Start Meditation with Mantras – Mantra Meditations

Getting Started

Start by picking some aspect of your life you wish to improve or some vexing problem you would like to solve or dissolve. Then pick a mantra which seems, to you, to apply. Offer a prayer to God, in whatever way you relate to God. Ask for God’s blessing in accomplishing your objective in doing this spiritual discipline.

Once you have decided to undertake the discipline and offered your prayers, then pick a place where you will say your mantra for a certain number of times each day. If possible, obtain a rosary of some kind and do your mantras in some multiple of 108. If getting a rosary is not possible, then decide on a certain amount of time you will spend each day saying your mantra. It can be five minutes, ten minutes, twenty minutes or even an hour. For your first experience, any time up to twenty minutes is advisable.

The reason for taking things easy for the first 40 day commitment is due to the cumulative action of the mantra. For the first few days, all will probably go smoothly. Then as you progress, you may find that things start to get in the way of your doing the discipline: You oversleep; there is some minor emergency; you get a cold, whatever. This means that you are beginning to effect the inner ‘something’ for which you undertook the mantra. You are beginning to encounter inner resistance. That inner resistance manifests as outer obstacles to your discipline. It has almost become a joke in many spiritual circles in which the practice of mantra is common, that something of a very surprising nature happened on day 33 or 35 of a 40 day sadhana. It has happened to me and many others with whom I have spoken on innumerable occasions over the last 22 years.

Develop a sense of humor about it, and be thankful. There is no better indication that your efforts are working than to have small upheavals in your life while you are in the midst of a 40 day mantra discipline. Ask anyone who has undertaken one and they will have some interesting stories for you.

Ganesha: Om Gum Ganapatayei Namaha

Rough Translation: ‘Om and salutations to the remover of obstacles for which Gum is the seed.’

The story of Ganesha is found in the chapter devoted to this principle. But for your immediate need, you need only know that for seen or unseen obstacles which seem to be standing in the way of your progress or achievement, either specifically or generally, this mantra has proved invaluable. It has been used it with great success not only in India, but here in the West dozens of people have related to me their success in turning things around in their life by using this mantra.

Lakshmi: Om Shrim Mahalakshmiyei Swaha

Rough Translation: ‘Om and salutations to that feminine energy which bestows all manner of wealth, and for which Shrim is the seed’

This mantra has not only been used for the purpose of attracting prosperity, but also for drawing in proper friends, clearing up family misunderstandings and quarrels, and smoothing some health problems. As we all know, there are many different kinds of wealth. As you use this mantra, focus on the kind of wealth you wish to manifest in your life.

Durga: Om Dum Durgayei Namaha

Rough Translation: ‘Om and Salutations to that feminine energy which protects from all manner of negative influences, and for which Dum is the seed.’

Durga is the Divine Protectress. Typically shown riding a lion or a tiger, Durga has a hundred arms, each with a different weapon of destruction. Yet her face is exquisitely beautiful to behold. The interpretation is that to the pious and the sincere seeker after truth, her sight can produce ecstacy and a variety of beautiful forms. But the negative, harmful or demonic, her countenance is as terrible as Kali, except she shows more weapons of destruction than Kali (who is described later).

Saraswati: Om Eim Saraswatyei Swaha

Rough Translation: ‘Om and salutations to that feminine energy which informs all artistic and scholastic endeavor, and for which Eim (pronounced I’m) is the seed.’

Saraswati holds a musical instrument, the vina, in one hand and a rosary in another hand. She spans the world of mundane knowledge and spiritual understanding. Those pursuing any artistic or educational endeavor whatsoever will gain greatly from the practice of this mantra.

Shiva: Om Namah Shivaya

This mantra has no approximate translation. The sounds related directly to the principles which govern each of the first six chakras on the spine…Earth, water, fire, air, ether. Notice that this does not refer to the chakras themselves which have a different set of seed sounds, but rather the principles which govern those chakras in their place. A very rough, non-literal translation could be something like, ‘Om and salutations to that which I am capable of becoming.’ This mantra will start one out on the path of subtle development of spiritual attainments. It is the beginning on the path of Siddha Yoga, or the Yoga of Perfection of the Divine Vehicle.

