Mantra Yoga
Mantra Yoga
It
is written in the Vedic scriptures that in Kali Yuga, the age of evil,
Mantra Yoga is the fastest road to self-realisation and
liberation. According to Vedic calculations we are presently in Kali
Yuga, and at the end of an age according to the Mayan calendar and
scripture. It will be our generation that sees the ending of this age of
evil, and hopefully, the beginning of a new Golden Age – provided we
earn our place in it. In Kali Yuga three of the four virtues of man are
gone, the last virtue, truthfulness, being slowly eroded as well. When
you look around you, how many people are really truthful, not just with
words, but actually living in truth? Very few, indeed!
In Kali Yuga there is said to be evil pervading all layers of society, false teachers, evil leaders, break down of family and society, a corruption of all that is good, failing of crops etc. We will all be tested, my friends, for what is in our hearts and what we are made of. We will all have to face dangers and horrors that none of our ancestors ever had to face. Are you ready? If not, consider, there is one thing, one super-weapon against evil, one powerful shield of protection you can still acquire now in the short time that remains, and that is mantra.
In Kali Yuga there is said to be evil pervading all layers of society, false teachers, evil leaders, break down of family and society, a corruption of all that is good, failing of crops etc. We will all be tested, my friends, for what is in our hearts and what we are made of. We will all have to face dangers and horrors that none of our ancestors ever had to face. Are you ready? If not, consider, there is one thing, one super-weapon against evil, one powerful shield of protection you can still acquire now in the short time that remains, and that is mantra.
What is Mantra?
Mantra
is the sound body of God / Goddess. By repeating a mantra you are
creating the sound body of a particular deity on the astral, ultimately
leading to you getting Darshan (a vision / visitation and blessing) of
that deity. With further practice self-realisation or illumination takes
place in due course of time. Naturally that doesn’t happen over night,
it takes many repetitions to get there. The important thing to know is
that the mantra and the deity are one, they are inseparable, the way
water cannot be divorced of its wetness. Attempting to do mantra
practice, also called japa, without giving any respect or worship to the
deity of the mantra is therefore doomed to fail.
Mantra is pure power in sound form. Mantra can cure diseases, heal scorpion sting or snake bite, mantra can protect from all evil, from demons and bad spirits. Mantra brings abundance, health and happiness, worldly success and spiritual liberation. Mantra is the power of God, given to us as a tool to get self-realisation or illumination. Mantra bestows all good things. Mantra overcomes all obstacles, adversity, pain and suffering, all evil, demons and entities. Mantra is the fastest way to liberation and the best spiritual path in Kali Yuga.
Mantra is pure power in sound form. Mantra can cure diseases, heal scorpion sting or snake bite, mantra can protect from all evil, from demons and bad spirits. Mantra brings abundance, health and happiness, worldly success and spiritual liberation. Mantra is the power of God, given to us as a tool to get self-realisation or illumination. Mantra bestows all good things. Mantra overcomes all obstacles, adversity, pain and suffering, all evil, demons and entities. Mantra is the fastest way to liberation and the best spiritual path in Kali Yuga.
Characteristics of a True Mantra
There
are certain characteristics that a mantra must have to rightfully be
called a mantra. Some people think that any phrase or combinations of
syllables is a mantra, but that is not so. They make up their own
“mantras” but those do not have the power of mantras. Phrases such as “I
am an embodiment of love and peace” are just slogans. They may be
useful for positive thinking but they do not have the power of a true
mantra. A true mantra has the following characteristics:
-
It was discovered by a Rishi, a self-realised sage or saint who had self-realisation through that particular mantra.
- It has a pin or pillar, which is like a plug that seals the mantra's power and keeps it inaccessible.
- The pin can only be removed by a certain number of repetitions. Due to
our impurities this number can be considerably higher than what is
prescribed in the scriptures.
- The mantra has a specific metre. Incorrect pronunciation of mantra brings no results or ill results.
- Mantras generally are in Sanskrit also called Devanagari, the language of the gods.
