God Makes the Rivers to Flow
Encyclopedia
God Makes the Rivers to Flow is an anthology of spiritual texts for use in meditation, assembled by Eknath Easwaran
. Condensed versions have been published under the titles Timeless Wisdom (book) and Sacred Literature of the World (audio recording). First published as a book in the US in 1982, progressively enlarged or revised versions of God Makes the Rivers to Flow were also issued in the US in 1991, 2003, and 2009. English editions have been published in India, and a French edition
and utilized in research studies and education.
taught a method of meditation, known as passage meditation
, which involves focusing the mind on inspiring sacred texts, such as the 23rd Psalm
or the Buddha's Discourse on Good Will
. Throughout this time, he received inquiries about whether various texts were suitable passages for meditation. He taught that passages should meet the criteria he had learned to trust in his own practice: a passage should be "positive, practical, universal, and inspiring". and drawn from a scripture or a person whose words and life attest to spiritual realization. God Makes the Rivers to Flow grew as a collection of such passages.
Easwaran's
Introduction uses a sculptural metaphor to explain how passages can be used beneficially in meditation. He tells the story of an ancient Indian sculptor who was renowned for vivid representations of elephants. His secret, the sculptor explained, was that after quarrying a giant rock,
Similarly, Easwaran says, meditation helps us to reveal "our higher self... [a] spark of divinity [that] is to be found in the heart of each human being.... [by] resolutely chip[ping] away whatever is not divine in ourselves." This process is neither easy or quick, and "can't be done in a week or by the weak." But "whatever our tradition, we are inheritors of straightforward spiritual practices [that] vary a bit from culture culture... but essentially... are the same." Meditation is the most potent practice, enabling us to "see the lineaments of our true self":
According to Easwaran, "the great principle upon which meditation rests is that we become what we meditate on." This, he says, is consistent with our experience that even in everyday life, we are shaped by what occupies our thoughts – for example, if we spend most of our time "studying the market, checking the money rates, evaluating our portfolios, we are going to become money-people." Thus, in selecting meditation passages, Easwaran has "aimed for the highest the human being is capable of, the most noble and elevating truths that have ever been expressed on this planet." Indeed,
He also states that passages should be "life affirming," and encourages building a varied repertoire of passages that can "guard against overfamiliarity.... [and] match a passage to your particular need at the time."
The 2nd and 3rd editions contain several supplementary sections:
The 3rd edition – published originally in 2003, and revised in 2009 – also contains:
The condensed edition (Timeless Wisdom, 2008) contains about half of the 3rd edition's passages, plus its Introduction, and a new 6-page preface, "In the Company of Saints & Sages," offering examples of how passages can function as a "mirror for helping us translate the lofty vision of the world's great spiritual traditions" into our daily lives.
,
New Age Journal
,
Prairie Messenger,
BC Catholic,
Fellowship in Prayer,
The Times of India
,
,
and elsewhere.
In The International Journal of Humanities & Peace, Carol Burke wrote that God Makes the Rivers to Flow (2003) contains "rich resources" that offer "much to satisfy even the most restless mind." In addition to the "vast assortment of inspiring passages," the section on using passages for specific purposes is "practical," the biographical notes are "interesting," and the introduction "entertainingly encourages" readers to begin personal transformation. Burke states that many passage sources will be familiar, but "many other passages perhaps less familiar, from Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and the Sufi
and Native American
traditions... are equally inspiring." She adds that "in this reviewer's opinion, it is regrettable that nothing appears from the eloquent Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph
."
