Note: For the complete lessons, with additions, see the AYP Easy Lessons for Ecstatic Living Books.

Lesson 369 – Alternate Approach to Mantra Enhancements

From: Yogani
Date: November 12, 2009

New Members: It is recommended you read from the beginning of the web archive, as previous lessons are prerequisite to this one. The first lesson is, "Why This Discussion?"


Over the years, many have undertaken enhancements to the I AM (AYAM) mantra provided in the lessons, with mostly good results.

However, from time to time, some imbalances have been reported. Sometimes this has been due to the particular matrix of obstructions in the practitioner’s nervous system, leading to various kinds of energy friction and its associated symptoms. For that we have self-pacing, grounding, and additional methods that we have been discussing in recent lessons. Other times, the mantra enhancement itself may be contributing to the imbalance. The mantra enhancements were originally structured to be quite aggressive for enhancing purification and opening in the nervous system. In most cases, self-pacing and grounding have been sufficient to handle any excesses. In some cases, it has been become clear that a more balanced alternate approach to mantra enhancements might be useful.

With that in mind, we are offering an alternate path of mantra enhancements in this lesson. The destination (the third enhancement) remains the same. Only the steps to get there are being modified and offered as an alternate approach.

This does not necessarily replace the previous mantra enhancements. They remain valid, and those who are using them with good results may continue to do so without undue concern. If there is a desire to shift over "midstream" from an original mantra enhancement to the alternate track, this can be done according to the practitioner’s inclination and need.

There is no exactly correct mantra, or progression of mantra enhancement. If the mantra we are using is providing good results for us in daily activity, then that is the right mantra for us. The important thing is that we maintain good consistency in daily practice, and only change our mantra as and when it is necessary according to our bhakti and practical need. This will hopefully be at intervals of months or years, not days or weeks. Rushing mantra enhancements will do more to contribute to an unstable path than any particular mantra will.

In the AYP lessons, we are dealing with causes and effects observed in a growing community of self-directed practitioners. We rely on traditional sources, but, in the end, it is the experience of the community of practitioners that determines actions we take to enhance and fine-tune the practices in the AYP system, to improve overall results. The past few lessons have been presented in that spirit, as is this one. The objective is to provide as many effective tools as may be needed by the discerning self-directed practitioner.

The alternate mantra enhancements include:

Base Mantra:   ...I AM...   (audio)
(No change from original in Lesson 13)

First Enhancement:
  Alternate: SHREE I AM NAMAH (audio)
(Lesson 116 original: SHREE SHREE I AM I AM)

Second Enhancement:
 Alternate: SHREE SHREE I AM I AM NAMAH NAMAH (audio)
(Lesson 186 orig: SHREE OM SHREE OM I AM I AM NAMAH)

Third Enhancement:
  SHREE OM SHREE OM I AM I AM NAMAH NAMAH (audio)
(No change from original in Lesson 188 addition)

What we are accomplishing with this alternate path of mantra enhancements is a more balanced progression with respect to purification in the upper and lower regions of the neurobiology. We have slowed down the addition of upper region mantra components (SHREE and OM), while speeding up the addition of the lower region component (NAMAH). The end result is a smoother progression going from the I AM (AYAM) mantra through the first and second enhancements, leading to the unaltered third enhancement.

Keep in mind that it will not be to our benefit to try and breeze through all the mantra enhancements in a few months. It would be like going from first gear into fifth gear in a car before we have allowed ourselves time to build up enough momentum to keep from stalling the car in the higher gear. Patience and daily practice over the long term are the keys to human spiritual transformation, not how fast we can take on more advanced yoga practices. Less can lead to more over the long term, while more can lead to less over the short term.

For those who are inclined to utilize this alternate progression of mantra enhancements, the instructions in the above mentioned mantra enhancement lessons remain the same. It is only the mantra itself that may be replaced with the corresponding alternate.

All of the characteristics of mantra enhancements are unchanged: The equivalent of an up-shift in gear, making a bigger footprint in the mind with additional mantra syllables, making a wider sweep through inner obstructions in the mind and nervous system, going slower into pure bliss consciousness, and coming out slower. This leads to the cultivation of more abiding inner silence in daily activity, and all the good that it brings into our life, which is why we are meditating.

As discussed in the previous lesson, the solar centering enhancement can be taken on instead of a mantra enhancement at any step along the way, assuming we are well settled in with our present mantra. The solar centering enhancement can bring more stabilization and radiance to whatever mantra we are using.

As is the case with all the practices in the AYP lessons, we always self-pace for good progress with comfort. If we find ourselves getting ahead of ourselves at any time, there will be no harm done if we act to correct the situation. We just back off to our last stable platform of practice, and proceed comfortably from there. All things in good time.

The guru is in you.

Note: For detailed instructions on deep meditation procedure, see the Deep Meditation book.

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