Customer Reviews

Conquest of Mind

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I can't get enough of this book. It was one of the first and continues to be one of the most precious of books which I've read by Eknath Easwaran. It focuses on the practice of meditation as a means for learning to own our thoughts and master our desires. A wonderful read for the spiritually minded with a psychological bent. It really gets into the tricky workings of the mind that only a master meditator could know or see. Very few incantations about gods or spirits but rather simple and fresh metaphors for the spiritual life. A very motivating book for one who knows how hard it is to meditate regularly.

Conquest of Mind is a beautifully poetic book, but also very meaningful and helpful. Like Freud, Eknath shows how our lives are ruled by desires and impulses. Unlike Freud, however, Eknath offers us hope, and a method, for escaping from them. His simple method for retraining the mind through meditation and thought control works for anybody, no matter what your religion is. I highly recommend this book to anybody looking to better your life. His methods of thought control can lead to increased concentration and focus, or even to transcendental living. Eknath's writing style will keep you capitvated, and when used properly, his methods will take you to a more fufilling life.

I loved Eknath Easwaran's book Conquest of Mind because it was so easy to read. I enjoyed his message even though it will take me years to discipline my mind to find peace. I can't help but be motivated, due to this book, to pursue the conquest of my mind. Mr. Easwaran is a great teacher. I hope to be a good student. In this time of war and confusion we need more teachers like him. Better yet, we need more students. This book has nothing to due with religion, government, cultural background. It is a book for anyone who wants to live a more balanced and peaceful life.

This edition has been superseded by the new Third edition Conquest of Mind: Take Charge of Your Thoughts and Reshape Your Life Through Meditation (Essential Easwaran Library)

I read this book after reading Easwaran's Take Your Time: How to Find Patience, Peace, and Meaning, which had introduced me to the idea that controlling your mind was the key to getting your life into balance. Like that book, "Conquest of Mind" is deceptively easy to read, full of stories that lead you gently through a set of ideas until Easwaran suddenly presents you with a conclusion that makes unarguable sense. If you want a book that is really going to help you change the way you live your life for the better, then you should try this book.

Complete with amusing personal anecdotes to open each chapter, this book examines the joys and problems with meditation which the spiritual seeker will encounter. This is less an introduction of his complete program, like his book Meditation, and more a series of gentle talks he's giving students who have already progressed a little on the path and want to hear about the spiritual life. The author is Hindu, but doesn't emphasize any one religion to the exclusion of others. People of any, or no, faith can use this. Entertaining and a gentle, easy, thoughtful read.

"Dwelling on oneself is the root cause of most personal problems. The more pre-occupied we are with our private fears, resentments, cravings - the more power they have over us."

This is quite an exceptional book. The core purpose of the book is to discover the art of training the mind how to respond to life's challenges. The mind can be changed and controlled through meditation. While the major focus on changing and controlling the mind is through meditation, there are many lessons to be learned even if you are not actively engaged in formal meditation.

If you are practicing meditation, Easwaran brings up a very valuable point - practice your meditation throughout the day. The concept is that you learn to control your mind at all times. This is excellent advice, but much easier said than done.

Training the mind or controlling the mind is a concept that is foreign to most westerners. We do not think of controlling our mind. Our natural inclination is to try to control things - we will never be successful in controlling things. But if we learn to control our desires, fears, resentments and cravings we can control our world.

Some of the major points of the book are:

We have become a nation of emotional drifters. We allow our feeling to wander at will. We lose total control over the directions our minds take.

The exercises for reducing the ego is simple, learn to put the welfare of others before our own.

We feel incomplete so we try to manipulate things and people to get what we want to fulfill our inner need. This will never work. In the long run, we have no control over people or things. So we will always have unmet needs.

Those who always try to satisfy their personal desires will never find peace in this life.

The book explains a lot of the problems in our society that is focused on constant acquisition of new and bigger things. Our society that is fixed on instant gratification will never truly be content. As soon as we accomplish one goal, one desire our minds are askng what is next.

The book is well written and easy to read. Even if you have no plans to begin meditation, you will gain some valuable insights into why we all feel so unfulfilled.

If you conquer your mind, you will control your life. It is that simple.

I accidently came across this book and from the page one, was hooked to it. I could relate to and undoubtedly agree to the details which Eknath Eshwaran has written in this book. I just could not keep the book down. Very simple language, very easy read and very powerful message. I tried to implement the suggestions in the book and I am already noticing the positive difference it has made on me in very short time. I will recommend it to everyone who is eagerly wanting to keep the powerful mind calm and happy.

This has got be one of the top books written on the subject of understanding the mind, including anger and other mental ills. Eknath not only educates, but shows the way out. For the relativley balanced, it reviews thier understanding of the mind and shows the next critical levels of evolution. What a wonderful read.