Types of Mantras
Generally
mantras can be divided in two categories: abstract mantras and deity
mantras. What mantra is best for you depends on your temperament and
character, and for what purpose you wish to do mantra sadhana. A sadhana
is a spiritual practice or discipline which can either be for the
attaining of liberation, of a specific worldly goal, or for gaining
siddhis (spiritual powers). There are pros and cons to the practice of
abstract or deity mantras. It really all depends on your preference and
what you wish to achieve. All mantras lead to liberation eventually.
Choosing the right one for you can make it much faster and easier
though.
Abstract Mantras
The
most common abstract mantras are Soham or Om. Abstract mantras do not
have a particular deity associated with them, which makes them more
attractive to many modern people who due to brainwashing by mainstream
religion have become so disillusioned with religion that they have
become unwilling and incapable of accepting God / Goddess in any form.
Om or Soham can be repeated by anybody. However, because they are
abstract mantras it is more difficult to achieve success, i.e. self
realisation with those mantras, as the human mind has problems grasping
the abstract. Self-realisation is god-realisation, there really is no
difference.
With abstract mantras, also sometimes called impersonal mantras, you will realise God without form, the formless Brahman directly. For most people this is very difficult hence it can take very long, even several lifetimes. Also the factor of grace, bestowed upon by deity is missing in abstract mantra. Personally I would not choose an abstract mantra as my own personal mantra. I like the loving relationship with God / Goddess, but that's just me. However, abstract mantras are great for beginners who may not choose to be initiated into a mantra yet. Om and Soham bestow inner peace and serenity and purify the mind. They are both very powerful mantras. Even if you have been initiated into a deity mantra you can still repeat these sometimes. They are universal mantras, suitable for all and you can't go wrong with them.
With abstract mantras, also sometimes called impersonal mantras, you will realise God without form, the formless Brahman directly. For most people this is very difficult hence it can take very long, even several lifetimes. Also the factor of grace, bestowed upon by deity is missing in abstract mantra. Personally I would not choose an abstract mantra as my own personal mantra. I like the loving relationship with God / Goddess, but that's just me. However, abstract mantras are great for beginners who may not choose to be initiated into a mantra yet. Om and Soham bestow inner peace and serenity and purify the mind. They are both very powerful mantras. Even if you have been initiated into a deity mantra you can still repeat these sometimes. They are universal mantras, suitable for all and you can't go wrong with them.
Deity Mantras
These
are mantras that belong to a particular deity, male or female, such as
Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu, Durga, Lakshmi, Ganesha, Sarasvati, etc. During
mantra initiation the Guru (dispeller of darkness) transfers the mantra
power onto his / her disciple. This activates the mantra so that the
student will have faster success. Through regular practice, generally
over many years, the pin of the mantra is removed and the power of the
mantra released. With some deities, such as Shiva,
direct god-realisation results, with other mantras, such as Hanuman
mantra, realisation of God with form comes first, then realisation of
the formless Brahman. When you use a deity mantra you should always
worship the deity also. The mantra is not just a magical word that gives
you what you want, like abracadabra… it is God in a sound body! There
are strict rules on practice of mantra when doing japa (mantra
repetition) for the attainment of a worldly goal. When doing japa for
self-realisation the rules are not quite so strict. Once initiated in a
mantra you never change the mantra, you never change your personal
deity, and you never change your Guru or spiritual preceptor. Therefore
be clear about what you are doing before you make the commitment. If
you choose the wrong partner, you can still get a divorce, unpleasant
and painful as it may be. But you cannot or should not change your
mantra -- provided it is a true mantra and you were initiated into it by
a true self-realised Guru.