Rama: Om Sri Rama Jaya Rama, Jaya, Jaya Rama

Rough Translation: ‘Om and Victory to Rama (the self within), victory, victory to Rama.’

Rama was an Avatar who came several thousand years ago. His sole purpose was to show how a person should live a Divine Life while living in a human body. A short story about the esoteric meaning of his life is found in the chapter devoted to him. You will recall from the previous chapter that Mahatma Gandhi practiced this mantra for over 60 years. This mantra will ‘take one across’ the ocean of rebirth. In a more immediate way, it is most powerful in reducing negative karmic effects no matter in which life they might have occurred. I have also had a powerful spiritual healing experience (for another person), while using this mantra intensely.

The Planet Saturn: Om Sri Shanaishwaraya Swaha

Rough translation: ‘Om and salutations to the presiding spirit in the planet Saturn.’

Saturn is the planet of lessons. It is closely related to the karma we may encounter in a given lifetime. It also stands as a gatekeeper to some of the higher vibrations to which we aspire though spiritual development. By offering salutations outwardly, one clears certain internal obstructing energy patterns. But Saturn has received an overly negative reputation from some astrologers. There have been circumstances where very positive things manifested in people’s lives unexpectedly, apparently as a direct result of working with this mantra.

Internally, Saturn energy is predominant in the spleen, knees and skeletal system. However, as Saturn moves through the various astrological signs, it ‘triggers’ karma we may have stored under astrological configurations found in that sign. Therefore, the use of the Saturn mantra can mitigate and even clear certain categories of karma which appear in our lives. This mantra has been used with great success personally. And I have received reports of its efficacy from many other people.

Subramanya: Om Sharavana-bhavaya Namaha

Rough translation, ‘Om and salutations to the son of Shiva, who brings auspiciousness and who is chief of the celestial army.’

The positive effects of this mantra may not be so clearly seen or described as some of the others: a seeming increase in good fortune or luck; the ability to make the best of a set of circumstances which may occur; an increase in positive mental or emotional disposition; an easier route to becoming physically fit. Yet these few phrases do not begin to exhaust the benefits of using this mantra. It seems to brighten or optimize nearly everything in life.

Rama (Healing Mantra):
Om Apadamapa Hataram Dataram Sarva Sampadam
Loka Bhi Ramam Sri Rama Bhuyo Bhuyo Namamyaham

This is a long mantra to put in a chapter for those just starting off, but is placed here because it is the most powerful healing mantra I have ever encountered. The very rough translation is, ‘Om, Oh most compassionate Rama please send your healing energy right here to the earth, to the earth (twice for emphasis.)’

I have seen this mantra completely cure one person from a schizophrenic break who was in a locked ward. The psychiatrist said he would never lead a life on the outside again. In the middle of a 40 day sadhana done in his behalf, he was living in a ‘halfway house’ for those on the road to recovery. After 40 days of a spiritual discipline done on his behalf, he was on his own. He has since graduated from Art School which he attended on scholarship, and is working as an artist.

Another individual who was on medication, took off spurning his pills and disappeared for a time. After a 40 day sadhana done on his behalf, he had stabilized his life and was back on his medication without complaint.

A woman I know was in constant pain for four years. She undertook this discipline and after just a few weeks was in less pain than at any time she could remember over the past several years. She is still doing the mantra an expects to be pain free relatively soon.

Although the mantra is long, it is simple to say phonetically. If you can, say it 108 times in a sitting. If you are just starting out, this may initially take up to one hour. After you are comfortable with the mantra, it will only take you 30 minutes.
Bodhisattwa Avalokiteshwara (Called Chenresig in Tibetan Buddhism):

Om Mani Padme Hum

Rough Translation: ‘Om, salutations to The Jewel of Consciousness (the mind) which has reached the heart’s lotus.’

