Meditation: A Simple Eight Point Program for Translating Spiritual Ideals into Daily Life / Edition 2

by Eknath Easwaran

Overview

A complete guide to Eknath Easwaran?s eight-point program of meditation and the practices that support it. His approach is nonsectarian, without dogma, can be used within any religious tradition or without reference to religion. His unique approach to meditation taps inner resources by training concentration on inspirational passages. The principle is simple: by meditating on words that embody your highest ideals, you drive them deep into your consciousness. There they take root and begin to create wonderful changes in your life, changes you have not know how to bring about. The eight points are specific, systematic tools that can be used by anyone to sharpen concentration, deal effectively with stress, release deep reserves of energy, and transform anger and other destructive emotions.

From 30 years' experience in teaching meditation to an American audience, Easwaran knows his subject from beginning to end, and anticipates problems and questions with clarity, compassion, and a gentle sense of humor.

About the Author
Schooled in both Eastern and Western traditions, Eknath Easwaran took to the spiritual life amidst a successful career in India as a professor of English literature, writer and lecturer. He came to the University of California, Berkeley, in 1959 on the Fulbright exchange program and established the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation in Northern California in 1961. His 1968 Berkeley class is believed to be the first accredited course in meditation at any Western university. His deep personal experience and his love for his students have made the ancient art of meditation accessible to those who hold jobs and live active lives among friends and family.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2900915132668
Publisher:	Nilgiri Press
Publication date:	01/28/1993
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	251
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction: An Eight-Point Program
1. Meditation
2. The Mantram
3. Slowing Down
4. One-pointed Attention
5. Training the Senses
6. Putting Others First
7. Spiritual Companionship
8. Reading the Mystics
Passages for Meditation
Further Reading

What People are Saying About This

Houston Smith

No extravagant claims, no pretentious jargon. Just a clear, insightful exposition of meditation, an excellent guide to its practice.
— Houston Smith, author of The World?s Religions

Henri Nouwen

This book has helped me a great deal.
— Henri Nouwen, author of The Wounded Healer

Editorial Reviews

Easwaran's writing is blessedly free of the hocus-pocus and egotistical gobbledygook that we have come to expect from other so-called gurus. His basic method, which involves focusing intensely on a passage of inspirational writing of one's own choosing, is direct, simple, and practical. It is based completely on his own personal experience but also on principles and practices that are themselves age-old. His words are suffused with humility, grace, and gentle humor. Meditation deserves to be regarded as a classic and has earned a place in every library collection.

Wilson Library Bulletin