Our role as reader is essential if we are to realize the powerful fellowship that spiritual reading can provide. “A great book, coming from the depths of one person’s consciousness, has little or nothing to say to a superficial reading. It needs to speak to depth: ‘deep calleth unto deep,’” Easwaran explains as he introduces the importance of reading slowly and reflecting.
Easwaran covers a lot of ground in this week’s reading, pages 23–37* of the Blue Mountain Journal’s Spring 2016 issue. Reading for inspiration, reading for instruction, and meditation to take the passages deep are all important, he explains. But he emphasizes that only meditation can bring about fundamental, lasting change:
“If you take these passages deep, deep into consciousness, into that depth where the words open up their inner meaning and take you in, these words have power to change your life. Every great work of mystical literature then becomes a living channel between you and the saint or scripture from which it comes.”
* As usual our focus for eSatsang is the content straight from Easwaran, in this case on pages 23, 27, and 34–37. But of course feel free to enjoy the contributions from community members between those pages. These are usually distinguished in the journal via the blue background.
If you have a particular issue you are struggling with right now, look into this reading for tips, and try them out this week.
This week, try following Easwaran’s evening routine by turning off other media, reading one of his books for a few minutes, and then going to bed repeating the mantram.
On the days you are able to follow this routine, what benefits do you find?
To boost your practice of spiritual fellowship, can you join us for BMCM Satsang Live this week?
In two weeks, on February 25th, the eSatsang will begin studying Easwaran’s Mantram Handbook. To prepare, make sure you have the book available. You may want to order from an online retailer that offers expedited shipping. (If you’d like to buy a copy in our BMCM online store you can use the coupon code manymantrams to receive a 40% discount, however, shipping may take about 2-3 weeks for delivery. Please note that the BMCM discount on books is not available from online retailers.)
For our spiritual bonus this week, here is Christine Easwaran reading the passage “Evening Prayer for the Sabbath” from the Jewish Liturgy.