A Journal for Spiritual Living ekn Published by the Blue en Blue Mountain has been called one of the fore- most teachers of medi ta tion Center of Meditation in our times. From his arrival & Nilgiri Press Mountain in the United States in 1959 on www.easwaran.org ESTABLISHED BY EKNATH EASWARAN the Fulbright ex change pro- Summer 2012 FOR PRESENTING HIS EIGHT-POINT gram until his passing in the fall of 1999, he taught to mod- Volume 23, Number 2 PROGRAM OF PASSAGE MEDITATION ern men and women his eight- point program, based on his unique method of meditation farthest galaxy to the lives of individual on memorized inspirational human beings. Rita is closely connected passages from the world’s Life Is a Trust with dharma, the central law that all of life great religions. Many thou- is one indivisible whole. The word dharma sands of people representing By Eknath Easwaran comes from the root dhri, “to support”: the full range of cultural and dharma is what supports us, what holds us religious backgrounds attest to the bene fits of his teaching. together. This universal law is inscribed on He continues to teach through n my university days, graduation was every cell of our being, and the proof of it is his thirty books on spiri tual always one of the highlights of spring. that the more we live for others, the health- living – over a million cop- In India the ceremony of awarding ier our body becomes, the calmer our mind ies in print in twenty-seven degrees is called convocation because becomes, the clearer our intellect becomes, languages – and through the I ongoing programs and publi- all the faculty of the university are expected the deeper our love and wisdom become. to attend, on display with cap and gown The second pillar is yajna, “offering”: not ca tions of the organi zation he founded in 1961 to carry on and the other colorful medieval regalia a ritual offering in this context, but the prin- his work: the Blue Mountain retained through centuries of tradition. It ciple of service, giving of oneself Continued Center of Meditation and was a deeply satisfying sight to see our stu- for the welfare of others. In on page 4 its publishing arm, Nilgiri Press. dents march in solemnly with their bright From our archives: Eknath Easwaran, 1979 young faces shining with confidence, full of faith in the future, looking forward to what they were going to do with the rest of their lives: enter a career, perhaps help their par- ents or pay for a younger sister’s education, or make a contribution to a newly indepen- dent India. In the last convocation I attended at the University of Nagpur, degrees were adminis- tered in Sanskrit. It was an appropriate reminder that this is a very ancient rite of passage: entry into the second stage of life in the traditional Indian scheme of things, the “householder” stage, in which one takes up a worthy occupation in the heart of society and is expected to marry and raise a family. This is the traditional view, and not only in India. Every young man or woman enter- ing this stage of life is expected to find a good job, marry well, and generally contribute to the honor and well-being of family and com- munity. And, of course, a good job means the one that pays well or offers a ladder to increasing prestige or influence. India’s ancient scriptures, however, put this into a spiritual perspective. In this view, life is said to rest on two unshakable pillars. The first is rita, the universal order that keeps the cosmos in harmonious balance from the BLUE MOUNTAIN blue mountain 1 Life Is a Trust Blue Mountain Center of Meditation The quarterly journal Eknath Easwaran looks at The Center offers instruction in meditation and one of the biggest ques- allied living skills, following the eight-point program of the Blue Mountain tions we face on entering of passage meditation developed by Sri Eknath Center of Meditation the second stage of life: Easwaran. The approach is nondenominational, finding the right job. But nonsectarian, and free from dogma and ritual. It can Summer 2012 what is the “right job”? be used within each person’s own cultural and reli- India’s ancient scriptures gious background to relieve stress, heal relation- ©2012 by The Blue offer a surprising perspective, as relevant ships, release deeper resources, and realize one’s Mountain Center of today as ever. highest potential. Meditation, Inc. 8 Finding a Path Home Passage Meditation: An Eight-Point Program founder According to the 1. meditation on a passage Silent Sri Eknath Easwaran Buddha, none of repetition in the mind of memorized inspirational us is unemployed. passages from the world’s great religions. Practiced for one-half hour each morning. board of trustees Everyone has 2. repetition of a mantram Silent Christine Easwaran the same real job: realizing repetition in the mind of a Holy Name or a hallowed Nick Harvey the unity of life. phrase from one of the world’s great religions. Practiced whenever possible throughout the day Sultana Harvey Sri Easwaran’s or night. Diana Lightman comments are accompanied by 3. slowing down Setting priorities and Terry Morrison re duc ing the stress and friction caused by hurry. quotations from Beth Ann O’Connell a few friends in our eSatsang describing 4. one-pointed attention Giving full how they found their way to passage concentration to the matter at hand. blue mountain meditation. 