The deity and the mantra are one. By repeating the mantra you gradually change your own vibration until it matches the deity's. Therefore choosing the right mantra, one that is closest to your essence is going to bring much faster results than randomly choosing any mantra, which you may have great problem adjusting your vibration to. It is said that by repeating a mantra you become similar in attributes to the deity of that mantra. I remember in the beginning I was unwilling to choose Shiva as my personal deity as I was really worried I would become a recluse – after all I had spent most of my childhood and youth alone and in solitude. I didn’t think I could stand any more loneliness. But in the end my heart chose, not my head. Did I get loneliness? Plenty, but you can’t escape your karma, all you can do is change your attitude and your viewpoint. So I learned to love silence and solitude and now the solitary lifestyle suits me. I find great peace and power in solitude. If you are very sociable and extrovert, Shiva mantra may not be for you.
The deity and the mantra are one. By repeating the mantra you gradually change your own vibration until it matches the deity's. Therefore choosing the right mantra, one that is closest to your essence is going to bring much faster results than randomly choosing any mantra, which you may have great problem adjusting your vibration to. It is said that by repeating a mantra you become similar in attributes to the deity of that mantra. I remember in the beginning I was unwilling to choose Shiva as my personal deity as I was really worried I would become a recluse – after all I had spent most of my childhood and youth alone and in solitude. I didn’t think I could stand any more loneliness. But in the end my heart chose, not my head. Did I get loneliness? Plenty, but you can’t escape your karma, all you can do is change your attitude and your viewpoint. So I learned to love silence and solitude and now the solitary lifestyle suits me. I find great peace and power in solitude. If you are very sociable and extrovert, Shiva mantra may not be for you.
The Power of Mantra
Purification
Mantra is very purifying. The first thing it does is remove everything that is not aligned with the Divine. That usually starts with the mind. You will find that when you sit for mantra meditation all kind of thoughts, memories and emotions are coming up. Those should be witnessed without judgement. The mind is being defragmented, like your hard disk, by the power of mantra. Mantra also purifies the energy body, and even the physical body eventually, after all the physical body is just the densest manifestation of the energy body which is the blue print and template of the physical body. When the energy body gets transformed the physical body too will change.
Development of Mind Power
Mantra not only purifies but strengthens the mind and the will power. A strong mind can achieve much more. The saying "mind over matter" is true indeed. A true Yogi can accomplish impossible seeming feats. The mind has been described as a wild monkey. It jumps around and never is still. Yoga, and in particularly the repetition of a mantra, also called Japa, teaches the mind stillness and concentration. It leads to inner peace and development of a powerful will and strong mind. With concentration work can be accomplished in a fraction of time and consequently greater success in life is ensured. From a spiritual point of view concentration is vital for attaining the higher stages of meditation, such as samadhi or self-realisation. A scattered mind is weak, a focused concentrated mind is strong. Mantra will tame the wild monkey and get your mind under your control! You will be the master of your fate, not the slave of your senses!
For the average man the greatest part of his mind is unconscious and not under his own conscious control. Therefore most people can easily be led astray and manipulated by those who wish to deceive, exploit or harm them. That is why the powers that be are having such an easy time in deceiving and controlling most of the world population. They may deceive the sheeple brainwashed by TV, but never a true Yogi. A Yogi's mind is strong and pure. It is like a laser beam, sharp and penetrating. It clearly cuts through the illusion and sees truth. A Yogi has control over his own mind. And therefore a Yogi cannot be mind controlled or hypnotised -- one more good reason why you should begin to purify and control your mind, and what better way to do it than by repetition of a proper mantra!
Building the Body of Light
Through mantra you can build your body of light and evolve spiritually. The development of the chakras and the energy body is in direct relationship to one's spiritual development and level of consciousness. Mantra purifies the mind and the energy body. It raises vibration and makes us more divine. As a natural consequence of this the Body of Light begins to develop. In addition, if you are working with a deity mantra, when the God or Goddess of the mantra is pleased with you and your devotion to them, they can bestow the imperishable Body of Light onto you. The more intense your efforts, the greater your devotion, the faster you will progress!
