Passage meditation
Encyclopedia
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.
The program is an eight-point program intended for the "spiritual growth" of the practitioner. The first step in the program involves meditating on a text passage, and the method as a whole has come to be known as "Passage Meditation" (not Easwaran's term) from the 1990s. The book was frequently reprinted and translated into more than 10 languages. It is reported that more than 200,000 copies were sold in the period of 1978 to 2001.
The first edition of the book had the full title Meditation; commonsense directions for an uncommon life (1978). A second edition in 1991 was subtitled a simple eight-point program for translating spiritual ideals into daily life, and a third, revised edition of the book was published posthumously as Passage Meditation; Bringing the Deep Wisdom of the Heart Into Daily Life (2008).
Meditation on a passage involves silent, focused repetition during meditation of memorized selections from scriptures of the world and writings of great mystics. According to Easwaran, the practice of meditating on a specific passage of text (Easwaran suggests the Prayer of Saint Francis
or Psalm 23
as examples) has the effect of eventually transforming "character, conduct, and consciousness." The term passage is chosen to describe a spiritually-inspired text that one meditates on, during an extended period of time set aside for meditation, as compared to a mantram (or mantra). Easwaran collected an anthology of selections from the world's spiritual texts, God Makes the Rivers to Flow
, for use in meditation.
Repetition of a mantram. Easwaran describes a mantram as a short, powerful spiritual formula which can be repeated, at any time during the day or night, to call up the best and deepest in ourselves, and help to slow down, to become more one-pointed, and to put others first.
Slowing Down is an important spiritual discipline. Living faster and faster gives no time for inner reflection or sensitivity to others, making our lives tense, insecure, inefficient, and superficial. Slowing down helps achieve freedom of action, good relations with others, health and vitality, calmness of mind, and the ability to grow.
One-pointed attention helps to unify consciousness and deepen concentration. Training the mind to give full attention to one thing at a time, whether it is in science or the arts or sports or a profession, is a basic requirement for achieving a goal.
Training the senses means freeing the mind from the tyranny of likes and dislikes so as to “live in freedom”, “live intentionally”
Putting others first. Dwelling on ourselves builds a wall between ourselves and others. Those who keep thinking about their needs, their wants, their plans, their ideas, cannot help becoming lonely and insecure. As human beings, it is our nature to be part of a whole, to live in a context where personal relationships are supportive and close.
Spiritual Fellowship with people whose companionship is elevating, and working together for a selfless goal without expecting any reward or recognition, augment and enhance the individual’s capacities.
Easwaran says that the eight points, though they may at first seem unrelated, are closely linked. “Quieting your mind in morning meditation, for instance, will help your efforts to slow down at work, and slowing down at work will, in turn, improve your meditation…. Unless you practice all of them, you cannot progress safely and far" .
Passage Meditation does not require adherence to any particular religion or belief.
Several empirical research studies have examined the effects on health professionals and college undergraduates from receiving training in the Passage Meditation (PM) program. Peer-reviewed research, published in professional psychology and health journals, has shown that following the passage meditation program reduces stress and increases confidence in tasks such as caregiving
These studies mostly used randomized
methods. Like much recent research on meditation
(e.g., on mindfulness meditation
), research studies on Passage Meditation have neither postulated nor claimed to infer the operation of supernatural or other non-natural, non-psychological processes. Research on Passage Meditation through early 2007 was reviewed in chapter 6 of Spirit, science and health: How the spiritual mind fuels physical wellness.
Passage Meditation has sometimes been integrated into college curricula.
reported that the book Meditation (later republished in as Passage Meditation), which provides the fullest description of the Passage Meditation program, had "sold more than 200,000 copies since its 1978 debut." It has been published in three US editions:
Foreign (non-US) English-language editions have been published in the UK by Taylor & Francis
(1979, ISBN 9780710003447) and Penguin
(1996, ISBN 9780140190366); and in India
by Jaico
(2008, ISBN 9788179928134). Translations of the book into more than 10 foreign languages have also been published.
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....
.
It describes a meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
program developed by Easwaran from the 1960s, first taught systematically by him at the University of California, Berkeley.
The program is an eight-point program intended for the "spiritual growth" of the practitioner. The first step in the program involves meditating on a text passage, and the method as a whole has come to be known as "Passage Meditation" (not Easwaran's term) from the 1990s. The book was frequently reprinted and translated into more than 10 languages. It is reported that more than 200,000 copies were sold in the period of 1978 to 2001.
The first edition of the book had the full title Meditation; commonsense directions for an uncommon life (1978). A second edition in 1991 was subtitled a simple eight-point program for translating spiritual ideals into daily life, and a third, revised edition of the book was published posthumously as Passage Meditation; Bringing the Deep Wisdom of the Heart Into Daily Life (2008).
Method
Practiced for one-half hour daily on first arising, meditation on a passage is the first point in Easwaran’s eight point program of Passage Meditation for drawing spiritual ideals into every aspect of daily life:- Meditation on a passage
- Repetition of a mantram (mantra, or prayer word)
- Slowing down
- One-pointed attention
- Training the senses
- Putting others first
- Spiritual fellowship
- Spiritual reading
Meditation on a passage involves silent, focused repetition during meditation of memorized selections from scriptures of the world and writings of great mystics. According to Easwaran, the practice of meditating on a specific passage of text (Easwaran suggests the 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...
or Psalm 23
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....
as examples) has the effect of eventually transforming "character, conduct, and consciousness." The term passage is chosen to describe a spiritually-inspired text that one meditates on, during an extended period of time set aside for meditation, as compared to a mantram (or mantra). Easwaran collected an anthology of selections from the world's spiritual texts, God Makes the Rivers to Flow
God Makes the Rivers to Flow
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 and Sacred Literature of the World...