5. training the senses Overcoming executive editor conditioned habits and learning to enjoy what is beneficial. Christine Easwaran 13 Presenting Meditation to College Students 6. putting others first Gaining freedom from selfishness and separateness; finding joy in Post Office Box 256 Invited to give a brief introduction to students helping others. Tomales, ca 94971 at a nearby college, we 7. spiritual fellowship Spending Telephone 707 878 2369 came up with a script that time regularly with other passage meditators for Facsimile 707 878 2375 other students can use as mutual inspiration and support. Email [email protected] well. Two email selections 8. spiritual reading Drawing inspiration from writings by and about the world’s great Web www.easwaran.org narrate the beginning of what we hope will become a very long story. spiritual figures and from the scriptures of all Printed on recycled paper religions. The Blue Mountain Center Eknath Easwaran depends on donations to Schooled in both Eastern and Western traditions, carry on its work. Every Eknath Easwaran took to the spiritual life amidst a gift, large or small, is successful career in India as a professor of English much appreciated and The Blue Mountain journal is free. Postage literature, a writer, and a lecturer. After coming to put to good use. The the University of California, Berkeley, on the costs apply for delivery outside the US. Blue Mountain Center of Fulbright exchange program, he established the For a two-year subscription to Canada or Meditation is a 501(c)(3) Blue Mountain Center of Meditation in Northern Mexico, the cost is $15. California nonprofit California in 1961. His 1968 Berkeley class is believed For all other countries, the two-year corporation. Contributions to be the first accredited course in meditation at any subscription cost is $25. Please visit our to the Center are deduct- Western uni versity. His deep personal experience website, www.easwaran.org, to sign up to ible from state and federal and his love for his students have made the ancient receive the journal. income tax. art of meditation accessible to those who hold jobs and lead active lives among friends and family. 2 PUBLISHER’S PAGE although I like my job at the moment, tourist – or just plain being lost – and there may come a time when I am looking here and there for something looking for other options as well.” we can only find at home. It takes What Shall I Sri Easwaran never tired of answer- some experience of life to learn that ing this question. For him, too, it had we must turn inwards to find happi- Do With My little to do with getting a good job, ness, and then it is that we take up securing fame or fortune, or finding what he calls “our essential vocation”: Life? Mr. or Miss Right. He approached it meditation. from a spiritual perspective based on Easwaran’s article is accompanied timeless values, as he explains in our by a small sample of stories from lead article, “Life Is a Trust.” From this friends in our eSatsangs describing point of view, we are given life for the one of life’s great mysteries: how, just purpose of giving back to life. We when the time is right, we find the come into this world to serve, and a right path and teacher to engage our Christine Easwaran good job is one that enables us to hearts. Of course, we can only quote make the world a little better by draw- from the people we hear from: those e e continuing our ing on the education, skills, and abili- who choose the path that Easwaran series on the stages ties we have. taught. The important thing is to find a of life, devoting way that enables us to unify our this issue to one desires around realizing the W “This [recent retreat] made me realize how impor- of the most important decisions unity of life. Easwaran often faced on entering the second stage: tant it is for us to have a young adult passage medi- emphasized that it is a diverse What shall I do with my life? number of us ordinary people This is a perennial question, so I tator fellowship group, if for no other reason than taking to the spiritual life that was not surprised when one of our will enable the renaissance of friends posted this appeal on one the fact that we have unique problems and con- spiritual values the world so des- of our forums: perately needs.