mantra

[Guest guest]

Namaste. Does anyone use a mantra during their

asana and /or meditation practice? What are your views

on this? If yes, share it with us if you like. I

have found the yamas and niyamas helpful during asana

and meditation. What are ya'll doing with your mind

during practice? Are there any suggestions or guidance

from your guru or in the literature? Thank you.

[Guest guest]

namaste, dnpagano. meditation upon the infinite

is prescribed by maharishi patanjali in his

description of the ashtanga (8 limbs) of raja yoga. use of

mantra is a key component in meditation to allow us to

focus on our true self -- infinite, pure

consciousness:<br><br>2.46<br>sthira-sukham asanam |<br>asanas should be steady

and

comfortable.<br><br>2.47<br>prayatna-saithilyananta-samapattibhyam |<br>posture

is mastered by releasing tension and

meditation on the infinite.<br><br>2.48<br>tato

dvandvanabhighatah |<br>from that, no assaults derive from opposing

phenomena.<br><br>***<br><br>i am guided by this wisdom in my personal practice

and emphasize it in my classes, to beneficial

effect.<br><br>=)<br><br>jai<br><br>midnight yoga for men,

nyc<br><a href=http://members.nbci.com/omboy

target=new>http://members.nbci.com/omboy</a><br>212/358-5877<br><br><a

href=http://clubs./clubs/midnightyogaformen

target=new>http://clubs./clubs/midnightyogaformen</a><br><a

href=http://clubs./clubs/menssattvicpersonals

target=new>http://clubs./clubs/menssattvicpersonals</a>

[Guest guest]

1.28<br>tajjapastadarthabhavanam<br><br>(In order

to relate to God it is necessary to regularly

address him properly and reflect on his

qualities)<br><br>"Patanjali suggest that is it necessary to reflect

constantly on the qualities of God. This might be aided by

the repeated recitation of his name together with

prayer and contemplation. But mechanical repetition and

prayer is worthless, it must be accompanied by conscious

thought and consideration, and by profound

respect."<br><br>-- PATANJALI'S YOGASUTRAS by Desikachar

[Guest guest]

<< What are ya'll doing with your mind during practice?

>><br><br>Apparently most of us are drafting our next nasty post to this

board

[Guest guest]

<< What are ya'll doing with your mind

during practice? >><br><br>On a more serious note:

during asana pratice in the early months I would

sometimes repeat internally the word "joy", especially when

I got distracted or dispirited. As my endurance

increased, I dropped the practice and now I pretty much

focus on breathing and bandhas.<br><br>The "joy" idea

was derived from a book by an anonymous 14th century

English mystic, who suggested the use of a single word as

needed in order to "look beyond" distracting thoughts as

one becomes conscious of them during the practice of

contemplative prayer. As far as I know this technique is not a

part of the Indian yoga tradition, although it is

quite reminiscent of mantra.<br><br>Peace and

Good,<br>Homer

[Guest guest]

There are the opening and closing mantras (which

were posted here and translated not too long ago), but

those are at the beginning and end of practice. As I

understand it, one should try to focus the mind on bandhas,

drishti and ujjayi during asanas, which is what I try to

do while practicing.

[Guest guest]

What are ya'll doing with your mind during

practice? <br><br>Early on in my practice I would

constantly be reminding myself about bandas, drishti,

alignment, breath, and give myself 'verbal' adjustments.

<br>Over time I am becoming more focused and aware in each

asana and I am beginning to refine my concentration and

can more often focus exclusively on my breath, simply

saying inhale....exhale ...to myself...<br>Now I find

the practices where I am most present and focused are

when I am thinking only of breathing ...

inhale...exhale...inhale...exhale...<br>the sound of my breath is my mantra.

Everything else

comes most naturally, my mind is present, my ego stays

out of it and I am practising inwardly, in my truth.

