The real essentials of life - compassion, kindness, good will, forgiveness - are what is fundamental to living as a true human being. Eknath Easwaran More Quotes by Eknath Easwaran More Quotes From Eknath Easwaran Lasting change happens when people see for themselves that a different way of life is more fulfilling than their present one. Eknath Easwaran lasting-change inspirational people When we go slower, we are more patient and when we are more patient we have a choice in how we respond. Eknath Easwaran patient choices Human relationships are the perfect tool for sanding away our rough edges and getting at the core of divinity within us. Eknath Easwaran rough-edges perfect relationship To be secure everywhere is the mark of sophistication, to be unshakable is the mark of courage, to be permanently in love with every person is the mark of masculinity or femininity, to forgive is the mark of strength, to govern our senses and passions is the mark of freedom. Eknath Easwaran unshakable forgiving passion To enjoy anything, we cannot be attached to it... What we usually try to do is capture any joy that comes our way before it can escape... We try to cling to pleasure, but all we succeed in doing is making ourselves frustrated because, whatever it promises, pleasure simply cannot last. But if I am willing to kiss the joy as it flies, I say, "Yes, this moment is beautiful. I won't grab it. I'll let it go." Eknath Easwaran kissing acceptance beautiful When we try to get ourselves out of the way, we can understand much better the needs of the people closest to us. Eknath Easwaran trying people needs Beneath the surface level of conditioned thinking in every one of us there is a single living spirit. The still small voice whispering to me in the depths of my consciousness is saying exactly the same thing as the voice whispering to you in your consciousness. 'I want an earth that is healthy, a world at peace, and a heart filled with love.' It doesn't matter if your skin is brown or white or black, or whether you speak English, Japanese, or Malayalam - the voice, says the Gita, is the same in every creature, and it comes from your true self. Eknath Easwaran self heart thinking Every human heart has a deep need to love - to be in love, really, with all of life. This is the kind of love that comes when the mind is still. . . . Be still and know that we are all God’s children; then you will be in love with all. Eknath Easwaran mind heart children Love is so exquisitely elusive. It cannot be bought, cannot be badgered, cannot be hijacked. It is available only in one rare form: as the natural response of a healthy mind and healthy heart. Eknath Easwaran heart love life This is the central principle of meditation: we become what we meditate on. Eknath Easwaran principles meditation In memorizing the prayer, it may be helpful to remind yourself that you are not addressing some extraterrestrial being outside you. The kingdom of heaven is within us, and the Lord is enshrined in the depths of our own consciousness. In this prayer we are calling deep into ourselves, appealing to the spark of the divine that is our real nature. Eknath Easwaran real prayer heaven Whatever we have done, we can always make amends for it without ever looking back in guilt or sorrow. Eknath Easwaran guilt sorrow done God made the senses turn outwards, man therefore looks outwards, not into himself. But occasionally a daring soul, desiring immortality, has looked back and found himself. Eknath Easwaran soul men looks Wherever people gather for selfless ends, there is a vast augmentation of their individual capacities. Something wonderful, something momentous happens. An irresistible force begins to move, which, though we may not see it, is going to change our world. In this lies the power and the meaning of spiritual companionship. Eknath Easwaran spiritual lying moving Our deepest need is for the joy that comes with knowing we are of genuine use to others. Eknath Easwaran knowing joy needs I have never been able to understand the compelling phrase, 'keeping up with the Joneses.' It does not matter very much whether I keep up with Tom Jones or anybody else; what is important is to keep up with myself by making my today a little better than my yesterday. Eknath Easwaran important yesterday today In the Confucian tradition is a simple formula that appeals to me deeply: 'If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.' I urge everyone to reflect deeply on these words, as simple as they are profound. Eknath Easwaran home heart character As we get deeper, we move closer and closer to other people; we feel closer to life as a whole. Eknath Easwaran diversity people moving When the mind is still, we can become an instrument of peace. Eknath Easwaran instruments stills mind The spiritual life is a call to action. But it is a call to ... action without any selfish attachment to the results. Eknath Easwaran selfish attachment spiritual
