Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999; given name Easwaran, family name Eknath) is respected around the world as the originator of passage meditation and an authentic guide to timeless wisdom. His method is a practical approach that fits naturally into any faith, philosophy, or lifestyle, enabling us to bring universal ideals into daily life.
Easwaran was a professor of English literature and well known in India as a writer and speaker before coming to the United States in 1959 on the Fulbright exchange program. In 1960 he began giving regular classes on meditation in the San Francisco Bay Area, including a course at the University of California. In 1961 he founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, which carries on his work today through publications and retreats.
Although known primarily through his books, Easwaran has also personally touched the lives of thousands of people who have heard him speak. During nearly four decades of active spiritual teaching, in thousands of talks and more than two dozen books, he brought timeless wisdom for daily living to an audience that now extends around the globe.
His book Meditation, now titled Passage Meditation, has sold 195,000 copies since it was first published in 1978. Easwaran is also well known for his Classics of Indian Spirituality – The Bhagavad Gita, The Upanishads and The Dhammapada, all bestsellers in their field.