[Guest guest]

namaste omboy,<br>thank you for your thoughtful response <br>do you use a mantra

when you practice asana?<br>peace, daniel

[Guest guest]

hi screwgee, thanks for your reply,<br>do you use a mantra while practicing

asana?<br>thanks, daniel

[Guest guest]

yo homer, thanks for your "joy" mantra, as my

mind wanders beyond breath and bhandas i often use

earth (inhale) sky (exhale) or the yamas and niyamas -

one for each breath - 5 for each side<br>peace, joy,

love, daniel

[Guest guest]

thanks warriorgirlca,<br>a focus on the breath

and it's sound using inhale - exhale mantra is a most

helpful suggestion - it has worked for me too, more

successfully in sitting meditation, but my mind keeps

wandering - most often to the yamas and niyamas - and

beyond - no suprise as the practice is about training

the mind - via the body - often in and after practice

i do feel "more in myself" or as you said "i am

practicing inwardly, in my truth" - i try to carry this to

breath and life beyond asana too.<br>peace, daniel

[Guest guest]

thanks chawmaw, i will focus on bandhas, drishti and ujjayi and look for the

mantras previously posted, namaste, daniel

[Guest guest]

yes, daniel, i recite my mantra mentally with

each inhalation and again with each exhalation. this,

along with continuous visualization of a pleasantly

neutral, simple image (geometric shape, piece of fruit,

beautiful light, e.g.), and focussing on either anahata or

anja chakra (the latter for analytical types, the

former for more emotional) is a basic transcendental

meditation technique taught by sivananda.<br><br>your guru

may one day initiate you into a personal mantra

practice as mine did me. but i know many people who have

chosen a mantra themselves after some self-study. i

instruct my students to begin with the maha mantra OM, as

it is the power of all that is encased in a sound

structure. it makes a lovely internal vibration.<br><br>it

makes sense to me to follow patanjali's four criteria

for asana practice: stable, comfortable, release all

effort, meditate upon the infinite. without meditation

the mind may be pleasantly calm, but may just as

likely be taken with whatever thought fluctuation comes

along. how much better to see a lovely mental image,

hear a lovely mental vibration, and focus on a

powerful energy center, than to have the mind sending

messages like, "geez this hurts,i suck,what's that

smell?,wonder who does her hair,daddy never loved

me," etc.

[Guest guest]

Glad to be of help. The credit actually goes the

anonymous author of the "The Cloud of Unknowing" (probably

a Carthusian monk from the East Midlands of 14th

century England). One of my heroes (though he would

undoubtably be puzzled by the apllication of his technique to

asana practice).<br><br>Peace and Good,<br>Homer

[Guest guest]

I should add: the reason why I don't use a mantra

during asana practice is because ujayi breathing is

audible -- it's to be listened to, and therefore

listening to our breathing during asana practice is to be

the occupation of our attention to hearing. To

introduce a mantra at the same time ujayi is being

practiced is to have too much going on at the same

time.<br><br>Or to look at it another way, the sound of ujayi is

the mantra for my asana practice.<br><br>That's how i

see it, though perhaps others have had different

experiences.

[Guest guest]

There are two simple mantras I know of, mentally

thinking "Sa" on the inhale of the Ujayi breath, and "Ha"

on the exhale. OR, you can simply think "Om" on the

inhale, and count the number of the breath on the

exhale...<br><br>But, the importance of listening to the Ujayi breath

itself cannot be overstated.

[Guest guest]

was inspired by SS to troll thru the EZ board

site and found this neat mantra. perhaps you all

already know it. i'm not too web savvy, so it's new to

me. be patient and let it wash over

you<br><br><a href=http://www.demsystems.com/images/other/allyourbase.swf

target=new>http://www.demsystems.com/images/other/allyourbase.swf</a>

[Guest guest]

ujjayi breathing may be a form of the "infinite"

patanjali instructs us to meditate upon in asana. sounds

good to me. ujjayi is something i practice during

separate pranayama. in asana, releasing all effort would

include in the nose and throat, the quieter the breath

the more effortless. paths are many.