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x.j.
304 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 05 2008 : 4:43:08 PM
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I am new to these forums(6 weeks since I found you here and started reading all the AYP lessons on this website, and then the beautiful novel, Secrets of Wilder, which was a real eye opener, in case anybody out there in webspace hasn't read it yet.) I haven't dug through ALL of the posts that are in the archives here, so please bear with me on one of the all-time topics, mantras. And though the "I Am" mantra is the core practice in Yogani's system, I understand that in the AYP scheme of things, we are free to utilize other practices as long as we attend to proper pacing so as not to overload as it were. And too, many of us coming here are "journeyman" yogis and yoginis, workmen and workwomen, not beginners so much, but rather, "intermediates" who like me, discovering AYP secondarily, discovering that AYP is "singing my song". (Hey what's the big idea buddy, your singing my song!) Just kidding. So with that proviso, I wanted to risk say too much about mantras. I consider mantra yoga as a core practice in addition to the AYP core practices. So just speaking only for me, I love mantras and luxuriate in the beauty and power of mantras. They are literally a Godsend in my view. I have sandal wood, rosewood, and rudraksha bead half malas, that some psychic person in ancient times, determined are best for Gayatri, Ganesha, and Shiva respectively.
And so in corpse pose alternating with sitting, perform a half mala(54 beads) of each every day, as minimal committed practice. I do these in a low mumble, and at times, it becomes a silent recitation. Based on intuition and back pain, I may alternate sitting and laying down for these practices. I have not received any transmissions or initiations by avatars, great ones, or other presiding officials, nor have I paid dues to same, nor am I a disciple or assistant petty officer to any of these. Nor do I have statuary, incense, candles, nor rituals of any kind. Over the years, these three mantras have opened me up like a clam at a clam bake. And they are now rooted in my subconscious mind, so that upon awaking from sleep, or going about daily activities, I discover and observe, that I am unwittingly reciting them, usually the Gayatri. I believe this is called Ajapa Japa, because it goes on endlessly, apparently even while asleep. It's uncanny to awake from sleep to the words of the Gayatri mantra clearly spoken in one's consciousness by a voice that is one's own somehow. I understand that at the time of death from this body, the mantra that is so deeply imbedded in our subconscious like this, will carry us away, even into the unconscious worlds as if we have become asleep, but the mantra continues as a vehicle to take us to some blessed realm, so we will not wander. And in this life, if it is embedded deeply, it will do it's purifying work on us even, and especially when we are sleeping. I just thought I might throw this comment out to the readership here and see if someone resonates with this idea, or wishes to contribute some thoughts about this whole mealdeal. Thanks |
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Suryakant
USA
259 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2008 : 8:20:22 PM
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| Wonderful post, John. I can relate. Over the years, my sadhana has simplified to bhakti and mental japa. Ajapa Japa is a blessing! |
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riptiz
United Kingdom
741 Posts |
Posted - Jan 06 2008 : 08:44:09 AM
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Hi John,
Japa is indeed a core practice in Kundalini Maha Yoga, both silently in part of daily practice and as one sleeps.As daily practice it is used by chanting the mantra silently as fast as possible many times to create energy for purification.
L&L
Dave |
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x.j.
304 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2008 : 02:54:29 AM
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There is an uncanny resonance that our spiritual body experiences whilst we are immersed in an ancient mantra. Not any word, like Coca Cola, for example, will do that. Because mantras are not arbitrary sounds. A real mantra is a mystic formula that has resonated in the collective unconscious devotionally, of men and women, for many centuries. The Lord's Prayer is a true example of this. For a true mantra to resonate us at the core of being, it must have been deeply embedded in human nature almost at a genetic, chromosomal level. That is why mantras are ancient and not some pretty sentiment or clever word sequence, thought up by someone in recent times and called a mantra. Rather, real mantras are not just arbitrary word sounds, nor random word sounds, but are indeed very very special words with psychic power within them, within their vibrational nature. Because the ancient mantras, and The Lord's Prayer included, are sacred words of power, bestowed on human beings, through the grace of a saint or maharishi whilst in samadhic meditative trance, at the point of Stillness, and at that time, our yogic representative, the saint/maharishi, became touched by incredible Grace. And returning with that incredible Gift, for us.
Finally what greater proof is there for the Ultimate divine provenance of the real, ancient, holy mantras, than those oft quoted, familiar words: "In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (Gospel of St.John 1:1) |
Edited by - x.j. on Feb 11 2008 03:45:56 AM |
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emc
2072 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2008 : 2:46:16 PM
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Perhaps off topic, but you mention 'Secrets of Wilder', and then the discussion is about mantras... I can't help associating to the clever and witty use of the I AM mantra in the book when referring to what Jesus said, for example: I AM the way, Be still and know I AM God, Before Abraham I AM.
Is it just me having logical problems with this, since the MEANING of the mantra is not IT, it's the vibrational sound that's the core... and I don't think they spoke English in those days... so... I just don't get it.
Help?
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yogibear
409 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2008 : 9:28:18 PM
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Furthering the off topic direction...
From Sexual Energy and Yoga by Elisabeth Haich:
John 1:1-5
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."
The English language lacks the words for an exact rendering of the Greek text. There is no word wihich means the same as the Greek word logos, and Luther translated logos with 'word', which completely fails to render the meaning of logos. It would have been better to take 'verb' because it expresses more adequately the birth of the first motion, the first stirring of creation. In Greek, logos means the creative principle, the power of God, the instrument of God which executes his will and animates the creation, as, for instance a man's hand, wihich is at the same time himself and his instrument, which is active.
