A Course In Meditation - Session 9 - Mantra

This is session 9 of the 10 part series, "A Simple Course in Meditation." Mantra meditation is an ancient practice that is found in one form or another in most cultures, and is easier for many to learn than breath based meditations. This session provides a detailed informative component to cover a few subtleties about this form of practice that can shorten the learning curve and enhance the experience. That is followed by a guided practice.
Sound by G.S. Renfrey. Image by Thirdman on Pexels.

Transcript

A Simple Course in Meditation Session 9,

Mantra Hi,

I'm G.

S.

Renfri.

This is Session 9 and we're almost to the end of the course.

If you're dropping into the series for the first time,

Please be aware that Sessions 1 through 4 provided an important foundation by way of learning Anapanasati,

An ancient breath-based meditation.

Accordingly,

If you're new to meditation,

Starting with Session 1 is advised.

Today we'll be practicing Mantra Meditation.

The introduction will be a little longer than usual because there are a few subtleties about using mantras that,

If you're aware of them,

Can optimize your experience and flatten the learning curve.

This type of meditation has its roots in ancient times and can be found in some form or another in most,

If not all,

Cultures.

It involves the silent repetition of a single word,

Sound,

Or phrase with no other intention but to mindfully repeat that word,

Sound,

Or phrase.

Although some equate this with chanting,

I prefer to differentiate between the two.

In chanting,

The chosen phrases are often complex and are repeated aloud,

Whereas in mantra meditation,

If words are chosen at all,

They're usually very simple and repeated silently.

Transcendental meditation is an example of this form from the Eastern traditions,

While silently repeating a simple phrase such as God is love is an example from the Judeo-Christian tradition.

In many ways,

It's quite similar to breath-based meditation,

But rather than focusing on a repeating,

Rhythmic breath sensation,

The focus is on the repeating,

Internalized sound of the mantra.

A few features of mantra meditation can make it an attractive option to include in your practice.

One is that many people find focusing on a mantra easier at first than focusing on the subtleties of the breath.

For those who have difficulty with breath-based meditation,

Therefore,

Using a mantra,

As you learn,

Can be a good option.

Another benefit is that mantras can be selected that have special meaning for the practitioner.

Many would argue that meditation is best practiced dispassionately,

That is,

Without agendas.

However,

We saw during the practice of Yoga Nidra how the use of sankalpa,

Our highest intentions for ourselves,

Could be effectively integrated into meditation.

We also experienced a meditation based entirely on selected phrases of loving-kindness when we practiced metta.

Selecting a word or phrase of divine devotion as a mantra can be a beautiful way of honoring one's spiritual beliefs.

Selecting a word or short phrase symbolic of one's highest aspirations for your life can be a powerful way of promoting personal growth.

In some traditions,

Transcendental Meditation for example,

A mantra should be meaningless so as to help the mind become grounded and centered in the now without attachment.

This is why simple nonsense sounds such as aaya,

Oyayan,

Ayas,

Etc.

Are good choices when first learning mantra meditation.

These three utterances have no meaning in my native tongue,

But sound pleasant and are easy to repeat.

I recommend that for this meditation,

You select a single simple sound or word that has no meaning to you,

But is pleasant to repeat.

Finally,

How you express the mantra can have a significant effect on the quality of your experience.

An important variable is timing.

In some forms of mantra meditation,

The mantra is repeated in synchrony with the breath.

This is the case with the popular Sohum meditation,

Wherein one thinks the word so on the in-breath and hum on the out-breath.

This can be a very effective method,

But some,

Including myself,

Find it far too easy to slip into a pattern of controlling the breath and simply going through the motion of repeating the mantra in synchrony.

This is one reason why in some traditions,

Such as Transcendental Meditation,

We are advised not to repeat the mantra in synchrony with the breath.

That's the approach we'll be taking here.

The breath is allowed to occur in its natural,

Uncontrolled rhythm,

While the repetition of the mantra establishes a rhythm of its own.

This may seem a little tricky at first,

Because there's a strong,

Natural tendency to repeat a mantra,

Even though it's done silently,

As though we're saying it aloud,

In other words,

While breathing out.