In Resurgence
, Marian van Eyk McCain wrote that "it feels refreshingly ecumenical
to see sacred texts from many different wisdom tradition
s gathering peaceably between two covers." God Makes the Rivers to Flow "contains old favorites like the Prayer of St Francis," verses from well-known scriptures, psalms, prayers, poems, two Native American pieces, and selections from "many... individual sages like Gandhi, Shankara
, Hildegard
, Thomas à Kempis
and Hazrat Inayat Khan
." McCain also warned those "like me" with an aversion to a "preponderance of male pronouns" that "The divine feminine is seriously under-represented here (less than five percent) and only one fifth of the pieces are gender-neutral." In response, a letter from a reader, Margaret Purrett, also published by Resurgence
, argued that "meditators need to be tolerant of metaphor
s for divinity and gender usage from the past. I would not like to be prevented from enjoying and using the Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas, Dhammapada, or the Psalms merely because of references to male pronouns. Would anyone?" Purrett stated that "In fact, Eknath Easwaran
made new translations of many passages to make them more neutral for this last edition, and he changed many of the masculine singulars to neutral plurals."
The Times of India
described the passages in God Makes the Rivers to Flow as "positive and practical, inspiring and life-affirming," "alive with the charge of mystical awareness," and having "the power to change your life."
Prairie Messenger, a Roman Catholic publication, stated that "these texts should have wide-ranging appeal since they are devoted to catching a glimpse of our inner being. Having taught meditation for over 30 years, Easwaran knows the importance of texts, the discipline of mental training, the use of a mantram, a holy formula, and daily meditation periods.... Easwaran is a faithful guide."
Reviewing the audio edition (1995), Fellowship in Prayer stated that "There is no end to the beauty that pours forth from the Blue Mountain Meditation Center in California, where Sri Eknath Easwaran continues to weave the golden threads of his ministry." The reviewer described the audio as "magnificent," stating that "the depths of Easwaran's great soul brings each text to its most full expression of beauty and holiness... one has a sense of huge ocean waves rolling slowly, quietly, softly, timelessly, onto a distant shore.... My heart overflows with gratitude."
In BC Catholic's review of the audio edition (1995), Paul Matthew St. Pierre stated that "All of them [the passages] are spiritually thrilling both in their content and as read aloud by Easwaran." St. Pierre stated that "My own position... is that works of literature are to be read aloud, to be assigned a voice," and that
New Age Journal
stated that "as an attractive sampler of sacred literature [the book] would be impressive enough. But these passages were chosen... for their transformative
power.... The meanings and rhythms of the selections are calming. Their beauty inevitably emanates from their simplicity."
India-West
stated that the book "fills an important void in our lives.... The passages chosen are practical, positive and universal in appeal and of great literary beauty."
BC Catholic's review of the 3rd edition (2003) stated that "This would be a wonderful book to help with one's Advent
preparation and discipline... the book is designed for lectio divina
and meditation.... the book... will fill readers with a sense of wonder, mostly obviously because it collects profoundly inspirational passages... but also because it demands that readers study the passages deferentially, with reverence." It mentioned many passages as comprising "Catholic content," and stated that
Excerpts from the book have been quoted or reproduced in journals,
Large portions of the introduction were reproduced in 2008 in Yoga Journal
.
Educational psychologists have used the book in college courses to foster learning from "spiritual models" – people, such as the authors of the passages, who exemplify spiritual qualities. The passages were viewed as providing spiritual "modeling information."
The English-language editions are: (334 pages); ISBN 1586380389, (332 pages); ISBN 1586380087,
Condensed: (227 pages); ISBN 1586380273,
Audio: (Audio book: 2 sound cassettes, 170 min.; 1 pamphlet. 15 pages); ISBN 091513280X,
Indian editions (condensed and full): (227 pages); ISBN 8179929507, (332 pages); ISBN 8179923304, (208 pages); ISBN 8172245823
French edition: (247 pages); ISBN 2762120020,
Eknath Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran was a spiritual teacher, an author of books on meditation and ways to lead a fulfilling life, as well as a translator and interpreter of Indian literature....
. Condensed versions have been published under the titles Timeless Wisdom (book) and Sacred Literature of the World (audio recording). First published as a book in the US in 1982, progressively enlarged or revised versions of God Makes the Rivers to Flow were also issued in the US in 1991, 2003, and 2009. English editions have been published in India, and a French edition
and utilized in research studies and education.
