Yoga meditation - mantra meditation
August 3rd, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
A mantra meditation uses a mantra as your object of focus.
A mantra is a word or phrase that has the power to catalyze a shift into deeper, more peaceful states of awareness. The mantra most use for this meditation is: Aum (or OM). Aum does not have a literal translation. Rather, it is the essential vibration of the universe. If you were to tune into the actual sound of the cosmos, the perpetual sound of Aummm is what you would hear.
Although this mantra is sometimes chanted aloud, in this meditation, you will be repeating the mantra mentally… silently. Before we get to the actual steps, there are a few important points to be aware of.
One of the keys to this meditation is repeating the mantra gently or faintly in your mind.
The power of this technique comes from letting go and allowing your attention to dive into the deeper realms of awareness. Therefore, even though you will be focusing on the mantra, staying focused on the mantra is not the aim of this meditation. Trying too hard to stay focused would keep your attention from descending into the deeper realms. Instead, you will be repeating the mantra with “minimal effort”, and giving your mind the space to wander a bit.
Resist the temptation to make something happen, and allow the mantra to do the work.
This meditation easily produces a shift into deeper, more peaceful states of awareness. (The degree of this will vary from session to session.) It increases the flow of energy to the brain and clears away a good deal of physical and emotional toxins.
Because of this detoxification, it is best to keep this meditation to 10 or 15 minutes a day when first beginning. After a month or so, it can be increased to 20 minutes, but that should be the maximum for anyone who does not have quite a few years of meditation experience. Also, it is advisable to drink a lot of pure water. Finally, mantra meditation accelerates spiritual growth as you achieve a state of relaxation and self-awareness.
Sit comfortably, with your eyes closed and your spine reasonably straight.
Begin repeating the mantra gently in your mind.
Repeat the mantra at whatever tempo feels most natural. There is no need to synchronize the mantra with your breathing, but if this occurs naturally, it’s ok.
Allow the mantra to arise more faintly in your mind… repeating it with minimal effort.
Continue repeating the mantra faintly, and allow for whatever happens.
If at any time, you feel that you are slipping into a sleep-like or dream-like state, wake up. Meditation isn’t snoozing, it’s focused concentration.
When you notice that your attention has drifted completely off the mantra, gently begin repeating it again, and continue with minimal effort.
After 10 or 15 minutes, stop repeating the mantra, and come out of your meditation slowly.
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Yoga in everyday life: do yoga throughout your day
October 14th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles
Do you confine your yoga to the times each week when you’re “doing” yoga?
That’s a shame. You can and should use yoga throughout the day. Yoga means “union” or “yoke.” In yoga, you’re uniting all the separate parts which make up “you” - your body, your mind, your emotions, and your spirit.
Take yoga with you every day
You can take yoga with you by taking note of your breathing as often as you can. Take a deep yogic breath as you sit at the computer, or while you’re waiting for a red light to turn green in your car.
Straighten your body, and do a modified Mountain Pose in the supermarket checkout line.
When you remember your breath, and breathe consciously, you return to yourself - to the present moment, which is all any of us have.
Combine breathing with a mantra
You can combine your breathing with chanting a mantra: try “let go”, or “breathe” or “relax.” Choose a single word, and say it silently as you breathe in and out.
If you’re familiar with Sanskrit mantra, say Om Gum Ganapatayei Namaha as you breathe - this is the Ganesha mantra. Ganesha is the remover of obstacles: remember him when you’re about to give a presentation, or make a phone call on an important matter and say the Ganesha mantra aloud or silently.
Yoga: Using Mala Meditation Beads For Empowerment And Serenity
April 26th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Want a mind that’s clear and calm like water, but prepared to deal with anything? Mala meditation helps you to achieve this state. When I first started to meditate, I found it almost impossible to calm my mind. “Monkey mind” never stopped jumping around.
Then a teacher suggested that mala meditation would help. A mala is string of beads, and you repeat a mantra as you count each bead. For example, your mantra might be “Om”, so as you pass the beads through your fingers, you say Om at each bead. Malas have 108 beads, with an additional large Meru bead, which lets you know when you’ve reached the end of your count. When you get to the Meru, you reverse the mala, and keep counting your mantra again.
Malas Can Be Simple, Or Beautiful
Malas are available in many different forms. Semi-precious stones are popular, because stones are said to have specific effects. A rock crystal mala, for example, is said to be healing and protective, while a sandalwood mala brings calm and tranquillity - and smells wonderful, too.
Tips For Mala Meditation
* You can say your mantra aloud, or silently to yourself. Keep up a steady pace as you work your way around the mala - don’t rush. If your mind wanders from the mantra, bring it gently back;
* You can spend as much time as you please in mala meditation. Start off with five or ten minutes. Even just a single round of counting your mala will focus and relax you - great if you’re going for a job interview or are giving a presentation;
* Keep your mala in a safe place. Some people choose to wear their mala, so that it’s always handy, and they can take time out for stressful situations;
* End your yoga practice with a few moments of mala meditation - then get up ready to take on the world.
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