This book written by president of the Blue Mountain Centre of Mediation, suggests that the secret of fulfilment lies not outside us but in the way the mind works. We may consider being ?in the zone? with performances like gymnastics, but activity is not what matters. What these peak experiences teach us is that living in the moment is a mental skill?a matter of training the mind.
Easwaran offers ways to develop the skill of living in the present so that we can open up the promise held within each moment of our lives. The more we practice, the more we discover in the time we have?and so the nearer we move to having all the time in the world. ?That?, Easwaran says, ?is our birthright as human beings.?
Life today is fragmented with pressures both on the work front and at home. It makes us irritable and drained at the end of a long day, wondering what it is all about. Easwaran says, ?Every moment is a doorway to meaning, purpose and joy. The key is an unhurried mind.? He advises us to slow down?not just our physical movements, but especially our mind that is racing in overdrive to get things done. ?If we keep our mind calm and go about our business with undivided attention, we will not only accomplish more but we?ll do a better job?and find ourselves more patient, more at peace.?
Easwaran often cites the example of Mahatma Gandhi who showed how to face pressures without losing peace of mind. An unhurried mind is calm, alert and ready for anything.
The author suggests eight skills and advises us to practice them to be at peace.
Finally, the author says that keeping our attention on the present, we should not waste our energy on worry and resentment. We should simplify our life and not do too much, keeping the sense of life'strue purpose in mind.
(Jaico Publishing House, 121 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Mumbai-400 001.)
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