Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Inspiration from Reading

“The media drown us in such a low image of the human being that it is essen­tial to remind our­selves con­stantly of some­thing higher.”
“Books cho­sen from the annals of mys­ti­cism should be read slowly and well. We are not after infor­ma­tion, but under­stand­ing and inspi­ra­tion. Take in a lit­tle every day, reflect on it, and then try to prac­tice what you have learned.”   - Eknath Easwaran

We are two weeks into the immersion and we’ve had some time to get through a bit of reading.  A lot of these readings are pretty dense, packed with so much useful information about how to move further along on this yogic path.  It’s the kind of readings that take time and thoughtfulness but eventually we start to make a connection with our own lives and this journey that we have embarked upon. 
Easwaran is one of my favorite authors because he teaches what he knows, what he has experienced directly, and he shares this information in such a down to earth, storytelling style which is so easy to grasp.  He tells us how to cope with our feelings and cravings, how to interact more lovingly with our families and the world around us, how to discover our true selves, hidden away under so many layers of crud.   My favorite message that is repeated throughout all of Easwaran’s writings is that we are so much more than we can imagine – that we all have the divine within us, waiting to be uncovered.  Imagine that, with all my imperfections, insecurities, and attachments, that I have perfection just waiting inside me to be discovered.   It is uplifting messages such as these that inspire and excite me and keeps me plugging along on this path.
  
“We are not cabin dwellers, born to a life cramped and confined; we are meant to explore, to seek, to push the limits of our potential as human beings.”  - Eknath Easwaran

What have you been reading and have you found any passages that speak to you or have inspired you in some way?

-kyra

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