, for use in meditation.
Repetition of a mantram. Easwaran describes a mantram as a short, powerful spiritual formula which can be repeated, at any time during the day or night, to call up the best and deepest in ourselves, and help to slow down, to become more one-pointed, and to put others first.
Slowing Down is an important spiritual discipline. Living faster and faster gives no time for inner reflection or sensitivity to others, making our lives tense, insecure, inefficient, and superficial. Slowing down helps achieve freedom of action, good relations with others, health and vitality, calmness of mind, and the ability to grow.
One-pointed attention helps to unify consciousness and deepen concentration. Training the mind to give full attention to one thing at a time, whether it is in science or the arts or sports or a profession, is a basic requirement for achieving a goal.
Training the senses means freeing the mind from the tyranny of likes and dislikes so as to “live in freedom”, “live intentionally”
Putting others first. Dwelling on ourselves builds a wall between ourselves and others. Those who keep thinking about their needs, their wants, their plans, their ideas, cannot help becoming lonely and insecure. As human beings, it is our nature to be part of a whole, to live in a context where personal relationships are supportive and close.
Spiritual Fellowship with people whose companionship is elevating, and working together for a selfless goal without expecting any reward or recognition, augment and enhance the individual’s capacities.
Easwaran says that the eight points, though they may at first seem unrelated, are closely linked. “Quieting your mind in morning meditation, for instance, will help your efforts to slow down at work, and slowing down at work will, in turn, improve your meditation…. Unless you practice all of them, you cannot progress safely and far" .
Passage Meditation does not require adherence to any particular religion or belief.
Influence, research, use
Workers in professional fields, as well as writers of popular books, have been influenced by the passage meditation program.Sometimes, the passage meditation program has been included among resources for complementary and alternative medicine.Several empirical research studies have examined the effects on health professionals and college undergraduates from receiving training in the Passage Meditation (PM) program. Peer-reviewed research, published in professional psychology and health journals, has shown that following the passage meditation program reduces stress and increases confidence in tasks such as caregiving
These studies mostly used randomized
Randomized controlled trial
A randomized controlled trial is a type of scientific experiment - a form of clinical trial - most commonly used in testing the safety and efficacy or effectiveness of healthcare services or health technologies A randomized controlled trial (RCT) is a type of scientific experiment - a form of...
methods. Like much recent research on meditation
Health applications and clinical studies of meditation
Research on the processes and effects of meditation is a growing subfield of neurological research. Modern scientific techniques and instruments, such as fMRI and EEG, are being used to study the body of people who've engaged in meditation in order to determine both how the process of meditation...
(e.g., on mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness (psychology)
Modern clinical psychology and psychiatry since the 1970s have developed a number of therapeutic applications based on the concept of mindfulness in Buddhist meditation.-Definitions:...
), research studies on Passage Meditation have neither postulated nor claimed to infer the operation of supernatural or other non-natural, non-psychological processes. Research on Passage Meditation through early 2007 was reviewed in chapter 6 of Spirit, science and health: How the spiritual mind fuels physical wellness.
Passage Meditation has sometimes been integrated into college curricula.
Editions
In 2001, Publishers WeeklyPublishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
reported that the book Meditation (later republished in as Passage Meditation), which provides the fullest description of the Passage Meditation program, had "sold more than 200,000 copies since its 1978 debut." It has been published in three US editions:
- Eknath Easwaran, Meditation: commonsense directions for an uncommon life, Nilgiri Press (1978), ISBN 9780915132157.
- reprinted in 1980, 1984, 1989 by Nilgiri Press, ISBN 9780915132164.
- Eknath Easwaran, Meditation: a simple eight-point program for translating spiritual ideals into daily life, Nilgiri Press (2nd ed. 1991), ISBN 9780915132669.
- Eknath Easwaran, Passage Meditation: Bringing the deep wisdom of the heart into daily life, Nilgiri Press (3rd revised ed. 2008), ISBN 9781586380267. Also published as an e-book ISBN 9781586380304
Foreign (non-US) English-language editions have been published in the UK by Taylor & Francis
Taylor & Francis
Taylor & Francis Group is an international company originating in the United Kingdom which publishes books and academic journals. It is a division of Informa plc, a United Kingdom-based publisher and conference company.- Overview :...
(1979, ISBN 9780710003447) and Penguin
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
(1996, ISBN 9780140190366); and in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
by Jaico
Jaico Publishing House
Jaico Publishing House publishes books in a range of subjects, and is a major publisher in India. Jaico was founded in 1946 by Jaman Shah as a book distribution business for U.S. paperback publishers...
(2008, ISBN 9788179928134). Translations of the book into more than 10 foreign languages have also been published.
External links
- Blue Mountain Center of Meditation (BMCM) and Nilgiri Press
- Michael Nagler (2004). "Passage to meditation". Yoga Journal 200 (March/April 2004). (page view at Google books)