“If you are one of the great majority of human beings who have allowed their ideals to get vague around the edges,” Easwaran consoles us in this week’s reading, “meditation can sharpen and strengthen them. Simply refreshing these ideals in meditation can bring an immediate sense of relief, as if coming home again after a long absence or finding something precious you had lost and forgotten.”
This week we take up Turning Ideals Into Action: The Spiritual Challenge, the Spring/Summer 2017 issue of the Blue Mountain Journal, starting with the first article by Easwaran on pages 5–14. May we each be inspired by this sweet promise of coming home again to our own ideals!
Identify something in your life that you find confusing at this time, and where you wish you could ask Easwaran for his tips. See what he has to say in our readings. How can you apply his words to your situation?
In this week's reading, Easwaran writes, “Ideals are merely ideas until we translate them into daily life – and that means learning to go against the conditioning that urges us to put ourselves first instead.” What is one small way you can go against your conditioning and put others first this week?
For our spiritual bonus this week, let’s enjoy the first half of this video, ending at timepoint 8:30. Of course you are welcome to continue and watch the second half as well, but note that we’ll be using it for our treat next week. In the video, Easwaran reminds us about all the opportunities our desires offer for gaining a firmer, fitter will. He also discusses practical ways we can make great strides towards realizing our true Self within.