Protection
Mantra protects you from calamities, injuries, accidents, black magick and all evil. There are special mantras that help get rid of black magick, others such as the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra protect specifically from accidents and diseases. But all mantras are protective, and if you have a deity mantra and your devotion and love for your chosen deity, also called Ishta Devata is genuine and true, then you will be under their protection. When in a situation of danger mentally recite your mantra, and nothing can touch you. Please read my articles The Power of Mantra and In the Void for personal experiences of being saved by my mantra!
Healing
Mantra can cure disease. In the Vedic scriptures mantras are prescribed for various diseases and afflictions. The mantra of the God Surya, the sun god, for example, is said to cure eye problems. The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is famous for improving health and curing diseases. I have personally experienced certain physical problems and pain going away in an hour or two of deep mantra meditation. For success in mantra cure, one needs great faith, persistence, strong desire for healing and most of all intense practice and devotion. Strict observance of the rules for japa and Anushtana (mantra recitation for attainment of a specific goal) apply.
Inner Peace
Mantra is unequalled in bestowing inner peace. And when we are at peace with ourselves we are likely to keep peace with our fellow man. In families with several meditators, things just run a lot smoother and more harmonious. Peace is contagious, once you have it, people around you begin to feel it too and some will be inspired by you and begin to change as well. Peace is our natural state, we are just being kept off balance by being bombarded with negativity through the media and by electromagnetic waves. In a world gone mad and chaotic, mantra can be your anchor, your safe haven in the storm. You will soon become so used to the feeling of inner peace that you will loose interest in low vibration entertainment and activities. The peace of Brahman is so indescribably blissful, once you have tasted it, nothing else can tempt you anymore. All you want is that state of peace and bliss which is your birthright, attainable through mantra!
Transformation
Mantra transforms you on all levels and makes you progress from being animal-man to man-man and finally to god-man. If we all did an hour of mantra meditation daily, there would be no more wars. We would begin to live like real humans, loving and giving, caring and nurturing. Mantra is the way to liberation, and makes an end to the wheel of birth and death. Therefore mantra is said to bring immortality.
Asato Ma Sat Gamaya
Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya
Mrtyor Ma Amritat Gamaya
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Translation
Lead me from the Unreal to the Real
Lead me from Darkness to the Light
Lead me from Death to Immortality
Om Peace Peace Peace
Mantra is very purifying. The first thing it does is remove everything that is not aligned with the Divine. That usually starts with the mind. You will find that when you sit for mantra meditation all kind of thoughts, memories and emotions are coming up. Those should be witnessed without judgement. The mind is being defragmented, like your hard disk, by the power of mantra. Mantra also purifies the energy body, and even the physical body eventually, after all the physical body is just the densest manifestation of the energy body which is the blue print and template of the physical body. When the energy body gets transformed the physical body too will change.
Development of Mind Power
Mantra not only purifies but strengthens the mind and the will power. A strong mind can achieve much more. The saying "mind over matter" is true indeed. A true Yogi can accomplish impossible seeming feats. The mind has been described as a wild monkey. It jumps around and never is still. Yoga, and in particularly the repetition of a mantra, also called Japa, teaches the mind stillness and concentration. It leads to inner peace and development of a powerful will and strong mind. With concentration work can be accomplished in a fraction of time and consequently greater success in life is ensured. From a spiritual point of view concentration is vital for attaining the higher stages of meditation, such as samadhi or self-realisation. A scattered mind is weak, a focused concentrated mind is strong. Mantra will tame the wild monkey and get your mind under your control! You will be the master of your fate, not the slave of your senses!
For the average man the greatest part of his mind is unconscious and not under his own conscious control. Therefore most people can easily be led astray and manipulated by those who wish to deceive, exploit or harm them. That is why the powers that be are having such an easy time in deceiving and controlling most of the world population. They may deceive the sheeple brainwashed by TV, but never a true Yogi. A Yogi's mind is strong and pure. It is like a laser beam, sharp and penetrating. It clearly cuts through the illusion and sees truth. A Yogi has control over his own mind. And therefore a Yogi cannot be mind controlled or hypnotised -- one more good reason why you should begin to purify and control your mind, and what better way to do it than by repetition of a proper mantra!