This mantra is practiced more than any other in the world. It is pre-eminent in producing a state of dynamic compassion in the sayer. Dynamic means that this compassion contains as part of it the ability to powerfully manifest in both subtle and obvious ways. One of the simple yet profound teachings which accompanies this mantra is the concept that when the mind and heart become united, anything is possible. The implications of this simple thought are staggering. If you want to change the world for the better, this mantra should be in your spiritual toolbox.

What Types of Meditation Techniques are Best for Me?

What exactly is meditation?

You ask people and they will very likely refer you to the internet to “Google” it. On the internet, you’ll find thousands of web pages defining the exercise of meditating and trying to explain it in their own terms. Unfortunately, a lot of these sites explain meditating in a very complicated and esoteric fashion…extremely difficult to understand and just plain boring.

So far, the site that most clearly defines meditation is Wikipedia.  One of the best ways to define this exercise is probably an action or exercise that increases your awareness.

In specific, meditative techniques allow you to achieve an awareness of self. An extremely useful tool for this is following a guided meditation video.  If you click on the link on the previous sentence, you’ll see a list of Free Guided Meditations available to you.  It does this because meditation techniques focus the mind to pass the clutter of thoughts and jumbled thinking patterns.  The idea is to be able to think clearer and become more relaxed.  Hence, all these techniques allow us to accomplish this.

The stresses of life can have a dramatic effect on us.  As we attempt to deal with all the various problems that come our way, we are mentally worn down.  Much in the same way our bodies need proper exercise to remain healthy, so do our minds need proper stimulation to stay efficient.  By becoming better attuned with our consciousness, we achieve this.  In fact, practicing meditation techniques is really the only way to permanently accomplish this endeavor.  If you meditate properly, you free your mind of burdensome and chaotic thought patterns.  Who doesn’t want to be less stressed and more focused?

Ok, so basically these techniques will help you become more relaxed, think clearer, concentrate better and more.  But these things in and of themselves are not the act of meditating.  Concentrating on something is not meditation.  Finding one self in a relaxing position or performing certain poses is not it either.  There are a number of meditation techniques that will help a person achieve plenty of benefits in their life.

Popular Meditation Techniques

1. Zen – One of the most popular and well known meditation techniques is called Zen Meditation.  This meditation technique was developed by Zen monks.  Zen is about achieving a state of absolute stillness and emptiness.   While Zen meditative techniques are regarded as some of the easiest and most effective to perform, they take time and effort to master.  This technique is centered on sitting in the lotus position to achieve a stillness of thought.

2. Mantra – Another well known meditation technique is Mantra.  Mantra is an exercise that many people tend to associate with meditating in their minds.  Mantra techniques involve chanting or ‘mantra repetition.’  This is a meditation technique that achieves a state of awareness through the use of sound. In fact, one of the most popular techniques in the United States – transcendental meditation (TM)- is an example of a mantra meditation.

3. Vipassana – A third well known technique is Vipassana.  Vipassana is a Buddhist technique that focuses on breathing.  If we consider the fact that breathing is an every moment occurrence and a necessity for living, then we can begin to see how concentrating on this aspect of life can have a significance.  Vipassana is a meditation technique that essentially teaches one to be aware of their breathing, from which (when done properly) there is a state of awareness that is attained.

Other Techniques

There are many other techniques that are available.  These three just happen to be the most well known and practiced in the west.  What you will notice is that all three have the same goal in mind – which is to attain a higher state of awareness.  Remember, one of the most common purposes of meditating is to become better aware of the self, which in turn, produces a healthier mind.  It’s interesting that regardless of the differences between meditation techniques, the goal remains the same.

All of the differences in the techniques mentioned in this article are actually examples of how each of them lead to the same goal- that of achieving awareness. It’s like the saying goes “all roads lead to Rome.”

In this case, all these different techniques lead to enlightenment and awareness in addition to many other kinds of mental, psychological, social, and physical benefits.

Whether the meditation technique you use focuses on sitting, walking, laying down, breathing, repeating a mantra, or chanting, it will lead to benefits in your daily life and to benefits in the lives of those around you.

