In this week’s reading Easwaran describes “a kind of gnawing hunger deep inside” that led him to meditation. For example:
“One problem that began to torment me at the university was that though I knew how to teach my students about Shakespeare and Spenser, I did not know how to teach them what they most needed and wanted to know – how to live.”
Relief came as meditation developed the capacity to help:
“As meditation deepens, wherever you find sorrow – in the lives of your friends, in a community crisis, even in a tragedy on the other side of the globe – that sorrow is your own. But at the same time, this deeper sensitivity releases the capacity to help. You find ways to help others solve physical problems, set emotional difficulties right, repair their relationships, and even forget their personal problems in making a lasting contribution to the rest of life. In this way the power of sorrow is harnessed, and the deep gnawing hunger I spoke of begins to be relieved.”
Let’s finish Easwaran’s essay “Taking the Plunge” by reading pages 22–27 in Climbing the Blue Mountain (starting on page 22 with "Second, meditation brings vibrant health"). We are eager to hear your reflections in the comments below.
What is the most important thing that Easwaran said to you in this reading? How can you apply it in your life?
We are looking to strengthen our practice of putting others first.
This week, when you are feeling negative, tired, bored, sad, or anxious, try this easy fix-it. Do something for someone else. For instance, make some soup to share with a neighbor; do an errand for your partner; play a board game with the kids; call a lonely friend. Notice for yourself how quickly your own state of mind changes. Tell us how it goes!
If you don’t yet have the book Climbing the Blue Mountain available, make sure you get it so you can join for the rest of the book study.
We offer a 20% discount on books sold through our distribution partner Indiepubs.com. Here is a link to Climbing the Blue Mountain on that site.
Let’s return to Easwaran’s Patanjali talks* for our spiritual treat, this time with Talk 10. The full talk is 80 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 just the first five minutes, in which Easwaran frames the practical, scientific approach of the ancient sages for teaching us to discover who we really are.
* 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.