Here i want to lay out indian mantras for meditationwhich I myself use in my practice and who recommend reading meditation teachers. For a long time I was going to do it, but I focused on other articles. And since meditation is one of the fundamental things, the texts of the mantras must be present on my blog. But before publishing these texts (if you only need texts, then at the end, you can immediately go there, but I would advise to read the article in its entirety ) I will talk a little more about meditation and why, in my opinion, reading mantras contributes to a deeper immersion in myself. And I will not confine myself to mantras alone, but I will also tell you how to read them better in order to achieve maximum concentration.
What is a mantra?
Mantra is a prayer in Sanskrit (the ancient language of the Hindus). The mantra can be used during meditation for deeper self-absorption and better concentration. A mantra is a sentence that you repeat to yourself in a circle, thus concentrating and introducing yourself to the desired state of relaxation of the mind and peace.
If you have already had the opportunity to get acquainted with my views on things and on meditation in particular, which I have outlined on this blog, then you probably already know that I try not to touch on some mystical, esoteric, religious meaning of meditation.
I consider this practice as a tool of self-knowledge and self-improvement, as a technique that can strengthen your will, calm your mind, give strength, establish a connection between the brain and the body and relieve tension. The technique that all people need to practice, given the current tense living conditions, to calm down and bring the mind in order.
In general, something incomprehensible and beyond ordinary everyday experience, I do not describe. This is not at all because I categorically deny this mystical sense and do not believe in anything. I just think that the world is a very incomprehensible thing and the ability of objective knowledge of a person in this world is very limited. We attribute to nature those properties that we want to see in it, talking about things that we cannot have an idea about.
Even a rigorous scientific approach with its methods of working with information and testing hypotheses does not always claim complete objectivity, includes a share of subjectivity and theoretical assumptions. What to say about arbitrary, private judgments that relate to attempts to comprehend the nature and place of man in it. This will always be only a very distorted reflection of the objective world in the system of subjective interpretations of information received from the senses.
Mantra - the vibrations of the universe ???
I’m not talking about the illusiveness of the whole world, I don’t urge to doubt the reality of the sandwich that you ate for breakfast, I mean the impossibility, at this stage of human development, to understand and comprehend many natural processes.
Therefore, I will not say such things as “the mantra comes into resonance with the subtle vibrations of the universe,” and if you were looking for some kind of information that could complement your absolutely true views of the universe on “How-All-Is-On-Himself “Del” (you know exactly who else but you are) then you are not at the right place. Such statements in a dogmatic vein are the result of enormous human arrogance in matters of absolute knowledge; I do not possess such a measure of self-confidence.
Therefore, I am going to talk about the mantra simply as a tool to help relax and advance further in the practice of meditation, other things that I cannot know, I will not touch.
You can ask me why I, such a convinced agnostic (this is the one who does not believe in the possibility of objective knowledge), use as practice the prayer, the invention of religion, which was invented to appeal to the gods while avoiding the mystical meaning, although it is there by default Wouldn't it be more logical for me, the “materialist”, to use the score from one to ten or the words of my favorite song in a circle?
I will answer that I do not deny mystics and religion, I just don’t touch them, because I know that I cannot know about such things, just based on my feelings. Historically meditation has been practiced using indian mantras and maybe there is some sense in it, I am not going to introduce changes to the ancient practice, which helped me a lot and I want to take it as it is in the “basic configuration”.
How does the mantra work?
If you have already read this page and have not closed the page, then I think they are able to digest the following information, which, like the previous one, may seem contradictory to someone and encroach on someone’s views. I want to explain my vision of how the mantra helps to relax. And then I will write some texts of mantras and tell you how to read mantras correctly.
In every religion, there is its own "mantra", its own prayer, to which the prayer relates selflessly and after it feels peace, tranquility. All prayers of different religions are addressed to different gods, while many of the religious systems postulate the existence of only their own, the only god, denying the existence of other gods. Equally, the Christian and the Buddhist in the process of prayer are immersed in themselves and then experience a feeling of relief and peace.
This is despite the fact that the Christian does not believe in Buddha. So it’s not a matter of divine goodness, which descends upon one who prays when turning to God, because the existence of several Gods, who send grace, each one’s own flock, contradicts the canons of all world religions.
This means that tranquility due to prayer does not come from outside, but is formed inside, for what god do not pray, the effect is one. This is due to the fact that the believer, as it seems to him, addresses words in the ancient language, the highest essence, to the creator and merges with him in prayer. It is possible that this is entirely a consequence of his belief in a deity; the addressee of the message may not even exist. But there is another aspect of prayer that I want to dwell on.
While reading an ancient text, you focus on it, immerse yourself in yourself, prayer is a type of meditative practice. In fact, meditation is present not only in Eastern religions and teachings, it also exists in the Western beliefs in the form of prayer (although in other forms too, but this is a topic for a separate article).
Reading a prayer, a mantra, you focus your attention on reading the text, stop thinking about problems, thus calm down and lead the mind into a state of peace. It helps you focus, keep attention and not switch to all sorts of extraneous thoughts. The mantra is very useful in meditation. Although no one forbids you to use a familiar Christian or any other prayer. The main thing to focus on repeating the text for 15 - 20 minutes. In general, again, nothing so sacred and supernatural.
Mantras
So go ahead, now I will publish some texts indian mantraswhich I use. These mantras are taken from the Indian Vedas, and some are transmitted by my Indian friends. It is better to read at a moderate pace, stress is usually on the last syllable.
- Om Khrim.
