Sri Krishna, for answers to the fundamental questions of life. Yet, as Easwaran points out, the Gita is not what it seems - it's not a dialogue between two mythical figures at the dawn of Indian history. "The battlefield is a perfect backdrop, but the Gita's subject is the war within, the struggle for self-mastery that every human being must wage if he or she is to emerge from life victorious." Arjuna's struggle in the Bhagavad Gita is acutely modern. He has lost his way on the battlefield of life and turns to find the path again by asking direct, uncompromising questions of his spiritual guide, Sri Krishna, the Lord himself. Krishna replies in 700 verses of sublime instruction on living and dying, loving and working, and the nature of the soul. Easwaran shows the Gita's relevance to us today as we strive, like Arjuna, to do what is right. "No one in modern times is more qualified - no, make that 'as qualified' - to translate the epochal Classics of Indian Spirituality than Eknath Easwaran. And the reason is clear. It is impossible to get to the heart of those classics unless you live them, and he did live them. My admiration of the man and his works is boundless." Huston Smith, author of The World's Religions.

A comprehensive manual for living a spiritual life, based on a verse-by-verse commentary on India's timeless scripture - from the author of its best-selling translation. (The ebook The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living 9781586381455 includes all three volumes in this series.) The Bhagavad Gita is set on the battlefield of an apocalyptic war between good and evil. Faced with a dire moral dilemma, the warrior prince Arjuna turns in anguish to his spiritual guide, Sri Krishna, for answers to the fundamental questions of life. Easwaran points out that Arjuna's crisis is acutely modern. The Gita's battlefield is the struggle for self-mastery that every human being must wage. Arjuna represents each of us, and Sri Krishna is the Lord, instructing us in eighteen chapters of lofty wisdom as we face the social, environmental, and global challenges that threaten our world today. Easwaran is a spiritual teacher and author of deep insight and warmth. His verse-by-verse commentary interprets the Gita's teachings for modern readers, explaining the Sanskrit concepts and philosophy and applying them with practicality, wisdom, and humor to every aspect of our work, our relationships, and our lives. With everyday anecdotes, stories, and examples, he shows that the changes we long to see in the world start with the transformation of our own consciousness. The practical exercises recommended by Easwaran to achieve transformation are part of a spiritual program he developed for his own life. They are accessible to people from all backgrounds and cultures. Urging us to adopt a higher image of the human being, he assures us that peace and unity are within reach. Each volume of this series covers six chapters of the Gita. Each may be read on its own, but all three volumes together form an in-depth, verse-by-verse explanation of this ancient scripture and its relevance today. Each volume includes instructions in Easwaran's universal eight-point program of passage meditation. Volume 1: The first six chapters of the Gita explore the concept of the innermost Self and source of wisdom in each of us. Easwaran explains how we can begin to transform ourselves, even as householders engaged in busy lives. Volume 2: The next six chapters of the Gita go beyond the individual Self to explore the Supreme Reality underlying all creation. Easwaran builds a bridge across the seeming divide between scientific knowledge and spiritual wisdom, and explains how the concept of the unity of life can help us in all our relationships. Volume 3: The final six chapters put forth an urgent appeal for us to begin to see that all of us are one - to make the connection between the Self within and the Reality underlying all creation. Global in scope, the emphasis is on what we can do to make a difference to heal our environment and establish peace in the world. Easwaran's commentary is for all students of the Gita, whatever their background, and for anyone who is trying to find a path to wisdom, love, and kindness in themselves and our troubled world. Written as an authoritative, accessible guide to a much-loved scripture, it is a handbook for finding peace and clarity within. This second edition incorporates revisions made across all three volumes following the author's final instructions.

