Yoga meditation - mantra meditation

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Yoga meditation - mantra meditation

Sunday, 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.