If we then try to render the meaning of these sentences according to the Greek original with the modern words, it would run something like this:
"In the beginning was logos, the will that brings forth the deed, the power that animates and realizes creation, still with God in a latent condition as God's potency. God was and is this power himself. Essentially, God and his creative principle, his creative power, are one and the same thing. All things were created by God through logos. God is being, is life itself, and everything that exists can only do so because the creative principle, the creative aspect of God, namely, logos, creates, animates and sustains it. God, eternal being, life, moulded man too - according to the original text - on himself, on his own image. Therefore the true Self, the very essence of man is God himself. But man in his unconscious condition is still in darkness and does not comprehend God's light within himself. He is unaware and has no inkling that God, that is, his quintessential Self, dwells in his unconscious."
Best, yb. |
Edited by - yogibear on Feb 11 2008 11:08:15 PM |
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x.j.
304 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2008 : 9:28:39 PM
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Hi emc,
In answer, I mentioned Secrets of Wilder in my original post out of any context, just to recommend it in case anybody had not yet read it.
I had just read it at the time.
Secondly, regarding mantras, I think it's the vibrational nature that gives it the power, not the meaning of the words.
It's hard to put into words what I experience as a mantra yogi, but I would recommend that you try mantra yoga sometime as a discipline, dear emc, and come back and tell me, and tell us what you have experienced and discovered about God and learned about yourself. It's all experientially based. You can't go wrong.
P.S. I thought I had just wrote this but it got disappeared and this is my second typing.
John |
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emc
2072 Posts |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 03:13:26 AM
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Hm. I am doing the I AM mantra as a yogic practice i AYP deep meditation and is already experienceing a lot from that... is that something else than what you are talking about?
And is the witty twist in how Yogani uses the I AM mantra in his book "Secrets of Wilder" only a semantic funny thing? Or do I miss something there? It is repeated so often as if Jesus really said "I AM the way", as if it really would have had something to do with the I AM mantra... but it can't have, can it? It's just a little mind boggle right now... |
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x.j.
304 Posts |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 04:02:26 AM
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Dear emc:
All roads lead to Rome. |
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NagoyaSea
424 Posts |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 12:05:05 PM
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Hi EMC. I always thought of the AYP's mantra similarity to God's self-awareness/self-expression (I AM) in religious text as just a coincidence. The first sanskrit mantra I received from my teacher years ago was almost identical in sound...
Yogani even mentions the similarity in his writings and said, as John did, that it was for its vibrational qualitites that it is used. I thought that if he really intended the mantra to be that 'concept' that he would have asked us to translate "I AM" into our own native languages and used that for our mantra, but who knows?
Kathy |
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Richard
United Kingdom
857 Posts |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 12:17:34 PM
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Absolutely correct Kathy the mantra I AM is just for the sound vibration there should be no literal meaning at all
We only use the English words I AM because they are the nearest thing you can get to the correct sound. It would be the same sound in any language.
I sometimes think its a little bit unfortunate that the sound means something in English.
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Edited by - Richard on Feb 13 2008 12:19:44 PM |
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yogani
USA
5201 Posts |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 12:27:33 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by emc
And is the witty twist in how Yogani uses the I AM mantra in his book "Secrets of Wilder" only a semantic funny thing? Or do I miss something there? It is repeated so often as if Jesus really said "I AM the way", as if it really would have had something to do with the I AM mantra... but it can't have, can it? It's just a little mind boggle right now...
Hi EMC:
Being a novel, the Secrets of Wilder takes a few liberties in picking up on common themes that can make the story more relevant and inspiring for English speaking (mainly American) Christian readers. While writing it, I did not expect that it would find an international audience.
One of these common themes is picking up on well-known English Biblical phrases like, "I am the way..." and the God of Moses speaking "I am that I am..." and so on.
Another theme that is used, common in Christianity and other religions, is touching as an initiatory action (tapping the breastbone in this case). I can't tell you how many times I have been asked where to go to get that tap. I always say that the first time anyone sits in deep meditation, they are tapped from the inside, and every time thereafter. It is true!
In addition, the Secrets of Wilder story reflects the classic theme of the "hero's journey," so well described in the work of Joseph Campbell. The novel loosely corresponds with the story in the Christian Gospels also.
None of this should have a bearing on the practices themselves, or on how people of different language, religion or culture may wish to approach them. If I were Swedish, the Secrets of Wilder may have presented a different sort of story, like The Secrets of John the Viking  , and the themes unique to language and culture would have been developed for that. But the practices would be the same, including the use of I AM (AYAM) as mantra for vibrational quality only in deep meditation, which I hope is made clear in the Secrets of Wilder novel.
Finally, I should point out that the first draft of the Secrets of Wilder was written in early 2003, before AYP was started, or even conceived of. When the first draft of the novel was done, it became clear that if more people were to be reached more quickly, then the practices should be transmitted directly on the internet in open source lesson format. With that realization, the novel was set aside and AYP was started in late 2003. After the first AYP Easy Lessons book came out in late 2004, the novel was finished up and published as the second book in mid 2005.
So the novel was where it all started. We have come a long way since then.
Hopefully, putting the writings in the context of when and why they were done will help separate language and cultural factors in the novel from the actual practices, as may be needed.
The guru is in you.
PS: I don't know if AYP ever would have happened if the novel had not been drafted first. Apparently, John Wilder inspired me to look far beyond the borders of sleepy "Coquina Island." Funny how things happen. I hope he has done the same for others. 
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emc
2072 Posts |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 1:29:46 PM
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Oh, thank you, Yogani! I guess I'm so used to read books that are spiritual non-fiction, so when a book like 'Secrets' show up I have difficulties distinguishing fiction from non-fiction in it, or what is possible or not. Borders get very blurry... Very interesting to get to know more about the background! Thank you very much for your reply!
(And thank God you forestalled me on the breastbone tapping... was just about to ask!  |
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Chanted, and mentally recited Mantras
