Mantra Yoga: Transform Yourself With Mantra Yoga

By Swami Sukhabodhananda

Chanting mantras inspires the body to heal itself, the mind to become calm and the soul to grow strong. Chanting makes room for divine energies. Mantras are vibrations - they unlock hidden centres and help to dissolve the ego; they help us build invisible tools for shaping a better life. We start discovering resources within.

A young farmer, simple and ego-less, was rearing goats. One day a realised soul in ordinary attire visited him. The poor farmer welcomed him with respect without knowing that he was a great guru. Affectionately, he offered goat milk to the visitor. The guru left after some time. His blessings created a great spiritual armour around the farmer, unbeknownst to him.

There was a sudden drought in the village. But the farmer had cultivated plants that needed very little water. He was happy that des-pite the drought the goats survi-ved. He thanked the guru for his blessings.

The gods were puzzled. What made the farmer so happy? One by one, they visited him. The farmer offered them goat milk with lots of love. The gods went to sleep after drinking the milk. Each one slept in a certain direction that created a mystical yantra and because of this, it rained. This was made possible because of the monk'sblessings and the absence of ego in the farmer.

Chanting mantras with devotion and understanding makes possible a positive transformation. But this does not happen where there is rigidity. Rigidity is caused when one sticks to one'spoint of view; it becomes a source of misery. Stubbornness is a form of identification. One of the important teachings of Mantra Yoga is de-identification.

We start getting identified with many things. This is a form of attachment or bondage. To be free from attachment is to be free from identification.

Identification creates rigidity. With rigidity one cannot 'float"in life. One should not fight the waves; one should just learn to float. By chanting mantras with devotion and understanding, one acquires the ability to float with the waves of life.

If we choose to fight the waves of life, we end up getting hurt. This causes pain. The "hurt body" creates an imaginary self, which covers the face of truth, says the Vedas. Once an imaginary self is created, we see and live illusions. The Vedas say: "The world is Maya or illusion". The world might not be unreal but the way we look at the world is unreal - through an imaginary self. Thence illusions are created. This turns into a death trap. But when we chant the mantras with understanding and devotion, the veil of imaginary self disappears and we start seeing truth as truth is and not as illusions: "Lead me /from unreal to real /from darkness to light /from death to immortality".

A mind purified with man-tras creates positive energies. Impure energies make us feel miserable. Many people nurse grievances for long in relationships - this is an effect of the impure mind, which tends to function in a mechanical manner. So, we start thinking, form opinions, create dogmas... even feel - all mechanically. But a mind purified by chanting can function like a 'Magnetic Centre".

This can heal our body, calm our mind and strengthen our soul. Mantras unlock hidden promises: Of creating a condition where joy is integral to one'sessence and silence is one'scentre. Operating from such a centre, life will no longer be a threat; it will be full of opportunities. Such a life will generate prema lahiri - waves of love.

(Mantra Yoga sessions on May 10 and 11 at 4, Tilak Marg, New Delhi, from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. For regis- tration contact: 9810116780, 9810192290, 9810584300, 9868051288, 9810061760 and 56003054.)

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See also: Peace of Mind, Peace on Earth, Life and Beyond, Love and Happiness, Body Mind and Soul)