Customer Reviews

Take Your Time: How to Find Patience, Peace, and Meaning

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Take Your Time: How To Find Patience, Peace & Meaning is the second edition of a classic self-help text by spiritual teacher Eknath Easwaran (1910-1999), originally published in 1994. Written for readers of all religious and spiritual traditions, as well as those of no religious affiliation, Take Your Time is not about any form of dogma, but rather a blend of insights drawn from Eastern and Western spirituality, to apply to the problems of modern life. Chapters mull the importance of focusing on one thing at a time, balancing work, play, relationships, duties, and spirituality, setting aside time for meaningful relationships, and discovering our own real nature within - "We are not imperfect physical creatures. Our essence is spiritual, and our greatest need is simply to discover our real nature." Easwaran's eight fold path of Meditation, Mantram, Slowing Down, One-Pointed Attention, Training the Senses, Putting Others First, Spiritual Companionship, and Reading the Mystics (the writings of great spiritual figures and the scriptures of all religions) is an uplifting and enlightening guide to higher spiritual awareness and the pursuit of contentment in daily life.

I have not read this author in the past. I found the book to be an easy read. His suggestions were very simple and easy to understand. The best part was his ability to explain how to work those suggestions into anyone's lifestyle.

This is an outstanding book for improving the quality of one's life and learning time management. Absolutely outstanding practical tips on how to make most efficient use of one's time. I would recommend it to anyone who feels oppressed by the pressure of time and wants to cultivate good work and personal relationships.
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This is a fabulous book; I know that I will be rereading it periodically because every word is so deeply helpful.

Not what I expected from one of the greatest spiritual writers. BUT, for one just starting to expose oneself to a great road of spiritual enhancement, read it and read all the others. He is wonderful. You will thank me.

I read Easwaran's Mantram Handbook before, and really liked it, so I had high expectations for this book. I must say I liked the Mantram handbook better and the parts I liked from this book were also in the Mantram handbook (which is about lots more than mantrams).
The message is good, and if you are totally new to the idea of mindfulness and slowing down, I guess this is a good book. For me, I quickly grew a bit irritated with the authors examples of people who weren't mindful (all those other people are soo wrong for being busy, but look at me, I am always patient). He tells us about a shopping afternoon with his nieces and tells how patient he was with them. Yeah, sure, I am patient with my nieces and nephews as well. It is easy to be patient around children when you only have to care for them every once in a while. It is much harder to be patient and have patience every day with your own children.

He tells how he stopped eating spicy food because it is not good for you, but that's just way too blank and black and white a statement. Many spices are great for you. I did not find these extremes (his hatred of television is another one) helpful. His concrete suggestions were sometimes difficult. For example, he says that we should overcome or likes and dislikes (a very important concept!) and just watch a movie with our partner, even if we do not think it is particularly interesting. OK, I get that. But then he does say that we should not watch movies that are upsetting. Unfortunately, I think often when a partner does not want to see a movie it is not just because she does not like it, but because the movie is upsetting to her. Easwaran does not discuss this. On the same subject: he says to always be mindful and interested in everything you do. Then he says how he used to watch a certain television series with young people and he asked them "why are they showing the same movie every night"? because to them they all looked the same. How is that for being mindful and interested in the things your friends are interested in?