Shlokas/Power of Sound

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The value of chanting or doing rituals without knowing the meaning

of what is being said is an important topic for consideration for

sadhaks, one that has been both directly and indirectly addressed

several times among our various sadhaks.

 

To read some valuable information already shared by our members

please go to our subject index at

 

http://www.geocities.com/sadhanacommunity/ and look for

category "Power of Sound". There are several posts on this subject.

Many of these posts are part of the section that was converted by

; if you have difficulty in reading them, please let us know on

the board itself and we will repost them.

 

One of the most important lessons I have learnt from my journey is

that there are layers and layers of understanding and activity, all

of which depend on the level of consciouness from where it is coming

from. But no matter what, we are always moving towards the ultimate

goal.

 

I agree with Dr. Yadu's point that it is imperative that people

understand what they are doing with the chanting and rituals. In

fact it is also necessary for the shlokas to be chanted in specific

ways specially for the sanskrit chants. I thank Dr. Yadu for

including the quotations from the various scriptures that support

that point. I didn't know of them.

 

This is not about being educated or eloquence. This is

about "knowing" .. moving from information to knowledge through

experience. Those simple yogis (that de_spell - you are speaking of)

didn't get there in one lifetime. Ask them and you will see a

storehouse of knowledge, even though they have reached a point where

they don't need it anymore. Ramana Maharshi didn't quote scriptures.

But when needed one saw that he knew all. I feel we sadhaks (at

least I do) get wordy when we try to describe something beyond our

description level.

 

I have been very vocal both here (eg. post# 5582) and in public

forums about the problems associated with blind parroting of

rituals, mantras, shlokas and quotations and I have been cursed and

mocked about my "walk the talk" slogan, by quotation parroting

individuals, and by doing so, proved this point again and again. It

largely explains why, in spite of the phenomenal increase

of "religious" and " spiritual activity", on the internet and

outside, we don't see an equivalent increase in the level of

consciouness. It explains to a large extent why individuals

who "appear" to be knowledgable, behave in such less than spiritual

ways. The reason is that it takes understanding and practice to

convert information to Knowedge and Wisdom.

 

At the same time I also support Radhakutirji's point. Whether one

understands the words or not, at least the person's mind is occupied

with sacred words, which is far better than the mind remaining

involved with the constant negativity associated with daily karmic

ego centred living. Even those few moments are valuable to an

individual's journey.

 

Furthermore the energy associated with the sound value has much

benifit too. Like a tuning fork the more one is "tuned to higher

consciousness sounds", slowly but surely, one's frequencies are

tuned to higher and subtler levels.

 

Everything is ultimately energy, including our thoughts, words and

actions. When the sound, which is already charged, is further

powered with corresponding thoughts as a result of understanding

what one is saying or doing, the energy is indomitable, capable of

the greatest creations ever!

 

As far as convincing husband or anyone else is concerned, the

greatest teacher is one's own succeses. It has been for me with all

my family and friends. No one can drink water for someone else, the

person has to do it themselves. However it is possible to

demonstrate the results of quenching of your own thirst! They will

follow suit if as soon as they are ready to do so!

 

I am headed for India this weekend and probably won't be able to

participate for a little while. Club activities will continue with

the help of our many many satsangh family members.

 

_/\_ Tat twam asi

 

Uma