NB: If you got afraid by seeing the length of the topic & rejecting to go through this, in detail, you will miss a marvelous
opportunity to make your life ever blissful with full of happiness, contentment & eternal peace.
So I request you to go through this thoroughly, might not take more than 10 mins of your precious time.
EVERY matter - from the tiniest DNA strand in us to the largest of continents -
is in a state of constant vibration resulting in the emission of subtle sounds.
The great teachers of ancient times had the power to listen to the subtlest of these sounds. They discovered that
specific sounds energized specific portions of the brain thereby awakening extraordinary powers (Siddhis). They used these sounds to form sacred words that are called Mantras.
Mantras have a profound impact upon us due to two reasons:
- The
vibration effect of the sound; and
- The
effect of the collective emotional energy behind that word due to constant repetition over time.
Benefits of Mantras
Mantras act upon our bodies
by reprogramming the vibrations of the cells that have somehow gone askew. They restore the pattern of sounds at the heart of each and every cell, thus pushing the cells toward
harmonious health & sharp intellect.
Mantras affect not only our physical body but also our subtle body - our emotions, intellect and soul. They positively affect our aura - the energy shields surrounding our body.
Energy of a Mantra
We hear any word and have an
emotional reaction to it. This is because we are conditioned by OUR experiences connected to that word AND the collective emotions that people have towards that word.
As an example, the word "mother" when spoken with deliberation, evokes an emotional energy realignment. Just imagine the power of sounds repeated billions of times, with great collective devotion and over centuries!
These sounds form the heart of Mantras and deeply influence the energy alignment within us.
Mantra Meditation
Repetition of a Mantra is a powerful way of keeping us in the Present and stilling our "monkey mind", which is forever jumping uncontrollably from one thought to another.
The moment we inculcate the practice of being "intensely"
present - with neither any 'baggage' of the subconscious
past nor the remotest anxiety of the
future -
we, then, automatically experience great peace, profound silence and supreme joy!
This, in fact, is
the process and goal of meditation and using mantras is a very effective way to achieve it!
Using Japa Malas for Meditation
Repetition of a mantra is called Japa and a Japa Mala is a string of beads used to count the repetition of a mantra.
The act of turning the beads while recitation of the mantra is extremely
effective in keeping you in the present. Equally important is that
it keeps you 'grounded' as you advance in meditation and helps you continually gain from the material properties of the beads.
It also helps us to
keep the measure, as while meditating we should not loose our concentration to check how much time have elapsed or how long we need to continue to achieve the target (that we ve set before we start).
As you do Japa, you will invariably encounter wandering thoughts even as you repeat the Mantra mechanically. In such a case, gently refocus without getting agitated.
The beauty of a Mantra is that EVEN a mechanical repetition exposes you to the benefits of the sacred sounds.
There are various Mantras and Japa mala beads that you can use to make your meditative journey relatively smooth. But we have to be bit careful while choosing the mantra, as not any & every word can be considered as the sacred sound to be meditated upon. Some people gets misguided & as they wont get the benefit, they start blaming the Mantra Meditation procedure.
In this scientific arena, we rarely believe on the fact, unless its been
scientifically proved or has shown
practical benefit to a considerable mass. I think no one can deny the power of "ÖM Kara", "Gayatri Mantra"& the ultimate one "
Hare Krishna Maha Mantra".
In every age there are certain ways we could achieve excellence through meditation & for this age ( The Age of Kali - Kali Yuga) "
Hare Krishna Maha Mantra" is prescribed.
Its based on the references found in many of our ancient scriptures, not on anyone's mental speculations.
Its not only popularly adopted in our country, but also followed by thousands of people from Western Countries & their experience can be refereed to strengthen our faith.
For more reference please visit :
http://www.krishna.com/some-scriptural-references-hare-krishna-maha-mantra
In conclusion, Mantras are one of the most effective ways to experience supreme bliss and freedom from the bondage of the uncontrolled mind.
A common myth: Mantra Meditation is meant only for Old age group.
This is the biggest myth, as not only old people want peace & happiness in their life, but everyone wants. Its just a fact that due to our own ignorance we tend to suffer till we seek the Supreme Lord's assistance & generally people do that in their old age, when their FALSE EGO gets shattered.
Lets chant
" Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare... " .
& move towards a blissful life.
Procedure for chanting Hare Krishna Maha Mantra:
1. Take any chanting mala with 108 beads with an extra head bead. (preferably Tulsi or Neem mala).
2. At the first bead chant the Panchatatwa Mantra: (One time)
"Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda,
Sri Advaita Gadadhara, Sri Vasadi Gaura bhakta vrinda.".
3. Then chant Hare Krishna Maha Mantra: (108 times)
" Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare..." .
My philosophy: Try before you come to any conclusion.
Jai Shree Krishna :-)