Background
For nearly four decades, EaswaranEknath Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran was a spiritual teacher, an author of books on meditation and ways to lead a fulfilling life, as well as a translator and interpreter of Indian literature....
taught a method of meditation, known as passage meditation
Passage meditation
Meditation, also published as Passage Meditation, is a 1978 book by Eknath Easwaran.It describes a meditation program developed by Easwaran from the 1960s, first taught systematically by him at the University of California, Berkeley....
, which involves focusing the mind on inspiring sacred texts, such as the 23rd Psalm
Psalm 23
In the 23rd Psalm in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, the writer describes God as his Shepherd. The text, beloved by Jews and Christians alike, is often alluded to in popular media and has been set to music....
or the Buddha's Discourse on Good Will
Metta Sutta
The Mettā Sutta is a Buddhist discourse found in the Pali Canon's Suttanipāta and Khuddakapāṭha . Ten verses in length, the Mettā Sutta extols both the virtuous qualities and the meditative development of mettā , traditionally translated as "loving kindness" or "friendliness." It is sometimes...
. Throughout this time, he received inquiries about whether various texts were suitable passages for meditation. He taught that passages should meet the criteria he had learned to trust in his own practice: a passage should be "positive, practical, universal, and inspiring". and drawn from a scripture or a person whose words and life attest to spiritual realization. God Makes the Rivers to Flow grew as a collection of such passages.
Topics covered
All US editions of God Makes the Rivers to Flow and its derivatives contain an introduction, plus numerous 1- to 3- or more page selections of spiritual texts from many traditions. Examples of spiritual texts are shown in the table at right.| Examples of Inspirational Passages (God Makes the Rivers to Flow) |-valign="top"<--- No. 1 ---> |
Prayer of Saint Francis Prayer of Saint Francis The Prayer of Saint Francis is a Christian prayer. It is attributed to the 13th-century saint Francis of Assisi, although the prayer in its present form cannot be traced back further than 1912, when it was printed in France in French, in a small spiritual magazine called La Clochette as an... |
||
| Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace | |||
| >-valign="top"<--- No. 2 ---> | The Shema Shema Yisrael Shema Yisrael are the first two words of a section of the Torah that is a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services... (Torah Torah Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five... ) |
||
| Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one... | |||
| >-valign="top"<--- No. 3 ---> | Discourse on Good Will Metta Sutta The Mettā Sutta is a Buddhist discourse found in the Pali Canon's Suttanipāta and Khuddakapāṭha . Ten verses in length, the Mettā Sutta extols both the virtuous qualities and the meditative development of mettā , traditionally translated as "loving kindness" or "friendliness." It is sometimes... (Sutta Nipata Sutta Nipata The Sutta Nipata is a Buddhist scripture, a sutta collection in the Khuddaka Nikaya, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. All its suttas consist largely of verse, though some also contain some prose. It is divided into five sections:... ) |
||
| May all beings be filled with joy and peace... | |||
| >-valign="top"<--- No. 4 ---> | Let Nothing Upset You (Teresa of Avila Teresa of Ávila Saint Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, baptized as Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada, was a prominent Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Carmelite nun, and writer of the Counter Reformation, and theologian of contemplative life through mental prayer... ) |
||
| Let nothing upset you; Let nothing frighten you. | |||
| >-valign="top"<--- No. 5 ---> | Sermon on the Mount Sermon on the Mount The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew... (New Testament New Testament The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament.... ) |
||
| Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | |||
| >-valign="top"<--- No. 6 ---> | Hymn to the Divine Mother (Chandi) |
||
| ...O thou the savior of all who take refuge in thee, | |||
| >-valign="top"<--- No. 7 ---> | The Deepest Part of Thy Soul (William Law William Law William Law was an English cleric, divine and theological writer.-Early life:Law was born at Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire in 1686. In 1705 he entered as a sizar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge; in 1711 he was elected fellow of his college and was ordained... ) |
