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The Spiritual Exercises of Eck: Your Doorway to Wisdom, Freedom, and Love

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According to the author, "The Spiritual Exercises of ECK, the Holy Spirit, are a treasure whose value we might overlook because of their simplicity". There are 131 exercises covering balance and harmony, healing and protection, solving problems, dreams, self-discipline, mastering your fate. They are given in a clear, gentle, simplistic manner. The value is in applying them. I especially liked the "Water of Life", "Attention Grabbers" and "Doorway to Heaven". I tried them and did notice a change in some of my viewpoints, and that I was more alert and amenable through out the day. There are additional techniques to experience the "inner light and sound of God". Reminiscient of Gibran and Rumi, yet more direct. The author is the spiritual leader of ECKANKAR, Religion of the Light and Sound of God. There is no esoteric jargon here, just straight-forward options for examining, exploring, strengthening ones spirituality and ability to cope with life. Highly recommended!

I use The Spiritual Exercises of Eck frequently because in it, I have found innovative ways to get out of my own way when looking for answers to life's problems. I am continually amazed at how much inner strength I have developed by these practices. Far from being slavish reliance on some outside force or being, these exercises have taught me how to harmonize myself to the rhythms of life. They are simple, practical, and extremely effective. For example, one exercise helped me solve a programming problem I had with my computer. Another helped me when I sat with my father when he was about to leave this world. This book isn't a quick read--it is a life-long study.

For anyone wanting to explore self and God's many heavens, this book provides the simple how-tos. A treasure-trove of Soul-nourishing techniques to achieve more divine love. The clearest and best I've found.

Spiritual exercise is a little different. I'm a couch potato, I admit it, and I don't get out much or care for sports. The spiritual exercises don't require physical exertion and you won't need a shower after you've done one. So they must be easy, right?

Not quite. They require some focused attention, but it is not a mental kind of discipline. It goes beyond that. It requires a seeking within, a thirst for the Divine working in your own life, and some diligence. Fortunately the book gives about 200 of them so you won't get bored. There's a wide variety, some done with the eyes open for example, and by adding variations on each the reader will find a wealth of techniques to enhance the inner search.

Klemp's writing style is quite easy, straight forward, and doesn't require a degree in rocket ship science to fathom.

This is an outstanding book for many different reasons. First, I have never seen a book like this that gives you so many tools to help you grow spiritually. The Exercise I like best is the HU. I have used it many times when in need of protection, for insight, advancing myself spiritually, etc... It is without a doubt the most useful spiriutal tool I have ever used. Not to mention, all the other terrific exercises the author gives. I called Eckankar
directly and bought the Hu/CD and play it all the time when I am driving or in my home. It will change your life and so will this incredible book full of wonderful exercises. A great value and indispenable resource. A must read!

The exercises offered in this book are dirverse as life itself. When I have had a problem to solve either at work or personal I have found one or several of the spiritual exercises given in this book to have helped me look at the particular problem from a different, higher or spiritual perspective. I certaintly recomend this book and the exercises contained therein to anyone who is looking for help in solving some of lifes most challenging problems. A must have "manual" for surviving in today's world.

I cannot imagine, if you are a committed and sincere spiritual seeker, that you will not find some of these exercises extremely useful. Choose the ones most in tune with your intuition, and invite them into your consciousness like lifelong friends. There is a universality about these exercises that seems to touch the pristine heart of everyone I know who has seriously worked with them. If you have a thrist for spiritual adventure, come aboard. Bon voyage!

I have tried many of these exercises and I find them to be beneficial. Some exercises I liked more than others. Yes, they do require real effort and perseverance on my part, like everything else I would want to be great at. The only obstacle, I have gathered from those who failed at them, is an attitude of fear and an aversion to spiritual adventure. I have learned that these exercises may not be for everyone, not for the faint-hearted.
As many of you do, I invest a great deal of faith in God and trust His protection and know that "If God is for us, who can be against us." And like Ralph Waldo Emerson says: "...God will not have his work made manifest by cowards." I like what Yoda says too: "Fear is the path to the dark side."
These spiritual exercises are like weights for me to build genuine inner strength. I am a servant of God and I strive to manifest His blessings in my life. Only the strong can do that.
In other words, this book will be beneficial to the spiritual seeker not shackled by fear and who is willing to put in the effort.

This book has been so useful to me that the pages are worn and torn. It gives simple contemplative and imaginative exercises for overcoming fears, letting go of old ideas, receiving guidance and protection and more. The idea is to use your own imaginative power to gain wisdom and create your life the way you want it to be. My favorite is The Stone Statue, an exercise designed to help you release "the crust of the ages," which I describe as "all of that which no longer serves me." You don't have to be an Eckist to benefit from this book. Eckankar teaches that your own path is the highest spiritual path of all, even beyond Eckankar itself, that the goal is eventual self-mastery and true spiritual freedom as Soul. The book offers ideas to create your own spiritual exercises, too.

The spiritual exercises can be useful only if the reader uses caution and a shifting of paradigns. This is a caution I would give to anyone who is approaching a religious teaching, therefore, keep your eyes and ears open. Continue to use your heart, mind, and common sense in a balanced manner when approaching a new spiritual or religious teaching. Also, know that Eckankar does not truly teach Self-Mastery or Spiritual Freedom, but rather a dependency upon the Mahanta (Inner Master, Outer Master, Dream Master, etc.)through a complete surrender of faith in the Master and the silence to any real discussion of conflicting points of view. Generally, the influence of the "Master" is very subtle and takes place more and more over an extended length of time.

When using the spiritual exercises in this book simply substitute your own Higher Self or God-soul in place of the Mahanta, Inner Master, or any Eck Master. Remember that the "Eck" is actually the Chi, Holy Spirit, Spirit, Force or God-Force or whatever you want to call this Divine Essence which permeates all life. Remember, these techniques and claims are not unique to any religion, and that there is no power that one Soul has over another. Mastership can be had by you in this lifetime, but not through Eckankar or any other religion. Spiritual growth takes place outside of the "box" of religion.