The Mantram Handbook

Book excerpt: A new edition of Easwaran's classic handbook on the mantram. A mantram (or mantra) is a short, powerful spiritual formula or prayer word from the world's great traditions, repeated silently in the mind, anytime, anywhere, to help us access our deeper resources in the midst of the challenges of daily life. Examples of mantrams are: Rama, Rama, used by Gandhi; My God and My All, used by St. Francis of Assisi; and the Buddhist Om mani padme hum. Easwaran taught the use of the mantram for over forty years as part of his passage meditation program. He explains how to choose and use a mantram to focus our thoughts, replenish our energy, release creativity, and strengthen our relationships. He shows through stories and examples how the mantram can be a great support to parents and children, to colleagues at work, to couples in a relationship - even in illness or depression, and at the time of death. And Easwaran describes how this simple spiritual practice can open the door to a life that is increasingly full and meaningful.