Since I believe in the existance of one God, I like this book a lot, because Sri. Eswaran does not focus on meditating on a particular belief or religion. This book shows that no matter which spiritual journey (path) you take, you end up in one place. The passages in this book are very uplifting.

eknath easwaran's books are all great .this one is particularly usefull for meditative purposes .in a world where flashy egotism seems so often to be rewarded-we can swim upstream.for a half hour every day we can repeat the beatitudes instead of lusting false boobs . after all we all know right from wrong .we are all that we see according to the gita . we have choices to make . as saint francis says in this book -it is in giving that we receive . let's let easwaran show us how to evolve by putting others first . let all the great sages in this book show us how to quit "selfing".

Many forms of meditation exist. I chose Easwaran's because it's the most pragmatic. His thesis is that what one thinks upon, that he or she shall become. By meditating on a sacred passage from literature, then, the meditator transforms him- or herself into a person of high ideals. There are many other benefits to this kind of meditation--the mind slows down, and doesn't get angry or depressed as often; better concentration. God Makes The Rivers To Flow provides many passages, chosen by Sri. Easwaran, to memorize and use in meditation. It also provides a brief yet thorough explanation of Eknath's meditation style. (For a more detailed description, his book Meditation is highly recommended.) But don't take my (or anyone else's) word for it--if you want to aspire toward a more spiritual life, or if you just want to gain better control over your choices and circumstances, try this book and watch positive changes begin occurring almost immediately.

This is the first book I have read by this author, but I have heard much about him. I agree with other reviews that he presents his topics in a very warm and affectionate manner. It's almost like you're having a conversation with him. Because of that, you can tell that he actually practices what he is teaching.

Easwaran pulls together an interesting mix of Catholic Christian, Hindu, and other middle eastern beliefs to describe the method by which we can attain a perfect love for all things.

In this book, Easwaran takes apart a section of The Imitation of Christ phrase by phrase and shows how it applies to someone seeking spiritual enlightenment through meditation. If you happen to be someone who includes meditation as part of your daily routine, this approach will be very helpful for you. If you never have meditated but at least have an inkling of what it means to be "spiritual" in your life, you can still apply his ideas in your own way. Just replace the word "meditate" with "pray" or "ponder" etc. But only those with an open mind will be able to see the meaning behind the words no matter which religious philosophy you subscribe to.

The reason I rate this only at a four is that as the text that Easwaran is reviewing becomes repetitive, he becomes repetitive as well. So you may end up covering the same topic two or three times using different anecdotes or viewpoints. Sometimes this is done well, but mostly it looks like he is at a loss for a way to pull it together coherently. Overall, I recommend this book for only those who have a mind that is open enough to see beyond the words and read with the eyes of love.

Eaknath Easwaran takes one of the most loved passages from the classical christian work "The Imitation of Christ" and brings it to life. He uses examples from contempary times to demonstrate the applicablity of the text to our modern day circumstances. Always compassionate, insightful, and practical he encourages the reader to remake themselves in a higher image suggested by the passage. He briefly provides a description of tools the reader may use to accomplish the transformation and provides references for indepth instructions of these tools. He assures the reader that "full effort is full victory" and honestly advises the reader that such a transformation is hard work and encourages patience with the transformation. I have read this book twice and will read it again and again. I recommend this book to everyone who would like to transform themselves into a beneficial and benevolent being.

When I purchased this book I was hoping for a detailed account of Gandhi's life from beginning to end and how he effected people and politics. What I got was a limited account of Gandhi's life with emphasis on his spirituality and very little detail of the actual events. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book and it was a useful introduction but it left me yearning for much more.

If you are looking for and introduction to Gandhi's spirituality this is interesting. If you want a detailed history of Gandhi's life, keep looking.

Gandhi is one of my key personal heroes, and I expect he will continue to be for the duration of my life. One of the primary reasons for this is that I draw such inspiration from someone who transformed his life from the mire of confusion and failure that many of us experience, to become a beacon of inspiration, accomplishment and near-flawless integrity. Gandhi's life also identifies the exact ways, means and principles surrounding how integrating and extending spiritual energy can help us in achieving any goal, no matter how daunting it may seem. I have read several books on Gandhi, including "My Experiments with Truth" -- which I recommend with the caveat that it is very laborious reading. "Gandhi the Man" on the other hand, cuts to the chase -- and helps readers to see the essence of the greatness of Gandhi, while also pointing us to the tools that will help us achieve greatness in our own lives (integration of thought, word and deed, meditation, focus on service, etc.). Highly recommended!

The first book I read on my spiritual journey, and a marvelous sendoff. Illustrates the immense power of love, patience and focussed energy that anyone, even the most ordinary or average person, is capable of. Immensely uplifting.

The title of the book displays prominently the names of St. Francis, St. Paul, St.Augustine and Mother Teresa. I was expecting to discover seldom found gems of these saints thoughts. I was quite disappointed to find only the very smallest snippets or their best know words and endless, ponderous ramblings of the author. It was as though he used their names to hook me into listening to him dissect their words in infinite detail.

This wonderful and beautiful trilogy sheds new light on classic Christian texts and individuals. If you're allergic to Christianity, these books will allow you to view the religion in a more tolerant and enlightened perspective. Easwaran's Eastern take on the subjects will both give Christians a different approach to their tradition, and non-Christians a more accessible outlet in which to understand these traditions.