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8 Week
Introduction to Mindfulness Course
Week Six Resources
Week 6: Mantra Practice 1
Week 6
Audio Files
for Your
Support
Week 6: Mantra Practice 2
A Few Mantra's to Explore
OM/Ohm/AUM
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The hymn of the Universe. The primordial sound of the Universe that has always been, will always be, and permeates everything.
The sound is really AUM – Comprised of three Sanskrit letters “A” “U” and “M” as well as a beat of silence after the “M”, so it really has four parts. It commonly gets shortened to OM or Ohm.
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Shanti or Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti
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Sanskrit - Shanti means “peace”. It is simply a wish for peace. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti is one of the oldest mantras.
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So Hum
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Sanskrit - means “I am that”. That being the Universe. It is a mantra recognizing that we are all connected to the Universe. The energy of the Universe resides inside us.
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Om Ah Hum
•Om – Represents the Mind
•Ah – Represents Speech
•Hum – Represents the Heart
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Impeccability of Mind • Impeccability of Speech • Impeccability of Heart
This is an aspirational Mantra. We aspire to attain Impeccability of Mind, Speech, Heart
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One slightly longer, but really beautiful Mantra is:
Lokah Samastah Sukinoh Bhavantu
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Translates to mean: May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.
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Mala Information
A mala is a tool used to count repetitions of a Mantra.
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•Mala – garland or meditation garland
•Japa – recite or “utter”
•Japa Mala – a garland of beads used to focus attention during recitation of the names of God or the Divine. Also used for other mantra practice and affirmations or intention setting.
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•Mala’s are usually made of a natural material such as wood, seeds, or gemstones. Tthey come from the earth, connect us back to the earth, and are very grounding. They are also a beautiful reminder of our intentions. Malas are often placed in shrines or on meditation altars as a reminder of devotion, commitment to practice, or intentions/affirmations.
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•Malas can be chosen based on gemstones that match the intention of your practice. There are malas that have gemstones corresponding to the chakra centers of the body. The possibilities are endless.
What is most important is that you get a mala that feels right for you. It might sound a little kooky, but it should feel delicious in your hands. If it does, you will use it. If it does not, you probably won’t use it. Trust your intuition when selecting a mala. You will likely be “drawn” to a specific one.
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•Mala beads have been used by yogis and spiritual seekers for thousands of years to help keep their minds focused during meditation.
•A full Mala is made up of 108 beads plus a guru bead that is a little larger and is the bead that the tassels are attached to or fed through. Some malas also have “spacers” or beads that divide the mala into four sections of 27 beads. These beads are not counted when using a mala for meditation, rather are used to indicate when you are a ¼, ½, ¾ of the way around.
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•When using a Mala, the guru bead is not counted and is not passed over. You begin with a bead next to the guru bead and once you've made it all the way around your Mala and back to the guru bead - pause, offer gratitude for your teachers and the lineage of your practice and all those who came before you, then turn around and go back the way you came rather than passing over the bead. This is done as a sign of respect and honor.
Rosewood with Turquoise and coral spacers
Fresh Water Pearls with Aquamarine and Sandalwood spacer beads, and an Agate slice and tassel
Rosewood and matte Amazonite beads - knotted between, with a rose quartz guru pendant.
I recommend 6-8mm beads for women's smaller hands,
and 9-10mm for men.
What size beads should my mala have?
Amazon.com has an wide array of mala's
in various sizes and bead choices.
Etsy is another wonderful place to shop for mala's,
and supports small businesses.
A google search will offer many other sources.
Another option is to purchases beads of your choosing
and design/make your own.
Where can I purchase a mala?
On Mantra Meditation🔹
Yogi Bhajan
"It is most powerful when we chant and listen to our sound at the same time. If we chant only, it has half the power. Chanting and listening to the chant at the same time engages the higher consciousness, the circulatory system and the nervous system. When you develop this listening power, you will be able to analyze what is good for you and what is not whenever another person talks. It is a very simply way to have knowledge."
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"Mantras are not small things, mantras have power. They are the mind vibration in relationship to the Cosmos. The science of mantra is basedon the knowledge that sound is a form of energy having structure, power, and a definite predicable effect on the chakras and the human psyche."
On Mantra Meditation 🔹
Swami Muktananda
"Chanting is a significant and mysterious practice. It is the highest nectar, a tonic that fully nourishes our inner being. Chanting opens the heart and makes love flow within us. It releases such intoxicating inner bliss and enthusiastic splendor, that simply through the nectar it generates, we can enter the abode of the Self."
On Mantra Meditation🔹
Krishna Das
"The repetition of the holy names reveals a presence hidden within the heart. Something begins to happen that's very disturbing - we get happy."
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"Chanting is a way of getting in touch with yourself. It's an opening of the heart and letting go of the mind and thoughts. It deepens the channel of grace, and it's a way of being in the present moment."
On OM 🔹
Amit Ray
"Om is not just a sound or vibration. It is not just a symbol. It is the entire cosmos, whatever we can see, touch, hear and feel. Moreover, it is all that is within our perception and all that is beyond our perception. It is the core of our very existence. If you think of Om only as a sound, a technique or a symbol of the Divine, you will miss it altogether. Om is the mysterious cosmic energy that is the substratum of all the things and all the beings of the entire universe. It is an eternal song of the Divine. It is continuously resounding in silence on the background of everything that exists."
On Mantra Meditation 🔹
Deva Premal
"Mantras are passwords that transform the mundane into the sacred."