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MANTRAS [a complete guide] Part 1

3/9/2015

 
Mantras a Complete Guide Part 1
Feeling low, lacking inspiration, insecure, fearful or perhaps angry, frustrated, agitated or unsettled?  Looking for something to feel balanced, happy and peaceful?

Mantras are the most Powerful yet the Most Effective and Easy to Use Tools to tackle the mind and the emotions that Yoga can offer!
This statement is based on my own personal experience of using mantras for over a decade and from the experience of those whom I have been blessed to pass on this knowledge to (participants at our workshops oryoga retreats).

Mantras can be used in many different ways and for different purposes. For example one of the ways I myself use them is whenever I feel angry I try not to have an emotional explosion, instead I quickly try to find a moment to go down to the meditation room of our centre, play the harmonium and repeat, or as Swami Sivananda suggests, to ROAR OM or OM NAMAH SIVAYA for a few minutes, half an hour or an hour.
The result: Magic! Deep transformation, all that anger now has been transformed into compassion towards myself or the particular situation that started it in the first place. Not only that, but now I also have the mental clarity and understanding to deal with that same situation from a place of love and understanding.
 
With this blog series, starting with today's Part 1, we want you to have a deeper and better understanding about mantras and the science of Mantra repetition or (Japa Yoga)  and to provide you with simple and necessary tools to  use them and enjoy them in your daily life.

Personally mantras have helped me to:

  • Overcome difficult situations
  • Remove obstacles
  • Attract positive situations, people and objects into my life
  • Invoke strength and courage
  • Protection
  • To elevate my mood and emotions
  • To heal others

You can use them for anything, there are no limits! Their main purpose is to attain higher levels of consciousness or Inner Peace.

Let's dive deeper:

WHAT ARE MANTRAS?
In definition mantras are spiritual energy encased in a sound structure (words or phrases). Sounds are vibration, the subtle vibration of mantras get activated through repetition creating new positive grooves (samskaras) in our minds.

The word mantra is made up of two Sanskrit roots:
  • MAN means to think and
  • TRA to protect or to release from negative thought patterns to attain inner peace.


WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?

Mantras have always existed in nature as sound energies. They were revealed to the ancient masters in their deepest meditations when they tuned into higher levels of consciousness.

Each mantra is made up of a combination of sounds derived from the 50 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet and is either a name of the Divine like Om Namah Sivaya or an abstract formula like Soham. Sanskrit is the most ancient language derived from the 50 original vibrations (Varnas) that form the universe.


HOW DO THEY WORK?
Mantras are powerful because of their deep effect on our whole being. They re-tune and balance from the physical layer through to the energetic psychic layer, emotional/mental to the spiritual layer.


HOW TO USE A MANTRA?
Japa Mala Practice
Mantras work through repetition. The practice of mantra repetition is known as JAPA YOGA. Repetition with faith, feeling and with visualization of the deity is more powerful and effective. In part two of this series we will explain mantras in more detail and will have video and audio files for the different mantras.

Some of the
most common practices of mantra repetition:

  • Mala Japa or the rolling of Rosary beads. A mala is like a rosary made of 108 beads. It is used by repeating a mantra for each bead. Stay tuned for the second part of the blog post series for a video on how to use a mala.

  • Likhita Japa or Mantra Writing. Write your chosen mantra daily in a notebook dedicated to that purpose.



HOW TO CHOOSE A MANTRA?
You can choose a mantra by its meaning, sound or form. Try different ones then choose one as your main mantra and for your daily meditation practice. You can try other mantas for different purposes when required.


TYPE OF MANTRAS:
  1. SAGUNA (Deity mantras) Invoke specific deities, attributes or aspects of absolute.
  2. NIRGUNA (Abstract mantras) Declares the meditator's identification with all of Creation.

OUR TOP 7 MANTRAS

Lord Ganesha
OM SRI MAHAGANAPATAYE NAMAH:

Translation: Salutations to Great Lord Ganesha.

Type: Saguna or deity mantra.

Essence: Strength and fortitude.

Use: Removes the obstacles from our path and bestows success for meditation.
Practical tip: You can also use this mantra to find misplaced objects :)



Lord Ganesha
OM NAMAH SIVAYA

Translation: Prostrations to Lord Siva.

Type: Saguna or deity mantra.

Essence: Transformative energy of the universe.

Use: To let go of the past and make way for the new. To destroy the lower nature making way for positive growth. To transform negative emotions.




Lord Narayana
OM NAMO NARAYANAYA

Translation:
Prostrations to Lord Narayana (Vishnu).

Type: Saguna or deity mantra.

Essence: Goodness & Compassion.

Use:
Balance. For inner and outer peace.

 



Sri Lakkshmi
OM SRI MAHA LAKSHMYAI NAMAH

Translation: Prostrations to Great Mother Lakshmi.

Type: Saguna or deity mantra.

Essence:
Wealth & Prosperity.

Use: To attract positive things into our life on the
material and spiritual levels.



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OM

The Universal Sound of Creation

Type: Nirguna or abstract mantra.

Essence: Symbolises absolute consciousness and is the greatest of all mantras.

Use:  It has a tremendous influence on the mind and body. Excellent mantra for identification with the whole universe and for meditation. It can be used when you feel depressed.


SOHAM

Translation:
I am That.

Type: Nirguna or abstract mantra.

Essence: 'That' is the eternal Brahman or the unmanifested consciousness. The source of all life.

Use: To feel united with nature and the whole universe.

(MAHA MRTYUNJAYA MANTRA)

OM TRAYAMBAKAM YAJAAMAHE

SUGANDHIM PUSHTIVARDHANAM
URVAARUKAMIVA BHANDHANAN
MRITYOR MUKSHIYA MAMRITA


Translation: Om. We worship the three-eyed One (Lord Siva) who is fragrant and who nourishes well all beings; may He liberate us from death for the sake of Immortality even as a cucumber is severed from its bondage to the creeper.

Type: Saguna or deity mantra.

Essence: Protection & Enlightenment (Siva essence).

Use: Prevents accidents, incurable diseases and calamities, and bestows longevity and immortality.

As mentioned in the beginning of the post Mantras can and will transform your life.  Learning about them, understanding their meaning, how they work , etc., and most important how to use them, as we will show you in part  2 of this series, they will help you to become happier, more compassionate and most important a more peaceful person and yogi :)

Please feel free to share with us your favourite mantra or let us know if you have questions in the comment box.

Stay tuned for the second part and start your journey with mantras now!

Om Shanti

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Written By Madhava
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Yoga was love at first sight for me. It started over 10 years ago and I think it will never end. I spent 6 years living in a Yoga ashram deepening my practice and teaching students from all over the world. Currently I live in Yogic Paradise teaching and continuing the tradition of passing on this ancient teachings. I love the ocean and since living in Australia...I love Surfing too!

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