To get ready, find a comfortable seated position either in your meditation space or any other quiet, undisturbed area where you feel safe. If you have not yet had experience with this simple, yet powerful practice, here are two simple mantras to try. Mantra has been called the sound-body of God: It is God in the form of sound. The name of God is not different from God. Each word we use has its own power and produces its own reaction.Ī mantra is no ordinary combination of letters and syllables, but a living force. Both our spiritual and our mundane life are possible only because of words. When letters and syllables come together, they form words. According to ancient Indian belief, in the beginning there was sound, which reverberated as Om (Aum), and from that sound everything came into existence. It is written that God originally manifested as sound. In fact, it has the power to create an entire universe. The breath which repeats itself and symbolizes life itself, is also mantra. When we walk on the earth, our footsteps produce sound, and that is mantra. When wind blows through the trees, the rustling sound is mantra. When water flows, the gurgling sound it makes is mantra. Mantra is sound, and sound is echoing in everything in the universe. The idea is that mantra is intrinsically related to sound. This ancient technique originates in Tibet and India. Just by repeating the name, that which cannot be seen will be seen." "Just by repeating the name, that which cannot be understood will be understood. The idea is to use sound to focus your mind on something bigger than yourself. Mantra repetition is a powerful tool for yoga practitioners who wish to deepen their study. It was the smile of true contentment and joy. What struck me the most was the times during her practice when she would become silent for a moment as a smile spread across her face. I would often stop what I was doing to look at her, careful not to stare too long. I was fascinated by this woman and her mantra. At the same time each evening, a woman would sit on a meditation cushion in the far corner of the temple with mala beads strung over her right wrist as she rhythmically repeated her mantra: Om Namo Narayanaya. My karma yoga assignment was to clean the temple every evening after dinner. Pujas, rituals, mantras, and Upanishad scripture study were going on all the time. In addition, the spiritual energy there was high, so it was also fascinating to observe the traditions of the temple and its grounds. Many other languages were spoken there French, German, Spanish, and Hebrew-I could only follow half of the conversations that took place! Not to mention, all the Sanskrit. My first visit to the yoga ashram was full of new experiences.
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