| There are many doubts and misconception among | | | | awareness of its meaningWhen you play a mantra on |
| people about mantra. Even many knowledgeable | | | | tape, you are just a passive listener. The requirement |
| persons says that mantra is nothing but a boring | | | | of sound is there, but the awareness part is absent. |
| repetition of words that doesn't affect our | | | | Even if the recorded sound is of someone who has |
| consciousness and the only effect it produce is to take | | | | recorded the mantra with faith and full awareness of |
| the chanter ( the one who repeats the mantra ) into a | | | | its meaning, the fact remains that you, who is just a |
| state of sleep. There are many other wrong notions | | | | passive listener, will not be able to draw any benefits |
| about mantra which, I think, exist because of the fact | | | | form this sound as it is not your faith but that of |
| that people are not aware of the full mechanism of | | | | someone else which is included in the recorded |
| mantra. So before you start mantra meditation, it is | | | | mantra. So unless you yourself chant the mantra with |
| essential that you clear all your doubts about | | | | faith and full awareness of this meaning, the only thing |
| mantra:The doubt (1): Mantra will take you into | | | | you will get is a sound sleep.Please keep in mind that In |
| sleep:Fact: Yes but only if you use it as a lullaby.The | | | | order to obtain full fruit of mantra, we have to repeat it |
| most important thing in mantra meditation is that you | | | | with full awareness of its meaning. Most of the time, |
| should repeat it with the full awareness of its meaning. | | | | we repeat the mantra with the wrong understanding, |
| However, many people repeat mantra without having | | | | thinking that the syllables of the mantra and the object |
| full awareness of its meaning. If you repeat a mantra in | | | | of the mantra are different from each other and from |
| such mechanical way then it will not produce any | | | | ourselves. That is why the mantra does not bear |
| effect and will remain an ordinary word. The emotional | | | | immediate fruit for us. If you think about this you will |
| feeling in which a mantra is chanted is the most | | | | understand that the same thing is true on a mundane |
| important requisite of mantra meditation. In its absence | | | | level. Suppose that someone calls you an idiot. If you |
| a mantra is no more than a lullaby. So always keep in | | | | do not accept the word "idiot" as referring to you, you |
| mind that whenever you repeat a mantra, you should | | | | will not react to it. But if you identify with it, you may |
| know what is the meaning of that Mantra. Otherwise | | | | become so angry that your blood heat up. If you were |
| you'll not be able to draw any benefit from it.The doubt | | | | to identify yourself with the name of God as easily as |
| (2): Language of most mantra is strange and difficult to | | | | you identify yourself with an abusive term, you would |
| understand.Fact: To some extent it is true but there is | | | | experience its effects at once.Doubt (4): Is there a |
| a reason for it.The entire concept of Mantra meditation | | | | difference between repeating a mantra silently and |
| began in India. That is why most of the mantras are in | | | | repeating it loudly?Fact: There is a little difference but |
| Sanskrit Language which is the language of the Vedas | | | | not much.As I have already explained, the main thing is |
| (the oldest written texts of the world). Though the | | | | that you should repeat a mantra with faith, respect and |
| language Sanskrit may be ancient & alien to you, what | | | | with full awareness of its meaning. This can be done in |
| is still intact in various mantras written in this language is | | | | both way i.e. by silently repeating the mantra or by |
| their phonetic significance and their ability to create | | | | pronouncing it loudly. The basic difference in repeating |
| powerful vibration of sound . All mantras were | | | | a mantra silently and repeating it loudly lies in the |
| developed after painstaking research and efforts. | | | | intensity of sound that comes out in both the method. |
| Therefore, they are very well written tools for | | | | But these vibrations may differ in their quantity but not |
| achieving a meditative state. You should only think | | | | in their quality and both have the same effect on our |
| about meditating- the process of achieving a state of | | | | inner consciousness.Doubt (5): But no sound is |
| choiceless awareness- without thinking about the | | | | produced when we repeat a mantra silently?Fact: If |
| language of the mantra that you will be repeating.[ | | | | you can't listen a sound, don't think it does not |
| Note: Sanskrit is not the sole language of mantra. In | | | | exist.Well it appears to us that no sound is produced, |
| almost every religion there are some specific words | | | | the reality is that every action and every thought |
| related to Sound. The word 'Amen' in Christianity, 'Allah | | | | produces a sound. That's a different thing that our |
| Hoo' in Islam and 'Om mani Padme Hum' in Buddhist | | | | senses can not detect it. Human being are capable of |
| traditions are some examples. Please keep in mind | | | | detecting only sound between 20 to 20,000 Hertz. We |
| that of whichever language's mantra you repeat, you | | | | can't listen sound below or above that level. However, |
| must repeat it with full awareness of its meaning.]The | | | | this does not mean that such sounds do not exist. |
| doubt (3): If Mantra can create a powerful sound | | | | They do exists and leave their effect on us. When |
| vibration then what is the need to repeat it. We can | | | | you chant a mantra silently, it produces a sound. |
| record a mantra on tape and can listen to it as and | | | | Though we can't hear the sound, it does exist and |
| when we want for achieving a meditative state. easy ! | | | | produces the vibrations which affects our inner |
| Isn't it ?Fact: It seems logical but actually is not that | | | | consciousness.I hope the above clarifications have |
| logical.It appears logical that If mantra can produce | | | | removed all your doubts about mantra |
| powerful sound vibration then why not use a tape | | | | meditation.Eklavya is a simple student of meditation |
| recorder and listen to it repeatedly. However, in reality | | | | based in India. He provides knowledge of meditation |
| it is not that easy as it appears. If you record a mantra | | | | through his website Meditation is Easy ( This website |
| and listen to it passively, you will fall asleep as the | | | | provides knowledge of meditation (& various |
| mantra will act as a lullaby. All those- who are really | | | | meditation techniques) to general public in a simple and |
| interested in mantra meditation- should keep in mind | | | | idiot-friendly language! Along with a collection of 112 |
| that there are two basic requirement for getting any | | | | Meditation techniques of all times (for all people of all |
| benefit from mantra meditation-(1) the sound of the | | | | age), you will also find a useful collection of various tips |
| mantra; and | | | | for stress-free life including workplace tips, health tips |
| (2) the repetition of mantra with faith and full | | | | and Soul tips! Have a look today! |