Patience: A Little Book of Inner Strength

by Eknath Easwaran

Overview

This little book of wisdom is full of insights and advice from one of the twentieth century's great spiritual teachers.

"Patience is the ornament of the brave," Eknath Easwaran's wise grandmother used to say. Patience is also the mark of love, says Easwaran – with our children, our parents, our partners, our colleagues, and our communities.

Easwaran is one of the twentieth century's great spiritual teachers and an authentic guide to timeless wisdom. In this little book, Easwaran lifts our spirits and gives us courage, with insights and advice, stories, and inspiration from the world's saints and sages.

Just keep trying, Easwaran says, and you'll find there's no end to your patience – no end to the wisdom, love, and compassion in your heart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781586380090
Publisher:	Nilgiri Press
Publication date:	08/02/2022
Series:	Pocket Wisdom , #2
Pages:	106
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.00(h) x 0.73(d)

About the Author

Eknath Easwaran (1910—1999) is respected around the world as an authentic teacher of timeless wisdom, and more than two million of his books are in print. His approach fits naturally into any faith, philosophy, or lifestyle.

Born in a small village in Kerala state, India, Easwaran grew up listening to his grandmother’s age—old stories, and learned from her wise, loving example as she guided and supported her busy extended family. As a young man, Easwaran visited Gandhi in his ashram and was deeply influenced by the way he brought spiritual values into daily life.

Easwaran came to the United States on the Fulbright exchange program in 1959. In 1961 he founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, which carries on his work today through publications and retreats.

Read an Excerpt

Patience Adds To Health
Patience is not only a mental virtue; it is an asset even for physical health. I’m sure you are aware of the way your heart races when you get impatient. Perhaps you have noticed, too, that your breathing becomes faster and shallower. Doesn’t it seem reasonable that if you can strengthen your patience to such a degree that other people’s behavior never upsets you, your heart, lungs, and nervous system will be on vacation? Don’t take my word for it; try it. At first, I agree, you will feel some stress from going against an established habit. That is to be expected. After all, when you have been leading a sedentary life, walking only as far as the garage or the television set, it is stressful for a while to get out and jog; your heart and lungs complain. But how quickly they feel better for it! It is the same with patience; this is one of the grandest secrets of health.
Research today suggests that emotional immunity to negative states of mind may well be linked to physical immunity, even resistance to disease. A person who is even—minded, who doesn’t get shaken if people speak ill of him or excited when they praise her to the skies – such a person, I submit, is a poor host for disease. That kind of inner toughness creates a protective buffer, an enhanced resistance to illness and the everyday stress of daily life.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Patience is the ornament of the brave 11

Patience comes with practice 13

Timeless wisdom 16

Being patient with ourselves 18

Part 1 The Ornament of the Brave

Patience attains the goal 22

Finding security 23

We have the capacity to choose 24

Gandhi's sandals 26

Kindness is strength 28

Speed - the enemy of patience 30

Patience adds to health 31

The fragrance of goodness 33

Kind opposition 35

Bearing cheerfully with life 37

The Lord is everywhere 38

Endless resources 40

Part 2 Kindness at Home & at Work

Patience in the family 45

There's no limit 47

Taking time to listen 48

The water lily 49

The snake who didn't want to play 51

Householders 52

Patience at work 55

An end to loneliness 57

A perfect day 59

A garland of wildflowers 62

Peaceful sleep 64

Be kind - but use discrimination 65

"Be kind, be kind, be kind" 68

Part 3 Peacemaking

Enjoying the differences 70

Listening with kindness & respect 72

Finding the common ground 74

Unite against the problem 77

Dealing with dislikes 79

Kind always 81

Trust is a two-way street 83

Seeing the Self in all 84

The dog who liked everybody 85

Learning forgiveness 87

Made in heaven 88

Peacemaking 90

The fragrance of the heart 92

The joy of Saint Francis 93