Entertaining, thought provoking, and moving, these four essays by spiritual author and teacher Eknath Easwaran offer an hour of inspiration for listeners of any faith, philosophy, or lifestyle. Through anecdotes, stories of the saints, surprising analogies, and wise insights, Easwaran encourages us to explore what spiritual living can mean today.
In “Taking the Plunge” Easwaran draws on a documentary about young penguins to introduce us to Peter, who dives fearlessly for the first time into the ocean to find fish and fulfilment. His companions on the rocks above are more wary, but they too eventually follow his lead. Like the young penguins, it takes time for us to find our true path, but meditation enables us to take our destiny into our own hands. (To learn more about Easwaran’s method of passage meditation, please see “Meditation: A Practical Guide.”)
In “Chasing Rainbows” Easwaran explores the nature of desire, and what leads to lasting joy. In “The Secret of Happiness” he shows how by mastering our mind we can achieve our real stature, far beyond anything we can imagine.
The final essay, “Climbing the Blue Mountain,” 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.
British-based Paul Bazely has worked in film, TV, theatre, and radio, for many companies including the BBC and the Royal National Theatre. His family is originally from India, and he has made the journey up to the Blue Mountains that Easwaran describes. Paul has been an avid reader of Easwaran’s books for many years. These essays are extracted from the book Climbing the Blue Mountain by Eknath Easwaran, published by Nilgiri Press.