Building the Body of Light
Through mantra you can build your body of light and evolve spiritually. The development of the chakras and the energy body is in direct relationship to one's spiritual development and level of consciousness. Mantra purifies the mind and the energy body. It raises vibration and makes us more divine. As a natural consequence of this the Body of Light begins to develop. In addition, if you are working with a deity mantra, when the God or Goddess of the mantra is pleased with you and your devotion to them, they can bestow the imperishable Body of Light onto you. The more intense your efforts, the greater your devotion, the faster you will progress!
Protection
Mantra protects you from calamities, injuries, accidents, black magick and all evil. There are special mantras that help get rid of black magick, others such as the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra protect specifically from accidents and diseases. But all mantras are protective, and if you have a deity mantra and your devotion and love for your chosen deity, also called Ishta Devata is genuine and true, then you will be under their protection. When in a situation of danger mentally recite your mantra, and nothing can touch you. Please read my articles The Power of Mantra and In the Void for personal experiences of being saved by my mantra!
Healing
Mantra can cure disease. In the Vedic scriptures mantras are prescribed for various diseases and afflictions. The mantra of the God Surya, the sun god, for example, is said to cure eye problems. The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is famous for improving health and curing diseases. I have personally experienced certain physical problems and pain going away in an hour or two of deep mantra meditation. For success in mantra cure, one needs great faith, persistence, strong desire for healing and most of all intense practice and devotion. Strict observance of the rules for japa and Anushtana (mantra recitation for attainment of a specific goal) apply.
Inner Peace
Mantra is unequalled in bestowing inner peace. And when we are at peace with ourselves we are likely to keep peace with our fellow man. In families with several meditators, things just run a lot smoother and more harmonious. Peace is contagious, once you have it, people around you begin to feel it too and some will be inspired by you and begin to change as well. Peace is our natural state, we are just being kept off balance by being bombarded with negativity through the media and by electromagnetic waves. In a world gone mad and chaotic, mantra can be your anchor, your safe haven in the storm. You will soon become so used to the feeling of inner peace that you will loose interest in low vibration entertainment and activities. The peace of Brahman is so indescribably blissful, once you have tasted it, nothing else can tempt you anymore. All you want is that state of peace and bliss which is your birthright, attainable through mantra!
Transformation
Mantra transforms you on all levels and makes you progress from being animal-man to man-man and finally to god-man. If we all did an hour of mantra meditation daily, there would be no more wars. We would begin to live like real humans, loving and giving, caring and nurturing. Mantra is the way to liberation, and makes an end to the wheel of birth and death. Therefore mantra is said to bring immortality.
Asato Ma Sat Gamaya
Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya
Mrtyor Ma Amritat Gamaya
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Translation
Lead me from the Unreal to the Real
Lead me from Darkness to the Light
Lead me from Death to Immortality
Om Peace Peace Peace
Simple Instructions for Mantra Practice
The
following instructions are very basic and just meant to get you
started. I suggest you read a relevant book on Japa or mantra sadhana if
you are a serious practitioner. The book "Meditation and Mantras" by
Swami Vishnu-devananda is an excellent and comprehensive work and I
highly recommend it. Generally people do mantra for either a particular
goal or power they want to attain or for liberation aka
self-realisation. The rules for the two are different, and of course,
self-realisation generally takes longer than say praying for good
business or curing of disease.
Working with a Mala
It is recommended to use a mala or prayer beads for practice of mantras. The prayer beads serve several purposes. First of all, the mala will help you focus during your mantra practice (aka japa). If your concentration wanes you will notice yourself slowing down, and if the mind gets dull and sleepy you will usually stop counting the beads, or the mala will slip from your fingers, jolting you awake once more.