Ex-Beatles’ Gift to School Children: Meditation Training

An American super-gig featuring ex-Beatles Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will enable schoolchildren in South Wales to learn to meditate.

The fundraising concert at New York’s Radio City Music Hall raised money for the David Lynch Foundation, which aims to promote the benefits of transcendental meditation worldwide.

A portion of the profits will enable the National Meditation Centre of Wales, based in Llandaff, Cardiff, to offer training courses in Welsh schools.

Centre director Helen Evans said: “The money will help teach 10,000 children to meditate across the UK – and some of that will be available for us in Wales.

“It’s fantastic because so little is known about transcendental meditation.

“When people hear it’s from the East they assume it’s a cult or a religion, which is a shame because it’s neither of those things.

“It’s not even a way of life, it’s just a technique to enable you to relax and help you cope better with your day.”

The concert, called Change Begins Within, was the first time Starr and McCartney had played together publicly in seven years. Their involvement was down to their beliefs in the benefits of transcendental meditation, a practice they learnt in the 1960s when The Beatles sought spiritual guidance from an Indian guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

“It was a great gift that Maharishi gave us,” McCartney told a news conference to promote the concert.

“For me, it came at a time when we were looking for something to kind of stabilise us toward the end of the crazy Sixties.

“It’s a lifelong gift. It’s something you can call on at any time. I think it’s a great thing it’s actually coming into the mainstream.”

The concert also featured Sheryl Crow, Donovan, Jerry Seinfeld, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder, blues-folk star Ben Harper and dance musician Moby.

It raised an estimated $3m (£2m) for the meditative foundation set up by film-maker David Lynch.

While his screen credits include Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive and Eraserhead, Lynch today dedicates his time to making meditation more accessible to schoolchildren.

Studies have claimed that transcendental technique can lower stress levels, anxiety and blood pressure.

It involves relaxing without concentrating on anything by sitting comfortably and chanting a mantra with eyes closed.

James Purvis, a Cardiff-based consultant for the National Meditation Centre of Wales, said the mantra aimed to create a pleasant and calming ambience. He said: “If you’re at school and the teacher’s nail scratches on the blackboard as she’s writing on it, we know that sounds unpleasant.

“But there are certain words or sounds that create an enjoyable melody that the mind can engage with – and that’s what the mantra is.

“Transcendental meditation is sitting quietly and comfortably while enjoying that mantra.”

Bandhas

Bandhas were classified as part of Mudras, and were handed down by word of mouth from Guru to disciple. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika deals with Bandhas and Mudras together and the ancient Tantric texts also make no distinction between the two. Bandhas are extensively incorporated in Mudra as well as Pranayama techniques. The Sanskrit word Bandha means to ‘Hold’ ‘Tighten’ or ‘Lock’. These definitions precisely describe the physical action involved in the Bandha practices and their effect on the Pranic body. The Bandhas aim to lock the Pranas in particular areas and redirect their flow into Sushumna Nadi for the purpose of spiritual awakening.  Bandhas may be practiced individually or incorporated with Mudra and Pranayama practices. When combined in this way, they awaken the psychic faculties and form an adjunct to higher yogic practices.

There are four Bandhas: Jalandhara, Moola, Uddiyana and Maha. The last of these is a combination of the first three. These three Bandhas directly act in the three psychic knots. Moola Bandha is associated with Brahma Granthi, Uddiyana Bandha with Vishnu Granthi and Jalandhara Bandha with Rudra Granthi. The Granthis prevent the free flow of Prana along Sushumna Nadi and thus impede the awakening of the Chakras and the rising of Kundalini.

