Mantra.
What does mantra mean?
We've been told that we can use it in our spiritual practice,
But what is a mantra?
I'd like to tell you a little story to help illustrate what mantra means.
Mantra is mind.
Tra is tool.
Mantra is a mind tool.
The story goes that there was a man that went to an old sage and said,
There's so many things I want to get done.
I want to build a house.
I want to buy a new car.
I want to do all of these different things and I need some help.
And so the sage said,
Okay,
Yes,
I can help you.
Here is a very large ogre who can take any request that you give at him,
But you have to make sure that he stays busy.
Otherwise he will come for you.
And the man said,
Oh yes,
Not a problem.
I have so many things I want to get done.
Speed speed.
I got so many things to do.
No problem.
So he takes this ogre with him and he says,
Okay,
Go build me the most finest castle and the ogre goes and lickety split.
He's got it.
No problem.
Castles built.
Oh,
Okay.
I want to have these cars.
Go get these cars for me.
No problem.
The ogre comes back with these cars.
Okay.
Yes.
I want all these jewels.
I want all of this artwork.
I want all of these things.
And so the ogre goes and he's getting him all of the things that he thinks that he needs.
And soon before he knows that the man has everything he could possibly want.
Anything he could desire has shown up and the ogre is starting to come for him.
So he goes back to the old sage and he says,
What do I do?
I've run out of things.
I have everything I could possibly want.
I've done everything I needed to do.
Help me.
And the sage goes and plucks this curly hair off of his head.
It's got very wiry curly hair.
And he gives it to the man.
And he says,
Here,
Have him hold this between his fingers and tell him to keep it straight.
That will keep his mind busy.
So he goes back and gives it to the ogre and the ogre pulls it between his two fingers.
And the minute he lets it go,
It curls again.
So he pulls it between his two fingers,
Make it straight and he lets it go and it curls again and again and again,
Keeping him busy.
So this is what a mind tool,
A mantra is.
It is keeping this ogre in our head that always wants to be doing,
Always wants to be active,
Always needs something to do,
Busy with a tool so that we can relax in what we already have.
And then we can then employ it when we need it again.
We can say,
Okay,
Now I have a task for you that I need you to work on,
Need your help for something.
But in the meantime,
We give it a mantra,
This repetitious sound that it can keep straightening that hair on,
It can keep its mind busy so that it is not the one in control.
Thank you.