- Om bhur bhuvah svaha tata savitur varenyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah pravadadayut.
- Om hrim shrim lakshmi byo namaha.
- Om namo navagraha e namaha.
- Om Shrim Om Khrim Shrim Hrim Klim Shrim Klim Wittoswaraya Namaha.
- Aum Dhanvantare e Namaha.
- Aum Achyuta Ananda Govinda Vishnor Narayana Amritan. Aum. Regan me nashyad asheshat achyuta dhanvantare hare. Hare om tat sat.
How to read mantras correctly
While reading the mantra, as I said, it is better not to rush. This process should occur at a moderately slow, rhythmic pace (that is, it is more correct to read different places of the text of mantras with the same speed - it is easier to concentrate).
After you learn the mantra and its text will bounce off your “teeth”, it will be harder for you to keep your attention on it. This is natural, since it is worth learning something by heart, putting it in memory, reason no longer has to strain, concentrate to reproduce a familiar piece of information, this can occur automatically, as if by itself on the periphery of consciousness. Therefore, over time, you will need to make a greater effort to keep your mind on reading the mantra.
To change the mantra in such a case, I would not advise, because of the next moment. When you read the same text in a circle during meditation for several months, at the same time, your body and mind calm down, the brain connects these two processes (reading a certain text and relaxation) into a single signal-response system.
And from this moment, when you say familiar text in your head, the brain automatically sends a command to the body to relax, as it associates specific words with this process. This principle has something in common with hypnosis, when in response to certain verbal signals (words) of the hypnotist, your mind is introduced into a trance state.
And it does not matter how you perceive the mantra: as an unknown gibberish in a language you do not know, or as a prayer, an appeal to the divine essence. Even if you do not profess Eastern religions, this should not prevent you from using the mantra and benefiting from it.
And if, while reading the mantra, you are thus turning to the gods, then it is great, I’m not trying to impose my views on you at all and to deprive this process of sacred meaning for you. If you consider these words to be sacred, then it will be easier for you to distance yourself from worldly thoughts during your prayer and better concentrate on reading the text, since it is not a meaningless set of words for you.
Focus on the mantra, move away from thoughts
And of course, the mantra should not be interrupted by reflections, your mind should be focused on the mantra from the beginning to the end of the meditation. This is, of course, ideally, something to strive for, but I doubt that many people do it. As you practice, it will certainly turn out to get deeper and deeper into yourself and keep your attention on the text longer, but this will not come out right away.
I have been practicing meditation for two years now and I still constantly get distracted by thoughts. Of course, there is progress and I try to support it, but nevertheless, for the time being, it is difficult to concentrate. Maybe you will get faster.
If you just want to start meditating, then immediately get ready for the fact that you cannot hold out for long without a single thought. (Although it may be possible for you personally, I do not argue) And do not worry about this, all the same, meditation will be of great benefit, even if throughout its length you will rally in your own experiences. Stop thinking is not the goal of meditation.
You will be overcome by trifling thoughts, chewing on some memories, bit of impressions, you will understand thinking about what nonsense the brain is busy during its wakefulness, meditation will give a look at it from the side. Also, you will be visited by serious thoughts and it will seem that you need to think about them right now at this second, but you should try not to go on about such temptations. The following mental exercise of my invention will help you in this.
Mental exercise for better concentration
Imagine a stormy river carrying its waters from the mighty mountains. An army consisting of the commander-in-chief, generals, field commanders and ordinary soldiers is trying to cross the river. The command did not accurately determine the depth of the ford, and, behold, the army inexorably moves toward its destruction in the turbulent waters of the river.
Everyone will die, regardless of rank and personal merit: the waters will absorb everyone from the supreme commander to the corporal and no matter how much gold and medals are not everyone, now it is useless metal, which due to its gravity pulls the unfortunate to the bottom.
Imagine that this river is a mantra, and the soldiers are your thoughts, the generals are big, important, urgent thoughts, and ordinary soldiers are trivial thoughts, just ripples on the surface of consciousness. But during meditation and mantra reading, all your thoughts become equal: both important and non-important reflections must drown in the mighty waters of the river.
Even if you want to think about something serious while practicing, an interesting idea comes, then set it aside for a while, think about it after meditation, but for now, let the river carry it away from you, leaving you alone with yourself, without thoughts, without anxieties, without desires in the soothing emptiness of the internal vacuum.
Conclusion
The reader may wonder why in every article about meditation I consider it necessary to consecrate my views without fail and do not stop repeating about the lack of mystical and religious meaning in meditation and in reading mantras? I will answer that there is a certain intention here, but it does not refer to challenging any religious position or encroaching on someone’s views. I do this in order to make meditation the property of those people that are far from religion, especially Eastern.
To do this, I need to conceptually separate it from religious ideas and present it on my blog as an independent practice of concentration to calm the mind and get rid of stress, as a reliable and proven tool for self-development. Therefore, I say that there can be nothing mystical and esoteric here, meditation is the practice for every person, not religion.
Many people may mistakenly take this practice as a cult or religious ritual and, being alien to religion and non-traditional spiritual exercises in their culture, dismiss information about it as something unnecessary. But I am convinced that meditation can significantly facilitate the life of each person, make him better, more free, regardless of his views and religion.
Therefore, I do not want such a valuable practice to remain the property of only one or a few local cultures. In general, this is one of the goals of my blog and this is its difference from those resources that interpret space enlightenment and vibrations, those who spin among such entities due to the specifics of their education so they know about meditation and do not need to be told about it, therefore, you must first focus on those who are far from such matters, do you agree?