Brahma Granthi is the first knot and it is associated with Mooladhara and Swadhisthana Chakras.It is linked with the survival instinct, the urge to procreate and with deep, instinctive knowledge, awareness and desire. When Brahma Granthi is transcended, the Kundalini or primal energy is able to rise beyond Mooladhara and Swadhisthana without being pulled back down by the attractions and instinctual patterns of the personality.   The second knot is Vishnu Granthi, associated with Manipura and Anahata Chakras. These two Chakras are associated with the physical, emotional and mental aspects of human existence. Manipura sustains Annamaya Kosha, the physical body, governing the digestion and metabolism of food. Anahata sustains Manomaya Kosha, the mental body and Pranamaya Kosha, and the energy body. Once Vishnu Granthi is transcended energy is drawn from the universe and not from the localized centers within the human being. The final Knot is Rudra Granthi, which is associated with Vishuddhi and Ajna Chakras. Vishuddhi and Ajna sustain Vijanamaya Kosha, the intuitive or higher mental body, and represent the transformation of an existing form, idea or concept into its universal aspect. When Rudra Granthi is pierced, individuality is dropped, the old ego awareness is left behind and the experience of unmanifest consciousness emerges beyond Ajna Chakra at Sahasrar.

The word bhanda means “to hold, lock, or embrace.” These potent practices train you to direct your prana or vital energy to different centers of your body. Bhandas provide direct demonstration of the Law of Dharma as you witness the immediate reactions in your body in accordance to specific actions you take. The basic principle with each bandha is to first accumulate energy in an area of your physiology, and to then release it. This process of building a force and then unleashing it discharges obstacles from the pathways of energy circulation. Like Traditional Chinese Medicine, yoga envisions the body/mind as a network of energetic channels, through which life force flows. These pathways are known as srotas and nadis. Srotas are circulatory channels in the physical body, whereas nadis exist in the subtle body. Health and vitality are dependent upon life energy flowing freely through the physical and subtle biological passageways.

Bandhas

• The word bandha means to “hold, lock, or embrace”
• The principle of each bandha is to first accumulate energy in an area of your physiology and then to release it.
• Jalandhara is designed to stimulate the network of nerves and energy channels in the throat

THE WIZARD’S SUTRAS

1. A wizard Exists in all of us.  This wizard sees and knows everything.

2. The wizard is beyond opposites of light and dark, good and evil, pleasure and pain.

3. Everything the wizard sees has its roots in the unseen world.

4. Nature reflects the mood of the wizard.

5. The body and the mind may sleep but the wizard is always awake.

6. The wizard possesses the secret of immortality.

7. The return of the magical can only happen with the return of innocence.

8. The essence of the wizard is transformation.

9. The wizard watches the world come and go but his soul dwells in realms of light.

10. The scenery changes, the seer remains the same.

11. Your body is just the place your memories call home.

12. “Who am I?” is the only question worth asking, and the only one never answered.

13. It is your destiny to play an infinity of roles but these roles are not yourself.

14. The Spirit is non-local, but it leaves a fingerprint behind, which we call the body.

15. A wizard does not believe himself to be a local event dreaming of a larger world.

16. A wizard is a world dreaming of local events.

17. Wizards don’t believe in death.  In the light of awareness, everything is alive.

18. There are no beginnings or endings.  To the wizard, these are only mental constructs.

19. To be most fully alive, you have to be dead to the past.

20. Molecules dissolve and pass away, but consciousness survives the death of the matter on which it rides.

21. The wizard’s consciousness is a field that exists everywhere.

22. The streams of knowledge contained in the field are eternal and flow forever.

23. Centuries of knowledge are compressed in revelatory moments.

24. We live as ripples of energy in the vast ocean of energy.

25. When the ego is set aside, you have access to the totality of memory.

26. When the doors of perception are cleansed, you will begin to see the unseen world – the wizard’s world.

27. There is a wellspring of life within you, where you can go for cleansing and transformation.

28. Purification consists of getting rid of the toxins in your life – toxic emotions, toxic thoughts, toxic relationships.

