Your Mantra Meditation Guide
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You will also learn about the meaning of Om and other revered mantras, and discover why mantras are powerful influences on your mind.
And you may not be aware of their presence.
We'll review examples from ads and politics, and mix modern science and ancient history to really get a good look on mantra meditation and how mantras apply to your life and meditation.
And we'll have some fun with this...
Do you wonder what mantra really means? There's nothing mystical about it. Here's the down-to-earth
definition of mantra.
Mantras – points of focus/concentration, such as phrases, words, sounds, guiding principles, or slogans – have probably been used by humans
since they developed language.
That's quite a while...
"Cavemen and Gorillas"
A caveman 50,000 years ago didn't know how "15 minutes could save him 15% or more on car insurance" (this is a slogan from Geico's commercial). But after a long, hard hunt the caveman probably came home, took a load off his tired back, and sighed with relief – "Ahhh."If he had consciously kept repeating "ahhh", the sound/word would have been his mantra.
Gorillas pound their chests, and all males do this to loudly display power and intimidate others.
They're probably not consciously aware of why they're going "bom-bom-bom", snarling and roaring. But they make their point/power heard and they hear their own point and reinforce their power by doing this.
Human beings are different from apes yet we share more than 98% of our genes with them (99.3% DNA match with the guy to the right). We're conscious beings but we share our animal cells with all other animals on earth.
Transcending...
My caveman and gorilla-point is that repeating a mantra has the power to transcend our conscious awareness and bring us into a deeper state of mind where words don't matter --
The alert yet naturally relaxed state of mind is what really matters.
Repetition also has the power to condition the mantra until a person is largely unaware of the mantra's actual effect. Mantra meditation has the power to make us feel something, and it also has the power to transcend feelings and consciousness.
MIND OVER Mantra
The effect of mantra meditation depends on your mantra and how you use it, for gorilla-like aggression or mindful, intelligent human relaxation.A mantra only makes a difference if you decide to attach yourself to it and focus on it. Mindfulness as a part of mantra meditation simply means that you concentrate on your mantra and remain detached from all other mantras (thoughts) that come and go.
Some meditators claim that mantras can't be conditioned.
Such a claim tells me that they need to listen, really listen to their minds. And I am not attacking anyone here. We're all sales people in one way or another.
I'm simply stating facts...
If repetition of mantras were ineffective, would the advertisement business be a multi-billion dollar industry? No, the ad industry would have gone extinct a long time ago.
So, we can agree that mantras can be highly influential and powerful? I hope so.
Mantra meditation is also an excellent starting point for beginners and an important part of many advanced meditation methods.
Before we get into the step-by-step instructions, let us review a few revered mantras. This is The Omkara -- the origin of Om.
Said to contain the sum of Buddha's teachings, and presented with H.H. the Dalai Lama's help, here is
the meaning of Om Mani Padme Hum.
A revered religious mantra,
click here for the meaning of Amen.
Choosing A Meditation Mantra
So how do you decide on a mantra for yourself? These are some helpful tips...All technicalities aside, keep in mind that meditation really is about attitude – patience, tolerance, and compassion. Meditation should be about learning how to love the mind you're in. That's how we do it here, and that's when you truly reap the benefits of meditation.
If you want to spend 10 minutes or so on mantra meditation, click here for guided instructions.
Finally, if you have never practiced meditation before (or if you don't 'get it' when you practice), I recommend reading about how to meditate the smart way.
Return from Mantra Meditation to Meditation Techniques Home.