||
| Though God be everywhere present, yet He is only present to thee in the deepest and most central part of thy soul.... | |||
| >-valign="top"<--- No. 8 ---> | Let Me Walk in Beauty (Chief Yellow Lark) |
||
| O Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds... | |||
| >-valign="top"<--- No. 9 ---> | Twin Verses (Dhammapada Dhammapada The Dhammapada is a versified Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha himself. It is one of the best-known texts from the Theravada canon.... ) |
||
| All that we are is the result of what we have thought: | |||
| >-valign="top"<--- No. 10 ---> | I Come to Him Running (Mishkat al-Masabih Mishkat al-Masabih Mishkat al-Masabih is an expanded version of by Al-Baghawi's Masabih al-Sunnah by Muḥammad ibn ʻAbd Allāh Khatib Al-Tabrizi. Khatib Al-Tabrizi d. 741H rendered this version of the original text more accessible to those not having an advanced knowledge of the science of hadith... ) |
||
| The Prophet said, God Most High has said: | |||
| >-valign="top"<--- No. 11 ---> | The Path (Mahatma Gandhi) |
||
| I know the path: it is strait and narrow... | |||
| I rejoice to walk on it. I weep when I slip. God's word is: "He who strives never perishes"... | |||
Easwaran's
Eknath Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran was a spiritual teacher, an author of books on meditation and ways to lead a fulfilling life, as well as a translator and interpreter of Indian literature....
Introduction uses a sculptural metaphor to explain how passages can be used beneficially in meditation. He tells the story of an ancient Indian sculptor who was renowned for vivid representations of elephants. His secret, the sculptor explained, was that after quarrying a giant rock,
“for a long time, I do nothing but observe... and study it from every angle. I focus all my concentration on this task... At first, I see nothing but a huge and shapeless rock... Then slowly, very slowly, I... feel a presentiment... an outline, scarcely discernible, shows itself to me... An elephant is stirring in there!... I now know the one thing I must do:... I must chip away every last bit of stone that is not elephant. What then remains will be, must be, elephant.”
Similarly, Easwaran says, meditation helps us to reveal "our higher self... [a] spark of divinity [that] is to be found in the heart of each human being.... [by] resolutely chip[ping] away whatever is not divine in ourselves." This process is neither easy or quick, and "can't be done in a week or by the weak." But "whatever our tradition, we are inheritors of straightforward spiritual practices [that] vary a bit from culture culture... but essentially... are the same." Meditation is the most potent practice, enabling us to "see the lineaments of our true self":
In meditation, the inspirational passage is the chisel, our concentration is the hammer.... When we use our will to drive the thin edge of the passage deep into consciousness, we get the purchase to pry loose tenacious habits and negative attitudes. The passage, whether it is from the Bhagavad GitaBhagavad GitaThe ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
or The Imitation of Christ or the DhammapadaDhammapadaThe Dhammapada is a versified Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha himself. It is one of the best-known texts from the Theravada canon....
of the Buddha, has been tempered in the flames of mystical experience...
According to Easwaran, "the great principle upon which meditation rests is that we become what we meditate on." This, he says, is consistent with our experience that even in everyday life, we are shaped by what occupies our thoughts – for example, if we spend most of our time "studying the market, checking the money rates, evaluating our portfolios, we are going to become money-people." Thus, in selecting meditation passages, Easwaran has "aimed for the highest the human being is capable of, the most noble and elevating truths that have ever been expressed on this planet." Indeed,
The test of suitable meditation passages is simply this: Does the passage bear the imprint of deep, personal spiritual experience? Is it the statement of one who went beyond the narrow confines of past conditioning into the unfathomable recesses of the mind, there to begin the great work of transformation?.... whatever lacks this validation by personal experience, however poetic or imaginative... is not suited for use in meditation.
He also states that passages should be "life affirming," and encourages building a varied repertoire of passages that can "guard against overfamiliarity.... [and] match a passage to your particular need at the time."