29. All living bodies, physical and subtle, are bundles of energy that can be perceived directly.

30. Power is a double-edged sword.  Ego seeks to control and dominate.  The wizard’s power is the power of love.

31. The seat of power is the inner self.

32. The ego follows us like a dark shadow.  Its power is intoxicating and addicting but ultimately destructive.

33. The eternal clash of power ends in unity.

34. The wizard lives in a state of knowingness.  This knowingness orchestrates its own fulfillment.

35. The field of awareness organizes itself around our intentions.

36. Knowledge and intention are forces.  What you intend changes the field in your favor.

37. Intentions compressed inwards enfold magical power.

38. The wizard does not try to solve the mystery of life.  He is here to live it.

39. We each have a shadow self that is part of our total reality.

40. The shadow is not here to hurt you but to point out where you are incomplete.  When the shadow is embraced, it can be healed.  When it is healed, it turns into love.

41. When you can live with all your opposite qualities, you will be living your total self as the wizard.

42. The wizard is the teacher of alchemy.  Alchemy is transformation.

43. Through alchemy you begin the quest for perfection.

44. You are the world.  When you transform yourself, the world you live in will also be transformed.

45. The goals of the quest- heroism, hope, grace and love – are the inheritance of the timeless.

46. To summon a wizard’s help you must be strong in truth, not stubborn in judgment.

47. Wisdom is alive and therefore always predictable.

48. Order is another face of chaos, chaos is another face of order.

49. The uncertainty you feel inside is the doorway to wisdom.

50. Insecurity will always be with the quester – he continues to stumble but never falls.

51. Human order is made of rules.  The wizard’s order has no rules – it flows with the nature of life.

52. The reality you experience is a mirror-image of your expectations.

53. If you project the same images every day, your reality will be the same every day.

54. When attention is perfect, it creates order and clarity out of chaos and confusion.

55. Wizards do not grieve over loss because the only thing that can be lost is the unreal.

56.  Lose everything and the real will still remain.

57. In the rubble of devastation and disaster are buried hidden treasures.

58. When you look in the ashes, look well.

59. To the extent you know love, you become love.

60. Love is more than an emotion.  It is a force of nature and therefore must contain truth.

61. When you say the word ‘love’, you may catch the feeling, but the essence cannot be spoken.

62. The purest love lies where it is least expected – in detachment.

63. Beyond waking, dreaming and sleeping, there are infinite realms of consciousness.

64. A wizard exists simultaneously at all times.

65. A wizard sees infinite versions of every event.

66. The straight lines of time are actually threads of a web extending to infinity.

67. Seekers are never lost, because Spirit is always beckoning to them.

68. Seekers are offered clues all the time from the world of Spirit.  Ordinary people call these clues coincidences.

69. To a wizard there are no coincidences.  Every event exists to expose another layer of the soul.

70. Spirit wants to meet you.  To accept its invitation, you must be defenseless.

71. When you seek, begin in your heart.  The cave of the heart is the home of truth.

72. Immortality can be lived in the midst of mortality.

73. Time and the timeless are not opposites.  Because it embraces everything, the timeless has no opposite.

74. At the level of the ego we struggle to solve our problems.  Spirit sees that struggle is the problem.

75. The wizard is aware of the battle between ego and Spirit, but he realizes that both are immortal and cannot die.

76. Every aspect of yourself is immortal, even the parts you judge most harshly.

77. Wizards never condemn desire.  It was by following desires that they became wizards.

78. Every desire is created by some past desire.  The chain of desire never ends.  It is life itself.

79. Don’t consider any desire useless or wrong, some day each one will be fulfilled.

80. Desires are seeds waiting for their season to sprout.  From a single seed of desire, whole forests grow.

81. Cherish every wish in your heart, however trivial it may seem.  One day these trivial wishes will lead you to God.

82. The most good you can do for the world is to become a wizard.

Definition of a Mantra Meditation

Mantra is a formula or a word with spiritual significance, which can help you relax very deeply. Mantra meditation is a very easy to learn and an effective relaxation technique. Just thinking a mantra helps you focus your attention on the inside and eventually reach a state of very deep rest. Regular practice of meditation reduces ones irritability and thus the feeling of being stressed. It also reduces the time of recovery after distressing situations.

