Showing results by narrator "Eknath Easwaran" in All Categories

The Upanishads are among the oldest of the Indian wisdom texts, the records of teaching sessions of illumined sages and their students, who were asking the fundamental questions of life. Easwaran's translation of these classic texts has been highly acclaimed, and in these informal talks to close students he draws out the main themes of eleven Upanishads.

In this historic recording Eknath Easwaran, who taught meditation and spiritual living for over 40 years, reads his selection of lifeaffirming writings from the saints, sages, and scriptures of the Christian, Hindu, Sufi, Jewish, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions. This collection includes passages from Easwaran’s translations of the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Dhammapada. Easwaran’s reading is sonorous and deep, slowing down the mind and drawing us into a world of timeless wisdom where our worries and concerns fall back into perspective.

Meditation is the key to finding the Self, and Easwaran recommends this prayer, which begins "Lord make me an instrument of thy peace . . . ," as the first passage to use when learning to meditate. In this talk Easwaran explores the four pillars of wisdom and then gives a line-by-line commentary on the prayer.

Eknath Easwaran grew up in Gandhi's India and was deeply inspired by him. As a young man, he read Gandhi's weekly articles and visited his ashram, walking with Gandhi and observing him in deep meditation during his prayer service. What fascinated Easwaran was Gandhi's magnificent spiritual transformation - from a shy, ineffectual lawyer to the Mahatma, the "great soul" who led millions of Indians in their successful nonviolent struggle for independence.

Eknath Easwaran selects key verses from his acclaimed translation of the Buddha's Dhammapada, and explains in these informal talks to his close students how the Buddha's timeless words can guide us in our lives today.

The Imitation of Christ is a classic devotional work on how to live like Jesus. In its entirety, there 50 separate talks, Easwaran goes through each chapter, bringing it to life for the modern listener. This is the first talk in the series.

In this series of informal talks to close students, Eknath Easwaran comments on short extracts from the Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis, a classic 15th-century Christian text. Recognizing that these gems of spiritual counselling are expressed in difficult, medieval language, Easwaran takes care to place them in a contemporary context. He shows how this great text contains much sound, sensitive psychology that can guide us in making wise choices today.

Anger is a powerful force. Easwaran inspires us to transform it into a constructive, healing friend.

This is the 42nd in a long series of talks Eknath Easwaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In this talk, Easwaran reads and discusses book 3, chapter 10, "That to despise the world and serve God is a sweet life".

This is the 41st in a long series of talks Eknath Easwaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In this talk, Easwaran reads and discusses book 3, chapter 9, "That all things are to be referred unto God as their last end".

This is the 40th in a long series of talks Eknath Easwaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In this talk, Easwaran continues to read and discuss book 3, chapter 8, "Of a mean conceit of ourselves in the sight of God".

This is the 36th in a long series of talks Eknath Eawaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In this talk, Easwaran continues to read and discuss book 3, chapter 5, "Of the wonderful effects of divine love".

This is the 38th in a long series of talks Eknath Easwaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In this talk, Easwaran reads and discusses book 3, chapter 6, "Of the proof of a true love of Christ".

This is the 39th in a long series of talks Eknath Easwaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In this talk, Easwaran continues to read and discuss book 3, chapter 7, "Concealing grace under the guard of humility".

This is the 33rd in a long series of talks Eknath Easwaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In this talk, Easwaran reads and discusses book 3, chapter 3, "That the Words of God are to be heard with humility".

This is the 35th in a long series of talks Eknath Easwaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In this talk, Easwaran continues to read and discuss book 3, chapter 4, "That we ought to live in truth and humility".

In this talk, Easwaran reviews the purpose of leading a spiritual life based on the practice of meditation in our current context. "In order to lead the spiritual life, which means to live in abiding joy, unassailable security, and continuous service for the welfare of all those around us, it is neither necessary to leave our family nor turn our back on society." This is the 37th in a long series of talks Eknath Easwaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis.

This is the 34th in a long series of talks Eknath Easwaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In this talk, Easwaran discusses a prayer from book 3, "Prayer for communion with God".

This is the 24th in a long series of talks Eknath Easwaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In this talk, Easwaran continues to read and discuss book 2, chapter 9, "Of the want of all comfort".

This is the 24th in a long series of talks Eknath Easwaran gave on The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In this talk, Easwaran reads and discusses book 2, chapter 9, "Of the want of all comfort".