The 2nd and 3rd editions contain several supplementary sections:
- A description of 8-point program of passage meditationPassage meditationMeditation, also published as Passage Meditation, is a 1978 book by Eknath Easwaran.It describes a meditation program developed by Easwaran from the 1960s, first taught systematically by him at the University of California, Berkeley....
recommended by Easwaran, involving silently and slowly focusing the mind on memorized or previously known passages (6 pages) - A post-script on the "Message of the Scriptures," describing the goal of meditation as a "deathless state of Self-realization.... the message of every major scripture [and] the testimony of mystics everywhere, East or West." (3 pages)
- The author's statement of what he believes separates the book from other sacred literature collections: that it functions as an instrument for transforming one's life. He states he can "testify from my own experience [that the passages] have the power to remake personality in the image of one's highest ideals." ("Preface," 1 page)
- Indices by source, title, and first line
- Biographical and bibliographic notes on passage sources
| "How to Use This Book" subsections: (God Makes the Rivers to Flow, 3rd ed.) |-valign="top" |
The Power of the Word |
||||
Notes examples and views from major faith traditions of the transforming power of sacred words, including |
|||||
| • | "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," John 1:1 ' is the first verse in the Gospel of John. The King James Version of the verse reads, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". The phrase "the Word" is widely interpreted as referring to Jesus, as indicated in other verses later in the same chapter... declares Saint John John the Evangelist Saint John the Evangelist is the conventional name for the author of the Gospel of John... ... |
||||
...[and] in the Rig Veda... |
|||||
| • | "In the beginning was Prajapati Prajapati In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature... [God the Creator], with whom was the Word. The Word was verily the supreme Brahman Brahman In Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being... [God the Transcendent]." |
||||
...sixth century pope Gregory the Great Pope Gregory I Pope Gregory I , better known in English as Gregory the Great, was pope from 3 September 590 until his death... has described how... |
|||||
| • | "It is God who speaks to us.... he who makes us hear them today already had us in mind when he inspired them of old..." | Lectio divina Lectio Divina In Christianity, Lectio Divina is a traditional Catholic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word... |
|||
Explains how to use the passages for lectio divina Lectio Divina In Christianity, Lectio Divina is a traditional Catholic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word... , an ancient Christian practice. |
|||||
| • | lectio divina Lectio Divina In Christianity, Lectio Divina is a traditional Catholic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word... with this book... Choose a passage and read it through slowly... reflect... Are there any words or phrases that seem especially significant...? >-valign="top" |
Lectio continua |
|||
Explains that lectio divina, if "practiced frequently in an organized sequence of readings... becomes lectio continua, an ongoing and systematic review of inspired texts"; |
|||||
| • | the main difference between works of literature and works of mysticism [is] you can read the mystics over and over again and have the impact at a deeper and deeper level | ||||
| • | perennial philosophy Perennial philosophy Perennial philosophy is the notion of the universal recurrence of philosophical insight independent of epoch or culture, including universal truths on the nature of reality, humanity or consciousness .-History:The idea of a perennial philosophy has great... .... You might find it helpful to keep a journal... >-valign="top" |
Passage meditation Passage meditation Meditation, also published as Passage Meditation, is a 1978 book by Eknath Easwaran.It describes a meditation program developed by Easwaran from the 1960s, first taught systematically by him at the University of California, Berkeley.... |
|||
Practical dynamics of passage meditation Passage meditation Meditation, also published as Passage Meditation, is a 1978 book by Eknath Easwaran.It describes a meditation program developed by Easwaran from the 1960s, first taught systematically by him at the University of California, Berkeley.... , viewed as offering "the deepest level of engagement with the material." |
|||||
| • | most of us in the modern world do not have the supportive framework of the great liturgical cultures that provide continuous nourishment... as ubiquitous and available in the past as modern advertising is in our own times. | ||||
| • | We need a way to draw the power of the word down into the crucible of consciousness... | ||||
| • | Memory Memory In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory.... is a mental muscle which gets stronger with use.... Some people are auditory learners Auditory learning Auditory learning is a learning style in which a person learns through listening. An auditory learner depends on hearing and speaking as a main way of learning. Auditory learners must be able to hear what is being said in order to understand and may have difficulty with instructions that are written... .... You might try getting together with other auditory learners.... Visual learners Visual learning Visual learning is a teaching and learning style in which ideas, concepts, data and other information are associated with images and techniques... seem to do better with silently reading... |
||||
- "How to Use This Book," with subsections on: The power of the word, and on methods of using passages for lectio divinaLectio DivinaIn Christianity, Lectio Divina is a traditional Catholic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word...
