PERSONAL MANTRA PRACTICE
Rediscovering yourself through Mantra and how to chant
Part 2
''Love is the door... chanting is the key''
The Practice
You will need:
1. Mala Beads - 108 beads which correspond to the subtle, spiritual channels of energy around your body. Mala beads are used to count the reptitions of your mantra. The goal is to repeat the mantra 108 times a day, ideally in one sitting, though for longer mantras this can be broken down into counts of 27 or 54 and done at different times in the day.
2. A Spiritual Diary - find yourself a special book to write down wha you are seeking to achieve, which mantra you have chosen, what it means and the changes you notice along the way. Your mantra practice will take 40 days - if you forget a day then you must start again, This is part of the magical formula that 'rewires' your system.
3. An Altar - a special space in which to practice your mantra. (If you travel a lot then take a travelling altar.) This could consist of an image or a statue of the Goddess or God who you have chosen for your mantra, or it could simply be Buddha, the Enlightened Being. Also a meditation bell and/or bowl, a candle and crystals - whatever helps you create the space!
4. A List of Prayers - this special list should be put on your altar and left there for the duration of your practice (40 days). Prayers such as 'I call to Ganesha to remove all the obstacles that stand in my path to self awareness' or 'I call to Durga to protect me and defeat the demons which distort my reality' or 'May I be filled with the wisdom of the Sacred Mother who loves me unconditionally' or 'I call to Shiva to bring me to a place of enlightenment and forgiveness of myself and others...'
5. Special Mantra Time - set aside special time every day for your mantra practice (ideally within an hour or so of sunrise and/or sunset) so that you have this as your daily discipline which you can really look forward to in the busy schedule of your day.
CONTACT JANA TO ASK WHICH MANTRA MAY BE CURRENTLY APPROPRIATE FOR YOU:
The Practice
Drape the beads over the middle, ring and little fingers of your right hand, leaving the forefinger free (this represents your ego which is not involved in mantra practice.) You begin with the bead in front of the 'Meru' (Sacred Mountain) bead which represents Divine Power, moving it towards you with your thumb. Then each subsequent bead is moved towards you as you chant the mantra. When you get to the end and reach the Meru bead again, turn the beads around and start in the opposite direction... Y0u never cross the Sacred Mountain! |
| Meru Bead |
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| Using Mala Beads |
In Part 3, (coming soon) I will show how to learn a mantra, vocalise it and discuss different expressions of a Sanskrit Mantra - the most important thing though is to have a go and enjoy the process!
Om Shanti - and blessings on your practice!
Jana
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