Mantras and Tuning In

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MANTRAS AND TUNING IN

 

Everything in the universe is made up of energy. All energy

vibrates. Differentiation happens because energy vibrates at

difference frequencies. Each frequency has a sound. (Actually every

frequency IS a sound.) Everything in the universe has a sound which

vibrates at its particular frequency.

 

Mantras are the sounds of the language of the universe. Mantras are

tuning instruments. If we want to tune into and access a particular

universal frequency, we chant the mantra that vibrates that

frequency. For instance, chanting MAAAAAAAAAA tunes us into the

frequency of the Divine Mother and Feminine. If we want to tune

into the frequency of the sun, we chant RAAAAAAAAAA.

 

When we chant a particular sound, our body and energy field resonate

with that frequency. The connection is established and maintained

through resonance. Our energy matches and synchronizes with the

energy of the sounds we make and the thoughts we think. It is the

nature of our energy that attracts to us and creates events,

circumstances and environments around us.

 

Much of what we create and attract is produced by our subconscious

automatic-pilot programming. Mantras are a powerful tool to " de-

program " ourselves, to create new programs and to influence our

thought patterns. Mantras are also ACCESS CODES to different

channels in our mind. Mantras help us open channels that we often

cannot access consciously or reach by

rational thoughts, or even intent, i.e. our higher consciousness and

higher spiritual connections.

 

MANTRA FOR TUNING IN

 

ONG NA MO GURU DEV NA MO is the mantra we use in Kundalini yoga to

tune us to the frequency of our higher self or inner master. We

begin each practice of Kundalini yoga with this mantra. This sacred

mantra opens us to our spiritual channel. It also links us to all the

spiritual masters who perfected this sacred science. By establishing

a link with the Masters of Kundalini

yoga, we are protected as we practice this sacred technology, as well

as guided in our practice. The transmission of information and

consciousness to students from Master teachers who have preceded us

is referred to as the GOLDEN CHAIN. Yogi Bhajan, Master of Kundalini

Yoga, who is the first to openly share this technology with the

world, is a living connection to the

golden chain.

 

Connecting with the Master is of additional importance to those of

you who are learning and practicing Kundalini yoga on your own. By

chanting ONG NA MO GURU DEVE NA MO, you can be guided in your

practice. Actually once you chant the mantra you are guided. The

more you are willing to receive and pay attention, the more you will

be aware of this guidance.

 

By the way, if you ever dream of Yogi Bhajan, it is not a mere

dream. You have tuned into him and his subtle body is coming to

assist you in some way. Years ago at a Winter Solstice White Tantric

course, a student was very ill from food poisoning. He desperately

needed help and tried many ways to get Yogi Bhajan's attention

through calling his various names and prayer. He

finally chanted Ong Na Mo Guru Dev Na Mo. Five minutes later another

student approached him with a bowl of rice and told him " Yogi Bhajan

told me to tell you to eat this and you will be better. " And sure

enough, he ate it and started feeling better almost immediately.

 

HOW TO TUNE IN

 

Tuning in opens the channel in our mind that receives the highest

spiritual frequencies. The mantra that we use is ONG NA MO GURU DEV

NA MO. Although this mantra is used specifically for tuning in

before practicing Kundalini yoga, it can be chanted at other times.

You can chant it during the day, simply to reconnect with your higher

self. You can do it alone as a preparation for silent meditation. Or

you can chant it as a meditation for as long as you like.

 

When I taught history and philosophy at International University in

San Diego, I also taught a Kundalini yoga class. The students made

up their own harmonic version of this mantra and chanted it walking

around the campus.

 

POSITION

 

Sit with a straight spine, either in a comfortable cross-legged

position on the floor or in a chair with both feet on the ground. A

pillow under buttocks prevents slumping and helps keep the spine

straight. Sit on natural fabric.

 

HANDS are in prayer pose. Lightly press the palms together flat at

the center of the chest, under the breasts, thumbs resting on the

sternum. Fingers are pointing up, at a slight angle outward. The

pressure on the sternum stimulates the " mind nerve " that connects to

the brain. Pressing the palms together balances the two hemispheres

of the brain. Both help us concentrate and stay focused. (*l).