A comprehensive manual for living a spiritual life, based on a verse-by-verse commentary on India's timeless scripture - from the author of its best-selling translation. (The ebook The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living 9781586381455 includes all three volumes in this series.) The Bhagavad Gita is set on the battlefield of an apocalyptic war between good and evil. Faced with a dire moral dilemma, the warrior prince Arjuna turns in anguish to his spiritual guide, Sri Krishna, for answers to the fundamental questions of life. Easwaran points out that Arjuna's crisis is acutely modern. The Gita's battlefield is the struggle for self-mastery that every human being must wage. Arjuna represents each of us, and Sri Krishna is the Lord, instructing us in eighteen chapters of lofty wisdom as we face the social, environmental, and global challenges that threaten our world today. Easwaran is a spiritual teacher and author of deep insight and warmth. His verse-by-verse commentary interprets the Gita's teachings for modern readers, explaining the Sanskrit concepts and philosophy and applying them with practicality, wisdom, and humor to every aspect of our work, our relationships, and our lives. With everyday anecdotes, stories, and examples, he shows that the changes we long to see in the world start with the transformation of our own consciousness. The practical exercises recommended by Easwaran to achieve transformation are part of a spiritual program he developed for his own life. They are accessible to people from all backgrounds and cultures. Urging us to adopt a higher image of the human being, he assures us that peace and unity are within reach. Each volume of this series covers six chapters of the Gita. Each may be read on its own, but all three volumes together form an in-depth, verse-by-verse explanation of this ancient scripture and its relevance today. Each volume includes instructions in Easwaran's eight-point program of passage meditation. Volume 1: The first six chapters of the Gita explore the concept of the innermost Self and source of wisdom in each of us. Easwaran explains how we can begin to transform ourselves, even as householders engaged in busy lives. Volume 2: The next six chapters of the Gita go beyond the individual Self to explore the Supreme Reality underlying all creation. Easwaran builds a bridge across the seeming divide between scientific knowledge and spiritual wisdom, and explains how the concept of the unity of life can help us in all our relationships. Volume 3: The final six chapters put forth an urgent appeal for us to begin to see that all of us are one - to make the connection between the Self within and the Reality underlying all creation. Global in scope, the emphasis is on what we can do to make a difference to heal our environment and establish peace in the world. Easwaran's commentary is for all students of the Gita, whatever their background, and for anyone who is trying to find a path to wisdom, love, and kindness in themselves and our troubled world. Written as an authoritative, accessible guide to a much-loved scripture, it is a handbook for finding peace and clarity within. This second edition incorporates revisions made across all three volumes following the author's final instructions.

Love, compassion, meaning, hope, and freedom from fear are not qualities we need to acquire. We simply need to uncover what we already have. "Original goodness" is Eknath Easwaran's phrase for this spark of divinity hidden in every one of us, regardless of our personal liabilities or past mistakes. And in this book he shows how this spark of divinity can energize our lives - beginning with instructions in a simple method of meditation that gradually removes the conditioning which hides our native goodness. Each chapter then takes its theme from the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount. Throughout, this book is enlivened with inspiring quotes from some of the greatest Christian mystics - among them Meister Eckhart, Mechthild of Magdeburg, Teresa of Avila, and John Ruysbroeck. Original Goodness will appeal to anyone wanting to learn how to meditate using a method that fits comfortably within the Christian tradition. It is full of helpful suggestions for making spiritual ideals a practical part of daily life.

How do we make Jesus' love come alive in our everyday lives? The Imitation of Christ is one of the most enduring of the Christian documents. Reflecting on a famous passage, Easwaran explores what it means to make Jesus' love come alive in our everyday lives.Easwaran is one of the twentieth century's great spiritual teachers and an authentic guide to timeless wisdom. His books on meditation, spiritual living, and the classics of world mysticism have been translated into twenty-six languages. Drawing on his extensive experience as a teacher of meditation and an authority on the mystical tradition, Easwaran shows what love is, how to love more effectively, and how we can strengthen our capacity to love. This book includes an essay on Thomas a Kempis and mysticism in the late Middle Ages.