Meditation For Beginners - Lesson 7

06:02

Meditation For Beginners - Lesson 7

Type

talks

Activity

Meditation

Suitable for

Beginners

The mind is always repeating something. It repeats worries, old arguments, fears, judgments, plans, and imaginary conversations. A mantra gives the mind something deliberate to return to. In lesson seven of this beginner meditation course, I explain what a mantra is, how to choose a simple one, how to repeat it silently or aloud, and how mantra meditation can help gather a scattered mind. You can use a simple phrase such as “I am here,” a traditional mantra such as “So Hum,” or a divine name connected to your own spiritual practice. The important thing is not finding the most exotic mantra. The important thing is choosing one and returning to it consistently. Beginner practice: Choose one short mantra and repeat it gently for five minutes. When the mind wanders, return to the sound without judging yourself.

Mantra Repetition Japa So Hum Meditation Meditation Mantra Hinduism Buddhism Repetition Emotional Acknowledgment Daily Life Integration Mantra Meditation

Meet your Teacher

Kingston, ON, Canada

Meet your Teacher

Kingston, ON, Canada

Transcript

Hey guys, Jason here. So up to this point, We've used the breath, The body, As objects of meditation. So in this lesson, We're going to work with mantra. Now, A mantra is a word, A phrase, Or a sacred sound that's repeated to steady the mind. Mantra meditation, It's found in tons of traditions, Particularly within Hinduism and Buddhism, But you don't have to adopt a new religion to understand just this simple basic practice, Right? So the mind is always repeating something. It repeats worries, It repeats old arguments, It repeats judgments, And of course fears. Uh, You know, Songs you didn't even want kind of stuck in your head, Right? So a mantra, It gives the mind something deliberate to return to. Uh, So in this case for, You know, A simple beginner practice, You can use really any word, But, Uh, I'd start with something simple like peace, Right? You can also use, Uh, Something super simple. Like I am here. Uh, You can repeat the, Uh, The words or the mantra. So whom, Which is traditionally connected to the natural movement of the breath. I mean, You could also have a devotional practice, So you might repeat a divine name such as Ram, Right? But just choose one mantra, Okay? Just one. It really does matter. Uh, People sometimes spend more time searching for the perfect mantra than they spend actually meditating. Yeah, Actually a true story. The power of the practice actually comes largely through repetition and relationship, Right? So choose something simple and just stay with it for a while. You know, Sit with your normal posture. And let the body settle and then take a few natural breaths, Just natural ones, Nothing forced. And then begin repeating the mantra silently in your mind. You know, You don't have to shout it out internally. You don't have to yell it in your mind. Just let it be gentle, Right? So if you're using, Say, SO WHOM, Repeat SO as you inhale, And then WHOM as you exhale, Right? So if you're using, Let's say, I AM HERE, You might repeat I AM on the inhale, And then HERE on the exhale. So if you're using one word, Like ROM, Allow it to repeat at a natural pace. The mantra doesn't always have to match the breath. Just see which approach feels less forced for you and then work from there. And as you repeat the mantra, Listen to it internally. Don't just merely fire off the words rapidly. Through the mind, Let each repetition be heard, Right? It's not a race. You feel like the slight space between one repetition and then the next. And soon, You'll notice, Like we've talked about before, The mind will wander, Right? So, You know, You'll realize that you've been thinking about something else, And then the mantra is gone. And the moment you notice it, Return to the mantra. It's exactly like returning to the breath. And you may also notice that the mantra continues quietly in the background while other thoughts occur, Sometimes even when you're not meditating. It does for me. Just so you know, Totally normal. And then gently bring it back to the foreground. Some days the mantras feel super, Super powerful and other days they may feel, I guess, Kind of dry and mechanical. So don't really become too concerned with how it feels. The practice itself is the return, Right? And just so you know, You can repeat the mantra aloud as well. It can be useful sometimes when the mind feels like super scattered. So speak quietly and very steadily, Right? Feel the sound vibrating in your chest, Your throat, You know, And even your mouth. And then gradually, You know, Start to lower the volume, You know, Move from speaking aloud to whispering. And then from whispering back into a silent repetition. And this can actually help guide the mind inward, Right? Mantra can also become a super big part of your daily life. You can repeat it while walking. I do this all the time. You can do this while you're waiting in line, Before a conversation, When you even wake up during the night, Right? Or when you notice yourself becoming very reactive. The mantra itself becomes the path back, Right? But you don't use it to suppress everything you feel. I mean, If you're angry, Repeating mantra shouldn't become a way of pretending that you're not angry. Just acknowledge the emotion, Right? It's not that hard. And then use the mantra to remain grounded while the emotion moves through you. Does that make sense? So, You know, For this lesson, Choose, I guess, One simple mantra and repeat it for five minutes. Don't keep changing it during the practice, Right? Just stick with one. And when thoughts appear, Just return to the sound. And when the mind becomes quiet, Well then continue gently. So the mantra is not there to hypnotize you or erase your personality. It's there to gather the mind from a hundred different directions and then bring it back to one single place. Thanks for listening guys, And Namaste.