, lectio continuaLectio continuaIn Christianity, Lectio continua refers to the practice of reading Scripture in sequence over a period of time. Each reading etc. begins where the previous session ended...
, and passage meditationPassage meditationMeditation, also published as Passage Meditation, is a 1978 book by Eknath Easwaran.It describes a meditation program developed by Easwaran from the 1960s, first taught systematically by him at the University of California, Berkeley....
(12 pages) (see Table at right). - "Recommended Passages for Specific Uses," which suggests lists of especially helpful passages for particular stages of life (e.g., expectant mothers, caregivers, illness); for building specific positive qualities (e.g., patience, compassion, courage, devotion); or addressing and changing specific negative patterns of thinking (e.g., anger, fear, jealousy, greed). (6 pages)
The condensed edition (Timeless Wisdom, 2008) contains about half of the 3rd edition's passages, plus its Introduction, and a new 6-page preface, "In the Company of Saints & Sages," offering examples of how passages can function as a "mirror for helping us translate the lofty vision of the world's great spiritual traditions" into our daily lives.
Reviews and influence
Reviews have appeared in the International Journal of Humanities & Peace,Resurgence
Resurgence is a British bi-monthly magazine which has been described as the artistic and spiritual voice of the green movement in Great Britain. Resurgence was founded in the 1960s by John Papworth....
,
New Age Journal
New Age Journal
New Age Journal, or New Age: The Journal for Holistic Living was an American periodical prominent in the late 20th century, and defining itself as covering topics related to the period's "New Age"; it has been succeeded, in turn, by Body & Soul, and under new ownership by Body + Soul.It was founded...
,
Prairie Messenger,
BC Catholic,
Fellowship in Prayer,
The Times of India
The Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
,
India-West
India-West, also known as "India-West Publications, Inc.", is a newspaper that serves the Indian-American population of the United States, with special emphasis on California. It focuses on issues that relate to, or affect the Indian-American community. Its head office is located in San Leandro,...
,
and elsewhere.
In The International Journal of Humanities & Peace, Carol Burke wrote that God Makes the Rivers to Flow (2003) contains "rich resources" that offer "much to satisfy even the most restless mind." In addition to the "vast assortment of inspiring passages," the section on using passages for specific purposes is "practical," the biographical notes are "interesting," and the introduction "entertainingly encourages" readers to begin personal transformation. Burke states that many passage sources will be familiar, but "many other passages perhaps less familiar, from Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and the Sufi
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
and Native American
Native American religion
Traditional Native American religions exhibit a great deal of diversity, largely due to the relative isolation of the different tribes that were spread out across the entire breadth of the North American continent for thousands of years, allowing for the evolution of different beliefs and practices...
traditions... are equally inspiring." She adds that "in this reviewer's opinion, it is regrettable that nothing appears from the eloquent Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph
Chief Joseph
Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, popularly known as Chief Joseph, or Young Joseph was the leader of the Wal-lam-wat-kain band of Nez Perce during General Oliver O. Howard's attempt to forcibly remove his band and the other "non-treaty" Nez Perce to a reservation in Idaho...
."
In Resurgence
Resurgence
Resurgence is a British bi-monthly magazine which has been described as the artistic and spiritual voice of the green movement in Great Britain. Resurgence was founded in the 1960s by John Papworth....
, Marian van Eyk McCain wrote that "it feels refreshingly ecumenical
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
to see sacred texts from many different wisdom tradition
Wisdom tradition
Wisdom Tradition is a term that is sometimes given to the inner core or mystic aspects of a religious or spiritual tradition, without the trappings, doctrinal literalism, sectarianism, and power structures that are associated with institutionalised religion...
s gathering peaceably between two covers." God Makes the Rivers to Flow "contains old favorites like the Prayer of St Francis," verses from well-known scriptures, psalms, prayers, poems, two Native American pieces, and selections from "many... individual sages like Gandhi, Shankara
Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (IAST: pronounced , (Sanskrit: , ) (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as ' and ' was an Indian philosopher from Kalady of present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta...
