“All of us have a supreme jewel in the depths of our hearts, and we have come into life for no other purpose than to discover this jewel here on earth while we are alive.” With this matter-of-fact revelation, Easwaran entices us to seek the Atman: the Self, the unchanging truth, abiding joy, and flawless beauty who we really are.
And when we do – by practicing meditation and the allied disciplines to the very best of our ability – the results are both predictable and astounding:
“First your health improves; some long-standing physical problems may be alleviated. But don’t stop there. In the next stage you will learn to solve difficult emotional problems. If you persist, you may make your whole life a work of art, so that not only you but those around you benefit from your patience, understanding, love, and wisdom. Gradually even people who do not like you learn to respond to you, by responding to what is deepest in themselves. Then your life is a lasting contribution to all.”
But even this is not enough, Easwaran explains:
“After you have solved physical and emotional problems and made your life a creative force, one great achievement remains: the personal discovery that all of us are one and indivisible.”
Our reading this week is the full second chapter of Climbing the Blue Mountain (titled “The Jewel in Our Hearts,” on pages 29–36).
Read this essay as if you and Easwaran are having a conversation. What advice does he give you, and how can you apply it this week?
Here is our challenge this week for putting others first.
Take time to listen to others this week. Particularly if there is disagreement, make it your goal to understand what the other person is expressing. But don’t stop just with disagreements. Simply enjoy listening to verbal and non-verbal connections with others. Try to listen knowing that the Lord lives in this person.
We’ll end with another spiritual treat. In this video entitled “Tips for Deepening Meditation” Easwaran reminds us that we have a choice at all times to ask, “Shall I do what is pleasing, appealing only to me, or shall I choose to do what will benefit all?” By choosing the latter, he explains, we are minimizing distractions in meditation. If time is short, consider watching the first six minutes of the talk, during which Easwaran describes the key to minimizing distractions.