There's an approach to this that I want to share with you that,

With a little practice,

Can make this easier and the meditation more effective.

Take a moment to think back to the last time you heard a pleasant bell.

Typically there's a sharp report,

Followed by a diminishing ring that fades into silence.

It's helpful to think of the sounding of the mantra in a similar way.

There's an expression of the mantra,

Followed by a period of diminishing effect,

And then silence.

If you've ever had the pleasure of hearing an old bell tower like Big Ben chime off the hour,

The tolling of the bell is followed by a diminishing tone,

And is followed up by another tolling of the bell,

And so forth.

As listeners,

After each sounding of the bell,

We tend to mentally pause and wait for the next.

The repetition of the mantra is very similar.

We express the mantra,

Mentally pause in the silence that follows as we await the next expression,

And so forth.

It's in that brief silence after the mantra that the stillness of the mind is experienced.

It's through the rhythm of the cycle that we become grounded in the now.

This pause may be but a few seconds at first,

Or as long as 10 or 20 seconds,

But as long as you hold the space for the mantra to recur,

You'll have a tendency to repeat it at a time that feels right.

Eventually,

A rhythm can form wherein the mantra seems to repeat on its own accord,

With no apparent conscious effort on your part.

Most people find that a natural rhythm doesn't emerge at first when using a mantra,

And they need to mindfully express it.

That's perfectly normal and OK.

As I mentioned earlier,

Some forms of mantra meditation actually advise that the mantra be expressed at a fixed frequency,

Or in sequence with the breath.

There are no absolute right or wrongs about this,

But I have found that allowing yourself to experience the silence between expressions results in an effective mindful experience.

If you find yourself struggling with this too much,

However,

By all means,

Synchronize your mantra with your breath.

It's time for you to select your mantra.

Take a moment now to choose a word you'd like to repeat for the next 10 minutes or so.

I believe it's ideal to make up a nonsense word,

But it's practitioner's choice.

Arrange yourself so that you're sitting comfortably and can remain relatively still for the next few minutes.

Remember,

When you meditate,

It's a gift of attention and focus to yourself,

All of life,

And the cosmos.

On your own time,

Complete a few full cleansing breaths to ground yourself and clear your mind of the clutter of the day.

When you're ready,

Take a deep breath and release it,

Then silently express your selected mantra.

Experience the silence left in its wake,

And when it feels right,

Repeat the mantra.

You may find yourself repeating the mantra frequently,

With little space in between at first.

That's okay.

You may find yourself repeating the mantra when you breathe out.

This is just fine.

You can change your mantra if you wish.

Just do so mindfully and limit it to only one change.

If you find your mind has wandered,

Simply take a cleansing breath and return to the mantra.

This is just fine.

Preparing now to bring your meditation to a close,

Take a deep cleansing breath and take a moment to check in with yourself.

How do you feel?

When you're ready,

Open your eyes.

Mantra meditation can be a very effective and rewarding form of practice.

Its variations are legion and it lends itself beautifully to personal experimentation and customization.

At one end of the spectrum,

It can be used to consciously penetrate increasingly deep layers of the mind,

As with transcendental meditation.

At the other,

It can be used simply to embed an intention or affirmation for yourself.

Even if you use another type of meditation for your regular practice,

Such as anapanasati,

Engaging in mantra meditation from time to time can add variety and broaden your mindfulness repertoire.

If you've been following this course from the beginning,

By now you'll likely be able to use mantra meditation on your own by simply setting a timer to mark the beginning and end of your practice.

However,

If you prefer to use guided meditations,

You'll find numerous ones to explore on Insight Timer.

I hope you'll join me for the next and last session in this course for a meditation I've entitled,

Sitting at the Center of the Universe.

Thank you for taking the time to meditate with me today.

May you be warm and safe,

And may you live in peace and happiness.

Reviews

This was a delightful surprise. It showed up in my notifications and I was rewarded when I acted upon an impulse to try something new. It covers mantra meditation better than most I have found. Refreshing. I'll go back and listen to the whole series. BTW I've done mantra meditation since 1975 and am looking for material to share with my own patients. Thank you.