, Hildegard
Hildegard of Bingen
Blessed Hildegard of Bingen , also known as Saint Hildegard, and Sibyl of the Rhine, was a German writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, visionary, and polymath. Elected a magistra by her fellow nuns in 1136, she founded the monasteries of Rupertsberg in 1150 and...
, Thomas à Kempis
Thomas à Kempis
Thomas à Kempis was a late Medieval Catholic monk and the probable author of The Imitation of Christ, which is one of the best known Christian books on devotion. His name means, "Thomas of Kempen", his home town and in German he is known as Thomas von Kempen...
and Hazrat Inayat Khan
Inayat Khan
Inayat Khan was an exemplar of Universal Sufism and founder of the "Sufi Order in the West" in 1914 . Later, in 1923, the Sufi Order of the London period was dissolved into a new organization formed under Swiss law and called the "International Sufi Movement"...
." McCain also warned those "like me" with an aversion to a "preponderance of male pronouns" that "The divine feminine is seriously under-represented here (less than five percent) and only one fifth of the pieces are gender-neutral." In response, a letter from a reader, Margaret Purrett, also published by Resurgence
Resurgence
Resurgence is a British bi-monthly magazine which has been described as the artistic and spiritual voice of the green movement in Great Britain. Resurgence was founded in the 1960s by John Papworth....
, argued that "meditators need to be tolerant of metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
s for divinity and gender usage from the past. I would not like to be prevented from enjoying and using the Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas, Dhammapada, or the Psalms merely because of references to male pronouns. Would anyone?" Purrett stated that "In fact, Eknath Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran was a spiritual teacher, an author of books on meditation and ways to lead a fulfilling life, as well as a translator and interpreter of Indian literature....
made new translations of many passages to make them more neutral for this last edition, and he changed many of the masculine singulars to neutral plurals."
The Times of India
The Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
described the passages in God Makes the Rivers to Flow as "positive and practical, inspiring and life-affirming," "alive with the charge of mystical awareness," and having "the power to change your life."
Prairie Messenger, a Roman Catholic publication, stated that "these texts should have wide-ranging appeal since they are devoted to catching a glimpse of our inner being. Having taught meditation for over 30 years, Easwaran knows the importance of texts, the discipline of mental training, the use of a mantram, a holy formula, and daily meditation periods.... Easwaran is a faithful guide."
Reviewing the audio edition (1995), Fellowship in Prayer stated that "There is no end to the beauty that pours forth from the Blue Mountain Meditation Center in California, where Sri Eknath Easwaran continues to weave the golden threads of his ministry." The reviewer described the audio as "magnificent," stating that "the depths of Easwaran's great soul brings each text to its most full expression of beauty and holiness... one has a sense of huge ocean waves rolling slowly, quietly, softly, timelessly, onto a distant shore.... My heart overflows with gratitude."
In BC Catholic's review of the audio edition (1995), Paul Matthew St. Pierre stated that "All of them [the passages] are spiritually thrilling both in their content and as read aloud by Easwaran." St. Pierre stated that "My own position... is that works of literature are to be read aloud, to be assigned a voice," and that
Having now listened (twice!) to all 170 minutes of readings, I feel confident in stating that this tape will stand up to repeated "hearings" from audiences interested in ecumenical Scriptures and holy books by saints and mystics, and in particular audiences looking for inspiration and dedicated to meditation.