When repeating one's Ishta devata mantra or Guru mantra purely for the purpose of attaining self realisation one can at times work without a mala, and mentally repeat the mantra during daily activities, such as cooking, gardening etc. But even then it is beneficial to have at least one session of japa a day where one sits quietly and meditates on the mantra with the use of a mala. After a while simply touching your mala will put you into a meditative and peaceful state. The mala will become charged up with divine vibrations.
The mala can be made of wood, such as sandalwood, of the seeds of sacred plants, such as Rudraksha seeds which are sacred to Shiva, or Lotus seeds which are sacred to Lakshmi. The mala can also be made of crystals and gemstones, such as carnelian, lapis lazuli, quartz crystal, etc. The type of plant used or the type of crystal the mala is made of should resonate with the deity of the mantra. With a little bit of research you can find out which one is suitable for your personal deity.
Both wood and crystals hold energy very well, crystals even more so. The power of your prayers and the sacred vibration of the mantras you are repeating will eventually infuse the mala, making it very powerful and divine. As a power object, your prayer beads should never be touched or even be seen by another, same as your personal mantra is best kept secret and revealed to nobody.
The mala also has to be kept impeccably clean both physically and energetically.
The general rules for working with a mala are:
- only use the right hand (the left hand is seen as impure)
- roll the beads between thumb and middle finger, not utilising the index finger which symbolises ego
- the beads must not hang below the navel, nor fall in your lap touching your private parts or your feet.
- ideally they should be held over your heart chakra while you repeating the mantra mentally.
As it is difficult to hold the beads up for so long, and arm and shoulder pain are sure to follow, many practitioners of japa use a mala bag, not just to keep the beads in when not in use, but to actually count them in. The ideal mala bag has two openings: one to put your whole hand in so you can comfortably roll the beads without others seeing your mala. The second, smaller opening is to hang your index finger out, so you will not touch the mala with your "ego finger" inadvertently. A good mala bag usually also has a strap to go around your neck, allowing you to roll the beads while walking or sitting without your arm getting tired. These bags are available at ISKCON centres for example. Whilst I personally do not worship Krishna, I must say the Hare Krishna people make the nicest and most practical mala bags. Try to get a mala bag in the correct colour for your personal deity or embroidered with images or the Sanskrit of the mantra you are using. This is important to honour the deity and because of resonance of energies.
With a proper mala bag you can sit in deep meditation, with the mala bag in your lap, your arm relaxed, while the mala is perfectly protected from any negative energies or from touching taboo body parts or the evil eye, that is jealous and malicious looks of others, that can attract bad luck.
The mala itself must have 108 beads plus the Guru bead, which is the bigger bead to which the tassels are attached. The Guru bead, as the name says, represents the Guru who must not be crossed. Therefore when counting the beads, you go to the Guru bead, then turn the mala and go back in the opposite direction, never "crossing" the Guru.
When repeating one's Ishta devata mantra or Guru mantra purely for the purpose of attaining self realisation one can at times work without a mala, and mentally repeat the mantra during daily activities, such as cooking, gardening etc. But even then it is beneficial to have at least one session of japa a day where one sits quietly and meditates on the mantra with the use of a mala. After a while simply touching your mala will put you into a meditative and peaceful state. The mala will become charged up with divine vibrations.
The mala can be made of wood, such as sandalwood, of the seeds of sacred plants, such as Rudraksha seeds which are sacred to Shiva, or Lotus seeds which are sacred to Lakshmi. The mala can also be made of crystals and gemstones, such as carnelian, lapis lazuli, quartz crystal, etc. The type of plant used or the type of crystal the mala is made of should resonate with the deity of the mantra. With a little bit of research you can find out which one is suitable for your personal deity.
Both wood and crystals hold energy very well, crystals even more so. The power of your prayers and the sacred vibration of the mantras you are repeating will eventually infuse the mala, making it very powerful and divine. As a power object, your prayer beads should never be touched or even be seen by another, same as your personal mantra is best kept secret and revealed to nobody.
The mala also has to be kept impeccably clean both physically and energetically.
