Passage Meditation – A Complete Spiritual Practice

Eknath Eswaran has an excellent understanding of the english language and his books are very readable and easy to understand. Although Hindu, he embraces the spriitual messages that all religions have in common. This makes it easy to relate to his messages no matter what spiritual background you have.

First of all, what is "Passage Meditation?" At first, it sounded to me like meditation on the important passages in life.Nope, it's meditation on a selected passage from sacred literature, which strikes me as a new idea, and one which is very likely to work.In fact, it reminds me of books like Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich," which also emphasize the importance of repeating your goals to yourself two or three times a day. This book about money has never gone out of print, and millions testify that it works.Easwaran's book is of course not about money, but about spiritual growth. Yet the basic technique is the same, and it apparently works. You might want to look at How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist for some scientific evidence that meditation does indeed cause changes in the brain which appear to be beneficial and permanent.So I suspect that Easwaran's techniques work. His Blue Mountain retreat appears to be well & functioning, and he's one of the few gurus who appear to be utterly sincere.

Desire to change your life? Want to become a more spiritual person? Consider reading this fascinating book and putting some of its recommendations into practice. Passage Meditation lays out Easwaran's eight point program on how to meditate. The author suggests that to become enlightened, we need to focus on inspired texts and passages. You can select passages within your own religious tradition, learn from traditions different than your own, or choose something non religious if that is your fancy. The key is selecting a mantra or passage for oneself (such as the prayer of St. Francis) and then repeating it slowly, and letting the passage change your life.I love the simply practicality and grace with which Easwaran writes. His several works are brilliant, counter cultural, and he invites us to slow down our lives, and be mindful of the books we read and the movies we watch. It brings to mind a phrase I once heard; thoughts lead to actions, actions lead to behavior, behaviors lead to character, character leads to destiny.Highly recommended. You will not be disappointed.

I've been studying religion, spirituality, and meditation techniques for 20 years since I was 17. I had read Easwaran's works a few times and thought them quaint but uninspired. I returned to this gem after years of hunting for "the" technique, "the one true method" that would free me. It doesn't exist. What I had initially seen as simple and trite in repeating a passage over and over has opened my mind. The simplicity of the method, the sincerity of his teachings, and the wonderful storytelling abilities of Sri Easwaran have made such a positive impact on my life. Open your self up to simplicity. He has become my main teacher and I'm forever grateful. Om Mani Padme Hum!

Having read two other books by Eknath Easwaran; "Seeing With the Eyes of Love" and "Words to Live By" I would rate this book third. There were some very good points, especially about not rushing your practice at first but limiting your meditation time to no more than half hour, and the importance of the mantram. When he writes about saying your mantram prior to stressful situations (like surgery) I found it to be very valuable. The author convinced me of the importance of memorization of favorite prayers, Psalms, and other spiritual materials.For those with a Christian background a book I discovered years ago, "The Light Within" by Laurence Freeman has become my mini- bible. I've read it over and over again.Hope this review is helpful to other seekers out there. We are all on the same journey.

A great read that gives a great different perspective to a western view.

This maybe the best meditation material I have ever come across.What makes it so different from most is the down to earth practicality.What I am seeing these days are many authors offering allot of puff with no value.They have interesting books and then 6 months later they have another new method.These types of books are not spiritual. They are about sales and a nice pay check.Who in the world has time for that!I took TM many years ago and can say using a mantra is a very effective way to meditate.TM is now a big business with a big price tag.This book can give you the same or better results without the rubbish.I was enlightened about the trick of the mind (which pertains to the above).That in itself was well worth the price.