 

The CHIN is s lightly down and pulled back, which straightens the

spine, expands the chest and opens the heart center. This is called

NECK LOCK.

 

MEANING OF THE MANTRA

 

ONG - the active, creative aspect of the universe

NA MO - to call upon

GURU DEV - divine wisdom

 

THE BREATH

 

The mantra is optimally chanted all on one long deep breath. It is

OK to take a short sip of air through the mouth between the first NA

MO and GURU DEV. But it is not permissible to take a long breath

through the nose. 2

 

TO PREPARE

 

To prepare, center yourself with your hands in prayer pose and take

several long deep breaths. When you are present to your breath in

your body and fairly relaxed, you are ready to begin.

 

TO CHANT

 

Inhale deeply and chant.

 

ONG- Vibrate the sound in the nasal passages, upper palate, back of

throat and in the center of the head. Ong is extended and forceful.

It is a nasal sound incorporating o, n and g, not oooooong. If

properly vibrated it stimulates the pineal and pituitary glands to

secrete, which actually opens us up to our higher channels.

 

NA MO- Na is short and Moooo is extended. (Rhymes with NO. Not the

sound of a cow.) :+)

 

GURU DEV- Gu is short almost G. Roo (as in Runes) is also short.

Deeeeeeeev is extended. Pronounced like the E in Evan.

 

NA MO the same as the first.

 

THE TUNE -

 

Chant at least 3 times, inhaling deeply through the nose before each

sequence. The purpose of chanting is to " Tune In. " So do it as

many times as it takes for you to feel that you are connected to the

place and frequency that you need to be in to practice Kundalini

yoga. Chanting this mantra is not a ritual. It creates a specific

effect when done properly.

 

After chanting, inhale deeply and hold the breath as long as you can

do so comfortably. While holding the breath, go inside and focus on

your inner space. This is a powerful moment to be savored. Then

exhale. Repeat several times if you wish and then sit silently and

turn your senses inward, i.e. look and listen inside.

 

CONNECT WITH THE BREATH

 

After chanting ONG NA MO GURU DEV NA MO, connect with your breath and

experience the breath in the body. There are two basic ways to do

this.

 

PASSIVE

 

One is to simply be with your breath as it breathes in your body.

You do not consciously try to change the breath in any way. You are

simply with it. After tuning in and after doing each exercise it is

best to simply be with your breath. The breath is in sync with the

energy in your body and will equalize your energy, come back to your

normal breathing pattern or establish a

new one.

 

ACTIVE

 

When the breath has stabilized, which often means that it has slowed

down, it is appropriate to control or direct the breath. Directing

the breath is the second way to use the breath. We modify the

natural flow in intensity and duration.

 

After tuning in, is a good time to consciously slow down the breath

and deepen it to move it through all parts of your body. Breathing

in the abdomen and kidneys is are particularly beneficial.

 

The mind follows the breath. The slower the breath, the more the

mind calms down. If we are breathing more than 10 times a minute we

are creating stress. (Not true of breath of fire. To be discussed

later.) When we slow our breath down to 4 or less breaths per

minute, we enter a calm, meditative state.

 

CONNECT WITH YOUR BODY

 

The breath is the perfect tool to help us connect with our bodies.

Use the breath to consciously open up energy in your body, to feel

the different parts of the body and to stimulate activity. As a

culture we are too often in our minds and not in our bodies. One of

our goals is to use Kundalini yoga and meditation to help us re-

establish a vital connection with our bodies. We are often " out of

our bodies " because it is uncomfortable to be in them. We are going

to use Kundalini yoga to cultivate feeling comfortable in our

bodies. Our end goal is to enjoy being in our physical form!

 

SAT NAM--SEED MANTRA

 

One of the features of Kundalini yoga that makes it so powerful is

that we do several things simultaneously. We (1) breathe, (2)

internally chant and (3) move (4) in a particular posture or Asana.