The general rules for working with a mala are:
- only use the right hand (the left hand is seen as impure)
- roll the beads between thumb and middle finger, not utilising the index finger which symbolises ego
- the beads must not hang below the navel, nor fall in your lap touching your private parts or your feet.
- ideally they should be held over your heart chakra while you repeating the mantra mentally.
As it is difficult to hold the beads up for so long, and arm and shoulder pain are sure to follow, many practitioners of japa use a mala bag, not just to keep the beads in when not in use, but to actually count them in. The ideal mala bag has two openings: one to put your whole hand in so you can comfortably roll the beads without others seeing your mala. The second, smaller opening is to hang your index finger out, so you will not touch the mala with your "ego finger" inadvertently. A good mala bag usually also has a strap to go around your neck, allowing you to roll the beads while walking or sitting without your arm getting tired. These bags are available at ISKCON centres for example. Whilst I personally do not worship Krishna, I must say the Hare Krishna people make the nicest and most practical mala bags. Try to get a mala bag in the correct colour for your personal deity or embroidered with images or the Sanskrit of the mantra you are using. This is important to honour the deity and because of resonance of energies.
With a proper mala bag you can sit in deep meditation, with the mala bag in your lap, your arm relaxed, while the mala is perfectly protected from any negative energies or from touching taboo body parts or the evil eye, that is jealous and malicious looks of others, that can attract bad luck.
The mala itself must have 108 beads plus the Guru bead, which is the bigger bead to which the tassels are attached. The Guru bead, as the name says, represents the Guru who must not be crossed. Therefore when counting the beads, you go to the Guru bead, then turn the mala and go back in the opposite direction, never "crossing" the Guru.
Mantra for Achieving a Goal
Choose
a deity who presides over what you need to accomplish, for example
Ganesha for removing obstacles or for wealth, Lakshmi for abundance,
Sarasvati for eloquence, learning, the arts, etc. You will have to
repeat the chosen mantra at least 125,000 times, that is 1250 malas. A
mala is a prayer bead of 108 beads. Though there are 108 beads on a
mala, for calculating the number of mantras done you assume it to be 100
beads. The extra 8 beads are for sloppy pronunciation, skipping beads in
meditation etc. I recommend you get yourself a clicker counter to
record each mala you have completed. When in deep meditation numbers
won't mean anything to you anymore, and having to make a mark for
each round on a piece of paper will distract you and pull you out of
deeper states of meditation. Plus, with the clicker you can just forget
about the numbers instead of doing mental accounting with God.
The required number of repetitions should be accomplished in a set number of days, usually in 30 or maximum 41 days. Before you begin, calculate how many malas per day you will need to do, and try out how many malas you do approximately in an hour. Once you know your speed you can calculate how many hours per day to set aside. Make a plan at what time of day you will do mantra sadhana, and how many malas you will do in each session and stick strictly to the number. For example, you may decide to do 45 malas a day: 25 in the morning and 20 in the evening. Stick strictly to the numbers you promised to do, or you may not gain the desired fruit of the mantra sadhana. Do not skip any day, or the sadhana (spiritual discipline) is broken! In this case you have to start over from zero (I can tell a tale of this...). Negativity will come up to disrupt your practice. You must be very strong and determined to go on no matter what is thrown at you. You will be tested, be ready!
Also, for mantra sadhana for the obtaining of a goal very strict rules apply as to cleanliness, celibacy etc. If you ignore those you may not obtain the desired result. Do the mantra in your personal room, meditation room or a serene place in nature. Do not count mantras done while on a bus, shopping, in company of others or while walking.
The required number of repetitions should be accomplished in a set number of days, usually in 30 or maximum 41 days. Before you begin, calculate how many malas per day you will need to do, and try out how many malas you do approximately in an hour. Once you know your speed you can calculate how many hours per day to set aside. Make a plan at what time of day you will do mantra sadhana, and how many malas you will do in each session and stick strictly to the number. For example, you may decide to do 45 malas a day: 25 in the morning and 20 in the evening. Stick strictly to the numbers you promised to do, or you may not gain the desired fruit of the mantra sadhana. Do not skip any day, or the sadhana (spiritual discipline) is broken! In this case you have to start over from zero (I can tell a tale of this...). Negativity will come up to disrupt your practice. You must be very strong and determined to go on no matter what is thrown at you. You will be tested, be ready!