During the first weeks of practicing mantra meditation some people tend to become more sensitive. This is one reason why after the introduction of mantra meditation, a few “checkings” should follow to ensure correct practice. This is why practicing mantra meditation needs special attention and control. In some cases you even might have to advise against continuing to meditate.

Meditation should be practiced in a calm and clean place without any distractions. The best times to meditate are the early morning before breakfast or the early evening before the evening meal.

Mantra Meditation

In the Western world, Mantra Meditations are probably the most well-known. In this meditation, a sound, a word, a sentence or an affirmation is our object of meditation.

Mantra Meditation
Kind of meditation	Concentration/focus
Degree of difficulty	Beginners/more advanced students
Recommended duration	5 to 45 minutes
Posture	Sitting
Advantages	It improves your concentration It gives you a clear, calm mind. It improves your breathing. It helps against stress. It improves the quality of your life.
Remark	One of the most widely practised meditations in the world. It is an exercise for beginners that you can do for the rest of your life.

In the following meditation, the repeating of a mantra in our mind is our object of meditation. As there are thousands of mantras, we have just written down a few. This could be your first inspiration for you to choose a mantra of your own. Choose a mantra from this article or choose one that you have invented or found yourself. It is important to choose a word or a sound that has a positive meaning for you. When you have chosen a mantra, the exercise looks a lot like meditations that concentrate on breathing. Remain seated in a calm fashion and repeat your mantra in your mind. Do not make any sound. When your mind wanders away, take it back to your mantra again.

When you are repeating the mantra in your mind, the mantra may change a little. You may repeat the mantra more quickly or more slowly, more loudly or more softly, more clearly or less clearly or the duration of your speaking the mantra may vary in length. Everything is all right as long as you do not resist the tendency to change or try to manipulate it. You should try to push away your thoughts by means of your mantra or to work on a special rhythm. Every time we wander away in our mind, we return to our mantra in a relaxed sort of way.

“Go with the flow”, but remain aware of everything that happens. As is the case with every kind of meditation, we try not to judge, not to get angry when things do not go so well as we would like and not to be too goal-oriented. Let us begin!

Mantra Meditation Exercise

In our example, we have chosen for the mantra “Aum” (aaa-uuu-mm) (the diphthong in the English word house ).

1. Sit down in your favourite posture, close your eyes and calm down.
2. Be aware of every breathing in and every breathing out. Let your breathing be a natural process and do not try to steer it.
3. Observe how the air slowly passes in through your nose, fills up your lungs and goes out again.
4. When after a few times of breathing you really feel at ease you start to repeat the mantra AUM.
5. Begin whispering AUM slowly : “AAAAAUUUUUMMMM”
6. Concentrate your attention on AUM, stop whispering and just think AUM. It does not matter in what way and with what speed you think of your mantra…..just let it happen.
7. Maybe you imagine that you hear AUM in your mind or you visualise AUM with your mind’s eye. “AAAAUUUUMMMM…..AAAAUUUUMMMM…..AAAAUUUUMMMM”
8. When you start to think of something else than your mantra or you start to feel something else than your mantra, just observe this and return to AAAUUUMMM.
9. Try to become totally one with AUM. When AUM starts to sound more and more vague in your mind or your speed changes, that is fine.
10. If all of a sudden you notice twinklings in your body or relaxation reactions in your muscles, that is fine….. observe and go back to AUM.
11. Continue doing this until the time that you set apart for this exercise is over.
12. Now slowly take your thoughts back to the rest of your body and the sounds in the room. Move a little, stretch your muscles a little and open your eyes.
13. Finished!

Very simple, effective and pleasant. The often you do it, the longer you will be able to stay with your mantra. At first, only a few seconds, then ten seconds, then twenty or half a minute. Do not forget that at first, it is not strange at all if you can only keep concentrated on your mantra for a few seconds. Please do not give up when things do not go so well. We guarantee you that you will always feel better and more relaxed after the session and after some time, the long term advantages will automatically come your way. Realise that meditation is not goal-oriented and that less successful sessions are just part of the process – even for the Maharishi Yogi!