 

The internal chant that we mentally vibrate is SAT NAM. As we

breathe, we mentally inhale SAT. As we exhale we mentally vibrate

NAM. Listen to the sound Saaaaaat and Naaaam in your mind.

 

SAT NAM is a Bij Mantra or a " seed sound. " Chanting Sat Nam is like

planting a grain of sand in an oyster. Our truth gathers around the

grain. Over time, as we accumulate our gifts and gather our true

essence into our consciousness, we become the pearl of Self.

 

MEANING

 

SAT means Truth, unchanging universal truth. It is the vibration

that is ever-present.

 

NAM means name, identity, to name, to call upon, to identify with.

 

SAT NAM means " Truth is my identity. "

 

When we chant Sat Nam (out loud or internally), we resonate with our

true identity, with our own truth.

 

Greeting others with the salutation Sat Nam, we acknowledge the

other's true identity and our mutual divine identities. 3

 

Sat Nam is a potent affirmation and a powerful way to cleanse the

mind of negative programming. Over time our minds tune into and

resonate with who we really are and believe our soul instead of our

limited ego. Sat Nam is inner psychology at work.

 

CULTIVATING AWARENESS

 

Kundalini yoga is the yoga of awareness. Our goal is to cultivate

greater and greater awareness of our own identity and our

relationship with our body, others, our environment and the universe.

The practice of Kundalini yoga opens our consciousness so we are able

to receive more information and be more present and alert. Simply

doing Kundalini yoga facilitates greater

awareness. Optimal practice includes silent, " doing nothing "

(passive) periods between exercises, and after tuning in (active)

where we pay attention. We sit and sometimes lie down and bring our

attention to what is happening without trying to influence it in any

way. For maximum benefit, we cultivate awareness by monitoring our

energy, how we feel, the sensations in our body and subtle changes

that are taking place.

 

LESSON ONE AND TWO

 

In our first lesson on Silence and Intuition we talked about the

importance and power of silence. We gave several exercises to

cultivate the art of silence. In our second lesson we talked about

Silence and Choice. The point is that when we learn to be silent,

we can actually hear our intuition and make choices that lead us to

peace and freedom.

 

LESSON THREE

 

Hopefully you have practiced (or tried to practice) silent meditation

without proceeding it with any tune in techniques. Now try it again

but proceed it with " tuning in " as d above.

 

For 11 minutes total do the following sequence. Center yourself in

your body with your breath. Tune in with the mantra Ong Na Mo Guru

Dev Na Mo. Passively be with your breath. Actively slow down your

breath to 4 or less per minute. Sit calmly and be silent. Look and

listen within. To end - Anchor and consolidate yourself in your body

by feeling all your sensations simultaneously, especially places that

feel calm. Give thanks.

 

Observe any differences in you ability to focus. It is valuable to

monitor the effects of the different techniques, to keep track of

what works for you and how you can get the maximum benefits from your

practice.

 

And if you want to meditate with another powerful mantra, do the

following meditation:

 

SPECIAL HEALING MEDITATION

 

In addition to morning sadhana, as a part of it, or as an evening

meditation here is a meditation that can be done for 11, 22 or 31-

minutes. This is a very blissful meditation that keeps you in your

body. When you need help chant this mantra. Vibrating with this

mantra produces healing, magic and miracles. Now that is a handy

channel to tune into! Enjoy!

 

Sit in easy pose, with hands on the lap, right on top of left. Sit

absolutely still for this meditation for the full effects. Chant very

quietly, in monotone, almost, but not a whisper, with the lips, so

you feel a vibration in the lips GURU, GURU, WA HE GURU, GURU RAM

DAS GURU.

 

Chant the words in each of the chakras. Bring your attention to the

specific chakra, but do not move your body. (Tip-Guru is vibrated in

every chakra except 3rd and 6th.)

 

Guru- 1st base of spine

Guru- 2nd sex organ, abdomen

Wa He- 3rd- navel

Guru- 4th heart

Guru- 5th throat

Ram Das-6th third eye

Guru- 7th top of head

 

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