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''Passage Meditation'' is a book by Eknath Easwaran, originally published in 1978 with the title ''Meditation''. The book describes a meditation program, also now commonly referred to as Passage Meditation. Easwaran developed this method of meditation in the 1960s, and first taught it systematically at the University of California, Berkeley.〔Tim Flinders & Carol Flinders (1989). ''The making of a teacher: Conversations with Eknath Easwaran'' (see article). Petaluma, CA: Nilgiri Press. ISBN 978-0-915132-54-6 (p. 148: "On the evening of Monday, January 3, 1968, 2000 LSB had standing room only for the several hundred Berkeley students who had registered for The Theory and Practice of Meditation (Religious Studies 138X, four units' credit; instructor, Eknath Easwaran). To anyone's knowledge, it was the first accredited course on meditation offered by any university in the United States - or, for that matter, in the world. ... For ten Monday nights, Easwaran sat atop the black veneer of the demonstration table and lectured on the ancient mystical teachings of the Indian spiritual tradition. Required texts included Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and Sidney Spencer's Mysticism in World Religion.")((quote viewable online) )〕〔Yoga Journal: Yoga Luminaries http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/1192〕 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 since the 1990s the method as a whole has come to be known as "Passage Meditation" (not Easwaran's term). The book has been frequently reprinted and translated into 14 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 or Psalm 23 as examples〔Easwaran (2008), ''Passage Meditation'', p. 37. (see bibliography section)〕) 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,〔Eknath Easwaran (2008). ''The Mantram Handbook'', Tomales, CA: Nilgiri, p. 12. ISBN 978-1-58638-028-1〕 and help to slow down, to become more one-pointed, and to put others first.〔Easwaran (2008), ''The Mantram Handbook'', p. 178.〕 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".〔Easwaran (2008). ''Passage Meditation'', p. 24.〕 Passage Meditation does not require adherence to any particular religion or belief.〔Monika M. Rodman, ''Passage Meditation: An Invitation to Drink Deeply of Scripture and the Saints' Great Prayers''. http://www.christianspracticingyoga.com/passage.htm (accessed 18 Oct 2009)〕〔AA Meditators, ''Passage Meditation & the Eleventh Step''.() (accessed 18 Oct 2009)〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Passage Meditation」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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