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A master spiritual teacher invites us on a journey - to the summit of self-discovery. This is a book to lift the spirit of anyone aiming to live a kinder, calmer, more meaningful life, in the midst of all the challenges facing the world today.Fifteen warm, engaging essays present different aspects of meditation and the spiritual life, showing how we can rearrange our lives, little by little, to fit a higher purpose. Featuring saints and mystics from East and West, and a host of stories and anecdotes, this book reads like a conversation with a wise friend, with deep spiritual insights that you'll want to come back to again and again.
Easwaran writes, "When you travel within, every day is fresh with discoveries and challenges, inspiration and profound peace. The scenes I paint for you in the following pages are just a fleeting glimpse of the continuing adventure that awaits you as you enter this world."
The final essay, "Climbing the Blue Mountain," which gives the book its title, is a moving account of the spiritual quest. Easwaran compares this with a long journey that he makes from the hot, dusty plains of Central India, up through jungle and plantations, to his home in the cool hills of the Blue Mountains, where his mother waits for him - reminding us that on the spiritual path, we too will one day find our true home.
List of contents
Table of Contents
Preface 7
Introduction 9
Taking the Plunge 17
The Jewel in Our Hearts 29
Spiritual Wealth 37
The Forgotten Truth 47
The Supreme Ambition 57
Chasing Rainbows 65
The Secret of Happiness 73
The Ticket Inspector 81
The House of the Mind 93
The Internal Witness 105
The Hound of Heaven 117
The Path of Meditation 127
Deepening Meditation 137
The Candle of the Lord 149
Climbing the Blue Mountain 159
Glossary 171
About the author
Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999) is respected around the world as an authentic teacher of timeless wisdom. More than two million copies of his books are in print, including his best-selling translations of the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads.
Easwaran grew up in Kerala, India. As a young man he visited Mahatma Gandhi in his ashram and was deeply influenced by the way that Gandhi brought spiritual values into daily life.
He later became professor of English literature at a leading university, and was well known as a speaker and writer before coming to the United States in 1959 on the Fulbright exchange program.
A gifted teacher, Easwaran gave talks on meditation and spiritual living for 40 years. In 1961 he founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, a nonprofit organization that publishes his books, videos, and audio talks, and offers retreats and online programs. His meditation class at UC Berkeley in 1968 was the first accredited course on meditation at any major university.
Easwaran lived what he taught, giving him lasting appeal as a spiritual teacher and author of deep insight and warmth.
Summary
A master spiritual teacher invites us on a journey – to the summit of self-discovery. This is a book to lift the spirit of anyone aiming to live a kinder, calmer, more meaningful life, in the midst of all the challenges facing the world today.
Fifteen warm, engaging essays present different aspects of meditation and the spiritual life, showing how we can rearrange our lives, little by little, to fit a higher purpose. Featuring saints and mystics from East and West, and a host of stories and anecdotes, this book reads like a conversation with a wise friend, with deep spiritual insights that you’ll want to come back to again and again.
Easwaran writes, “When you travel within, every day is fresh with discoveries and challenges, inspiration and profound peace. The scenes I paint for you in the following pages are just a fleeting glimpse of the continuing adventure that awaits you as you enter this world.”
The final essay, “Climbing the Blue Mountain,” which gives the book its title, is a moving account of the spiritual quest. Easwaran compares this with a long journey that he makes from the hot, dusty plains of Central India, up through jungle and plantations, to his home in the cool hills of the Blue Mountains, where his mother waits for him – reminding us that on the spiritual path, we too will one day find our true home.
Additional text
“Edited from his extemporaneous talks, this inspiring collection of essays gives the flavor of hearing this great spiritual teacher and storyteller in person. Easwaran successfully combines his Eastern and Western wisdom, which includes a thorough knowledge of English literature, into an eight-point program usable by followers of all religious traditions.”
— American Meditation Institute
“These essays sparkle with the humor and insight that have made Eknath Easwaran a popular teacher for over 30 years . . . Easwaran clarifies spiritual practice with vivid, concrete metaphors drawn from his years of observing people, animals, and the natural world.
“He certainly doesn’t downplay the difficulty of the meditative quest, which in order to be successful will cost us everything we have. But he does present its rewards so persuasively that it’s hard to resist the impulse to sit down and start right away.”
— Yoga Journal
