Blessings and well wishes my brothers and sisters. As with my previous letters, I am guided to share with you the things I am busy leaning about, so I will follow up on last week's message and then move into something that I have recently come to know more about: the use of a mantra in meditation.
Last week I encouraged that you recognize your unique gifts and do what you can, as best you can, to manifest positive change in the world around you. Many tend to make the decision to do just that, but very quickly lose motivation or focus. This week I want to remind you to stay true and focused to the changes and decisions you make regardless of what comes your way. Your focus, as well as you sincerity in your practice, will bring you reward. By reward I don't mean material or financial reward, but rather the reward of greater opportunities, and the sight of the change you hoped to inspire begin to manifest all around you.
Remaining focused and sincere in your specific goal or practice, you will also begin to notice incredible synchronicity. You start meeting people who are able to help you with the work you are doing, friends that share the same passion for your cause starting flowing into your Life, greater opportunities too start coming your way, all allowing you to manifest your goal on a larger scale if that's what you hope to do. So start paying attention to new people that come into your Life, people, books, articles, courses etc. that you for some unknown reason are particularly drawn to. In most cases these things will be in alignment with what you are doing or where you need to be.
Meditation also becomes an extremely valuable practice in allowing you to be much more receptive and able to recognize synchronicity or signs that come your way. Our minds are often so busy and scattered that all too often we dismiss the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) messages that we are given. Meditation helps considerably to focus the mind, and so allowing you to be more attuned to the subtle energies of the Universe and the Divine messages that you would do well to receive. The number of different methods and forms of meditation are about as vast as the benefits one can gain from it, of which an increased ability to focus your mind is one.
Perhaps one of the most simple tools for meditation is the use of a mantra: a word, or collection of words (often in Sanskrit) that when repeated affect the body and mind in a particular kind of way. We should all know how words, and the thought attached to them, can affect us. When someone verbally expresses violence or hatred, our body, emotions and mind respond negatively. When someone expresses genuine gratitude or Love, we are moved and often uplifted by their words. Mantras work on very much the same lines. In my first letter i shared with you the Soul or Monadic Mantra which is a fairly long mantra to repeat, but some prefer to use simpler Sanskrit words, which i perceive to be much purer in nature. Because we've attached so many thoughts and emotions to certain words in our own language, it may make it difficult to experience the energy of mantra to its fullest when repeated in English. But when we are introduced to Sanskrit words, they are untainted by our thoughts, so to speak. This allows us to better connect with both the sound and the energy that arises from repeating the mantra.
Just briefly on what I mean with English words being 'tainted' by our thoughts: Take the word Love for example. Many don't know the true nature of Love, or may have certain emotions (pleasant or unpleasant) attached that relate only to romantic relationship. When using a Sanskrit word for Love, you are very aware that you are working with something sacred, a Divine or Cosmic Love. Even the word, God, has particular thought patterns attached to it. Using Sanskrit, again one tends to be removed from those thoughts, working with a much purer word form for God.
A few Sanskrit mantras I have come across are: "Aum", the pure sound of Creation; "Om Mani Padme Hum", the mantra of the embodiment of compassion in Tibetan Buddhism, Avalokiteshvara; and the one I have most recently been introduced to and working with, "Baba Nam Kevalam", which translates to "Only the Name of My Beloved" or can also be interpreted as "God [or Love] Is All There Is."
Reiki practitioners should also notice that name of the symbols used in our practice are mantras in themselves. I recommend you spend some time in meditation just focusing on one particular symbol and use it as a mantra. This is something I am starting to experiment with as well. These symbols are tool for healing, so perhaps using them in this way will be a powerful method for self-healing.
For those who are interested in meditation, using a mantra is a very good place to start. And for those who are already spending time meditating, I suggest you experiment with using a mantra from time to time. Of course if it doesn't quite resonate with you, then there is no need to do it. I'm sure most of you reading this, in particular the ones who receive this via email, are already doing some form of meditation, but for those who aren't but are interested to know more about it, you are more than welcome to give me a call or email. I will happily share with you my knowledge and help you as best I can.
The core thing in any meditation is deep, even breathing, and a point of focus. So if you would like to experiment with a mantra, just find a comfortable spot to sit , where you won't be easily distracted, close your eyes and start relaxing your body. Breath slowly and deeply. Then all you need to do is silently or out loud (it really doesn't matter, though most prefer to silently repeat it in the head) begin repeating the chosen mantra. While there is no set number of times you should repeat the mantra, Tibetan Buddhist tend to repeat it 108 times, with the aid of prayer beads to count the recitations.
I have recommended the use of mantras here to help you focus your mind and allow you to be more receptive to intuitive messages, so as to help you further your practice and bring you closer to achieving the goals or changes you wish to manifest in the world. So to end this off, all I can really say is: Enjoy.
Please know that I am here to serve and share knowledge with all who seek it, so you are more than welcome to contact me anytime with questions, to discuss the various topics I have been looking at, or anything else you may need.
Your Brother in Love, Light, and Service.
Ryan
PS. The Holistic Day at Animal Welfare Society in Port Elizabeth on 31 January is drawing nearer. Interested stall holders are please to get hold of me so I can forward Michelle's details to you. And for anyone who wants more information about the Holistic Day can drop me an email anytime. I have attached the poster for the event, so if you can, please print it and put it up on notice boards in your area or in the window of your car. That would be greatly appreciated.
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Note: you are more than welcome to share your thoughts on these various topics either by leaving a comment or emailing me
http://www.thoughts.com/RyanSnoopyAllan/blog
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=131880254
http://lightworkers.org/blog/3699/
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