Mantra in Yoga

I have long since treasured a devotional mp3 song that I often play in my house. Recently, I have found it feels inspiring to repeat the words of the mantra used in the song, it is relaxing. I am now exploring more fully mantra yoga.

Mantra yoga helps us to focus our mind by giving a point of concentration to the manta. Repeating mantra can be considered a form of meditation.

Below are some of my thoughts, and readings I have found;

Mantras (or mantrams) are words, phrases or syllables which are chanted thoughtfully and with growing attention.

"Mantra yoga meditation involves chanting a word or phrase until the mind and emotions are transcended and the superconscious is clearly revealed and experienced.Since the mind wanders so much, the music of a mantra easily rescues the mind and brings it back to the object of one’s meditation.Both the rhythm of it and the meaning of it combine to guide the mind safely back to the point of meditation — the higher consciousness or the specific spiritual focus".

As it is said, there is no religion in yoga, but there is yoga in all religion, I began to whether mantra can be used as a way to reach God and if so, does the choice of words matter?

Some mantras are dedicated to a deity and some mantra are not dedicated to a deity, rather are dedicated to our being and the divine.

On Choice of Mantra, says SwamiJi;

"There are many mantras, words, or compact prayers that can be used for Japa and Ajapa-Japa. Virtually all of the meditation traditions, spiritual lineages, and religions have mantra in one form or another. Some words have specific meaning, while others are seed syllables having only feeling, not literal, word-for-word definitions. Some have religious significance, while others are completely non-sectarian. Some have very subtle effects on energy, while others are more like positive affirmations given to train the conscious mind".

Two mantras that everyone can use, 'aum' or 'om' and the popular, 'so hum' which means 'I am'.

If translate the mantra, 'so hum' (Sanskrit) means 'I am' in English, will the mantra have the same effect?

As it is written in the healing arts website , we have to take care with translation;
"It is important to take note here that the “I” referred to in the mantra “I am” is not the egotistical “I” which we usually identify with our personality self, but instead refers to the absolute Self, the non- dualistic “I am”, which is free of attachment to the ups and downs, happy and sad, the constant coming and going of dualistic thinking in which we are usually mired down".

For me, I will stick to 'so hum' because the sounds resonate for me. The sound vibration I feel reaches to a deeper level than just words or language alone.

Can everyone practise meditation regardless of religious identity?

With regards to Christianity, the healing arts website notes that meditation and reflection is included in all major world religions

"Job1:7
And the Lord said to Satan, where did you come from? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

We need patience and a consistent motivation and effort in the beginning stages of practice until our minds become more focused and clear, so that we can rest in God, without the mind wandering to and fro"

The story and instruction of Christian mantra meditation is told here in the India Times.

"The practice of Christian meditation is very simple. You say your word - from the scripture, or a short devotional phrase. As you recite it you also begin to internally "listen" to it. The word recommended is Ma-ra-na-tha (meaning the Lord comes!)".

Here is a sample for a Christian Mantra mp3 that can be downloaded from The Christian Meditator.

Next post: how to use mantra in yoga

Heartful Meditation

A mediation to cleanse our hearts

Sitting in your comfortable meditation position.
closing our eyes & focusing on where your heart is, in the middle of our chest.
Feeling with your mind, the space where is your heart, as a point of awareness, where feelings accumulate. It might feel weightless, care free and have a subtle light colour white, gold, pale pink or pale blue.
Breathing gently in and out, be aware of your heart, what it speaks to you.
Experiencing the release emotions, memories, wishes, fears, and dreams long stored there, and as it does, you will find yourself paying attention.

Paying attention to your heart is the object of this meditation.

Being with our hearts, spiritual meaning in meditation.
Letting feelings come out, purification.
Listening to your heart without judgment or manipulation, this is attention.

Adapted from Deepak Chopra, The Path to Love, by Deepak Chopra (Three Rivers Press, 1997)

Warmth and Kindness

He Understands. When we tell to God what has happened that we feel badly about, then although He already knows we feel better sharing it with Him. If He wants to tell us something at that moment, in quiet prayer, He will tell it to us. He is always warm and kind. Sometimes even if He tells us something we don't want to hear and we know it to be true, but he is never angry or unkind. He is always there for us.
Peace

Practising Compassion

"The Dalai Lama was very clear that despite the massive suffering Chairman Mao rained down upon the Tibetans, that he was his friend. His Holiness said many times that the Chinese are my friends, for they give me an object for my practice of Compassion". I love this excerpt from Nellie's blog Nellieinindia

"Compassion is a profound human emotion prompted by the pain of others. More vigorous than empathy, the feeling commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another's suffering. It is often, though not inevitably, the key component in what manifests in the social context as altruism. In ethical terms, the various expressions down the ages of the so-called Golden Rule embody by implication the principle of compassion: Do to others what you would have them do to you. Ranked a great virtue in numerous philosophies, compassion is considered in all the major religious traditions as among the greatest of virtues" WIKI

Wound for which there is no Medicine

A wound to the body can be healed by a medicine, however for a wound to the heart, there is no equivalent. We still feel pain, physical pain, but it is not because we have been cut or we have an injury to our external body - the hurt is from within us and there is no medicine. There is only one thing that can heal a wound to the heart and that is love. The giving and protecting love of a mother and those whom love us so, is the one and only thing that can heal the wound to the heart. May everyone receive and cherish such love in their lives.
Peace

What are your experiences of learning yoga?

Have you tried yoga class?
What were your impressions from the class?
Do you have a teacher you would like to recommend?

What Is Yoga?

About 10 years ago I started out learning yoga through raja yoga classes and a few years later I found that gentle hatha yoga can help support my path. I found that hatha yoga helps with relaxation, focus, clarity of mind, also brings subtle benefits, physical, energy & psychemotional through the practise of asana & pranayama.

Through gentle hatha yoga, we practise gentle heating & cooling. This brings the effect of increasing our personal awareness. It makes possible deep relaxation.

Gentle hatha yoga brings good health, by way of balance to the parasympathetic & sympathetic nervous systems, the ida & pingala, and enables us to able to energise and relax our bodies effectively.

When we follow yoga using our intuition, we can explore the kosha bodies (annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamaya, annandamaya) in our own pace with guidance & encouragement.

Yoga is patience also, we are not doing (yoga) for the sake of results, we are doing for the sake of doing at each moment.

Yoga is serving others, to help other people relieving suffering and reaching their potential.

Yoga is love and devotion.

Welcome!

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