A More Ardent Fire: From Everyday Love to Love of God

Rating:
Summary: Ho Hum . . . Another Great Book by Sri Easwaran
Review: If you've read Sri Easwaran in the past or are a student of his work, you're already well aquainted with the content and style of "A More Ardent Fire." In this, his last book, he uses the 20 verses of the 12th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita as jumping-off points to expand upon his method of meditation and the allied disiplines. But mainly, and most importantly, this is a book about learning how to put others first. As Easwaran says in the intro, "Love is a skill that every one of us can learn - not merely for personal enrichment, but so that deepening and strengthening our relationships becomes a sure, swift path toward making God a reality in our daily lives."

Easwarn may well be the most practical spiritual teacher to ever put pen to paper. His methods will appeal to and can be practised by people from all traditions as well as those from none. For better or worse, I have read countless books on spirituality(Buddhism, Vedanta, Esoteric Christianity, etc.) and the more I read and study the more I am amazed at how comprehensive Easwaran's program really is. Though I no longer follow his method of passage meditation - having been called or led as it were to a simpler approach - I still draw heavily from this and his other works for inspiration. One can do no better for sheer practicality and applicability of the material. Other's may be more well-known or flambouyant, but Sri Easwaran was a truly unique spiritual giant and we are all lucky to have access to his wisdom.

Hesitantly I would add, that while I've gained much from Easwaran's and other commentaries, I've come to believe that it's far more important to let scripture speak directly to your own heart. Find translations you enjoy and open yourself to them. Let them hit you where you are. The Gita itself says it is far better to follow one's owm dharma, calling, Ideal, than to follow another's. Or as the Buddha put it: Be a light onto yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Enthusiastically recommended reading for spiritual growth.
Review: In A More Ardent Fire: From Everyday Love To Love Of God, Eknath Easwaran presents love between individuals as a training ground for developing a unified love that will lead to the changeless reality beyond time or death. Easwaran draws inspiration from the lives of lovers of God from many religions to show that it is by deepening and strengthening our capacity to love people around us that we travel the most direct route to a love of God. A More Ardent Fire is enthusiastically recommended reading for anyone seeking spiritual growth, improved personal relationships, and a closer connection with God.