New Age Journal
New Age Journal
New Age Journal, or New Age: The Journal for Holistic Living was an American periodical prominent in the late 20th century, and defining itself as covering topics related to the period's "New Age"; it has been succeeded, in turn, by Body & Soul, and under new ownership by Body + Soul.It was founded...
stated that "as an attractive sampler of sacred literature [the book] would be impressive enough. But these passages were chosen... for their transformative
Spiritual transformation
Spiritual transformation has a variety of overlapping meanings that carry distinct connotations:*In psychology, spiritual transformation is understood within the context of an individual's meaning system, especially in relation to concepts of the sacred or ultimate concern...
power.... The meanings and rhythms of the selections are calming. Their beauty inevitably emanates from their simplicity."
India-West
India-West
India-West, also known as "India-West Publications, Inc.", is a newspaper that serves the Indian-American population of the United States, with special emphasis on California. It focuses on issues that relate to, or affect the Indian-American community. Its head office is located in San Leandro,...
stated that the book "fills an important void in our lives.... The passages chosen are practical, positive and universal in appeal and of great literary beauty."
BC Catholic's review of the 3rd edition (2003) stated that "This would be a wonderful book to help with one's Advent
Advent
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
preparation and discipline... the book is designed for lectio divina
Lectio Divina
In Christianity, Lectio Divina is a traditional Catholic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word...
and meditation.... the book... will fill readers with a sense of wonder, mostly obviously because it collects profoundly inspirational passages... but also because it demands that readers study the passages deferentially, with reverence." It mentioned many passages as comprising "Catholic content," and stated that
All the content, from all the faith traditions, in the spirit of ecumenismEcumenismEcumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
, is deeply inspirational. For example, the 'Invocations' of Ansari of Herat.... "O Lord, give me that right discrimination / That the lure of the world may cheat me no more. Give me strength / That my faith suffer no eclipse." This prayer evokes not only the penitence of RamadanRamadanRamadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
(Islam'sIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
month of fasting...) but also the preparation and discipline of AdventAdventAdvent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
.
Excerpts from the book have been quoted or reproduced in journals,
Large portions of the introduction were reproduced in 2008 in Yoga Journal
Yoga Journal
Yoga Journal is an American based media company that publishes a magazine, a website, DVDs, and puts on conferences all devoted to yoga, food and nutrition, fitness, wellness, and fashion and beauty.-Beginnings and Growth:...
.
Research and education
God Makes the Rivers to Flow has been used as instructional materials in scientific studies of Easwaran's Passage Meditation among health professionalsEducational psychologists have used the book in college courses to foster learning from "spiritual models" – people, such as the authors of the passages, who exemplify spiritual qualities. The passages were viewed as providing spiritual "modeling information."
Editions
The original edition was published as a printed book in 1982 by Nilgiri Press. Additional English-language versions, sometimes condensed, or in electronic or audio recording form, have been published in the US and India. A translation has also been published in French.The English-language editions are: (334 pages); ISBN 1586380389, (332 pages); ISBN 1586380087,
-
-
- Also as e-book (2003): (207 pages); ISBN 0915132680 (paper) (96 pages); ISBN 091513229X (paper)
-
Condensed: (227 pages); ISBN 1586380273,
-
-
- Also as e-book (2008): ISBN 9781586380311, ISBN 1586380311
-
Audio: (Audio book: 2 sound cassettes, 170 min.; 1 pamphlet. 15 pages); ISBN 091513280X,
Indian editions (condensed and full): (227 pages); ISBN 8179929507, (332 pages); ISBN 8179923304, (208 pages); ISBN 8172245823
French edition: (247 pages); ISBN 2762120020,
External links
Audio versions: Examples from Sacred Literature of the World (audio book)- Prayer of Saint Francis
- Discourse on Good Will (Sutta NipataSutta NipataThe Sutta Nipata is a Buddhist scripture, a sutta collection in the Khuddaka Nikaya, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. All its suttas consist largely of verse, though some also contain some prose. It is divided into five sections:...
) - The Shema (TorahTorahTorah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
) - Invocations (Ansari of Herat)
- Hymn to the Divine Mother (ChandiChandiChandi or Chandika is the supreme Goddess of Devi Mahatmya also known as Chandi or Durga Sapthashati. Chandi is described as the Supreme reality who is a combination of Mahakali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati...
)