Building patience with others is a theme of this week’s reading, pages 76–85 in The Constant Companion.* Easwaran recounts, “When somebody who meditates comes to me with a sad tale of how he has been wronged, I often want to beam and exclaim, ‘What an opportunity! This is your chance to break through to a deeper level in meditation.’”
It is through this hard work that love increases, he explains, slowly, over time. And each of us can become a great lover:
“Over many years this kind of love can grow to such an extent that those you love will know you are incapable of hurting them, whatever lapses they may have. Imagine the security this brings!”
We too will benefit, of course. When the wall of our separate ego has broken down, we are freed from the individual burden of sorrow, and see the underlying unity of life.
Is there a particular situation that causes you to get speeded up or agitated? What tips does Easwaran offer in this reading that you could try out in this situation? Even if the tips don’t seem to directly apply, try them anyhow and tell us what you find.
Spiritual Reading has been our focus for practice extension throughout this book study. What have you found most helpful or nourishing about your spiritual reading throughout this time?
Let’s turn again to The Thousand Names Talks** in the Easwaran Digital Library for our spiritual treat, this time with Talk 3. The full talk is 36 minutes, but you can listen to part of it now and when you return the player will resume where you left off. If time is short, consider starting with the first five minutes, where Easwaran discusses emanation: the Lord becoming the universe, in contrast to the concept of creation.
* For those using electronic versions of The Constant Companion with different page numbering: this week’s reading is Easwaran’s commentary on the names Who Makes Love Increase through Abundant. (Please note that the latest edition of our ebook is titled Names of the Lord.)
** You’ll need to log in for the link above to work. If it’s your first time, use the button Create new account from the login page.