Also, for mantra sadhana for the obtaining of a goal very strict rules apply as to cleanliness, celibacy etc. If you ignore those you may not obtain the desired result. Do the mantra in your personal room, meditation room or a serene place in nature. Do not count mantras done while on a bus, shopping, in company of others or while walking.
Mantra for Liberation / Self Realisation
This
would be your personal mantra, as given to you by your guru, or chosen
by you. This personal mantra you never change, you stick with it until
you have success, i.e. self realisation. Once this happens you will not
want to change it anyway as you will be filled with deep love and gratitude. You
can then work with other mantras occasionally for attainment of a goal,
if you desire, but it is important always to come back to one's
personal or Guru mantra.
Before the power of your mantra gets unlocked you will have to do at least one Purascharana. A Purascharana means repeating the mantra 100,000 times for each syllable of the mantra. The syllable Om is not included in this calculation. For example, Om Namah Shivaya is a five syllable mantra and will therefore have to be repeated at least 500,000 times before results can be obtained. Om Namo Narayanaya is a seven syllable mantra, and will have to be repeated at least 700,000 times. Because of impurities, (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual), it may take considerably longer to have success. But it will certainly happen eventually if you do your Japa (mantra practice) with faith and perseverance.
There is no doubt about it, results will be obtained. How fast depends on your level of faith, purity, commitment, intensity of practice and devotion. You will notice that the mantra transforms you mentally, long before you attain physical changes or have the cosmic experience or illumination. Mantra first has to purify you, strengthen you and make you ready, so that the power and bliss of the Divine can come into you without you taking harm. Mantra awakens the Kundalini, and that is an awesome force. Your energy body and your nadis (meridians, energy channels) need to be prepared for the awakening and rising of Kundalini. This is no mean feat as there are 72,000 nadis and only Lord Shiva knows them all. When Kundalini Shakti finally unites with Her Lord Shiva in the crown chakra, self-realisation or illumination takes place.
Mantra prepares the way and gets you there, safely and faster than any other method.
The road may be long and winding, but it surely leads to liberation.
So keep practising and have faith!
May you all be blessed with
Peace and Illumination!
Before the power of your mantra gets unlocked you will have to do at least one Purascharana. A Purascharana means repeating the mantra 100,000 times for each syllable of the mantra. The syllable Om is not included in this calculation. For example, Om Namah Shivaya is a five syllable mantra and will therefore have to be repeated at least 500,000 times before results can be obtained. Om Namo Narayanaya is a seven syllable mantra, and will have to be repeated at least 700,000 times. Because of impurities, (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual), it may take considerably longer to have success. But it will certainly happen eventually if you do your Japa (mantra practice) with faith and perseverance.
There is no doubt about it, results will be obtained. How fast depends on your level of faith, purity, commitment, intensity of practice and devotion. You will notice that the mantra transforms you mentally, long before you attain physical changes or have the cosmic experience or illumination. Mantra first has to purify you, strengthen you and make you ready, so that the power and bliss of the Divine can come into you without you taking harm. Mantra awakens the Kundalini, and that is an awesome force. Your energy body and your nadis (meridians, energy channels) need to be prepared for the awakening and rising of Kundalini. This is no mean feat as there are 72,000 nadis and only Lord Shiva knows them all. When Kundalini Shakti finally unites with Her Lord Shiva in the crown chakra, self-realisation or illumination takes place.
Mantra prepares the way and gets you there, safely and faster than any other method.
The road may be long and winding, but it surely leads to liberation.
So keep practising and have faith!
May you all be blessed with
Peace and Illumination!
Copyright © Avalon Sakti, 24.11.2010
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