Zikhr is for me a form of mantra - Zikhr = remembrance of the Divine mostly through sung or chanted “Names of God” in Arabic. Arabic works for me - Allah or Ram or Krishna, anything but the God I was raised with in the Catholic church. Traditionally, the phrase, La illaha El Il Allah Hu - There is nothing but the One.
So, I’ve been doing that for nearly 30 years now and more recently have been on the Ram Nam train and sometimes I experience a little of what Ram Dass talked about with the music just continuing in my brain all night long or all morning long and at some points during a group Zikhr, I have experienced a different choral/angelic like melody so strongly in my hearing that I believed there must be a radio on - but no, it was just what my brain created to fill the silence at the end of the actual music. It was incredible. And that reminds me of being outside looking at a tree all bathed in sparkling light from the reflection of the sun on the lake and feeling completely united with the One.
I have not attempted all day long repeition of holy phrases, but have experienced it after group Zikhrs or Dances of Universal Peace - unfortunately, not yet on Zoom, but close enough to be very, very appreciative of the many opportunties to connect - including this one. Thank you!
Yes, Angela, I really liked that part too, giving my anger to the akash for the next person who needs it! Especially after becoming very angry today about a very high water bill with no notification from the water company that there must be a leak.
I haven’t really worked with mantra much, beyond participating in some yoga classes and retreats. I remember being struck by the beauty and power of the rhythm when I visited temples in Thailand. Thinking about it now, it seems strange that I never really practiced mantra. I guess I just wasn’t ready. I really connected with the lecture portion for this segment and plan to spend some time working with mantra.
The mantra is a helpful reminder again today. I often find myself using Ram Dass saying, " I am loving awareness" this mantra helps to remind me to be kind to myself. This can happen when getting stuck in the monkey mind I often can then start engaging in negative self-talk; what I have been doing is then going back to the breath and mantra reminder I am loving awareness.
There has been times in my life when I’ve used mantra a great deal. Such as when my babies were small. Nothing sent them off to sleep quite like Snatum Kaur. This course has reminded me of its power.
The basis of my practice over the past five years has been utilizing a bija (beej) mantra, that brings me to a state of awareness and being, sometimes subtly, sometimes quickly, sometimes difficult to really ascertain exactly what it is doing if anything. My challenge is to surrender to the process despite my inability to really intellectually understand what if anything is happening in the moment.
Yet I can say over the years I have and do experience a broader and expansive awareness that feels like my sensory inputs (sound and sight) seem almost goose-bumpy sharper. These glimpses do fill me with a sense of peace and gratitude and I accept them as they come and try not to chase or cling to such.
I have a japa mala that I’ve used a couple of times to chant Ram. But unsure how to hold them properly? I use my right hand and my first 3 fingers to move each bead upon completion of Ram. On the guru bead, is there anything significant to be done or said once reached?
I also love to say the phrase (either out loud or silently) while in the sunshine “aditya hridayam punyam sarva shatru vinashanam”. Keep the sun in your heart…beautiful.
I feel this. I am so shy about chanting out loud! Or if I do, worrying about if people can hear me. My partner tells me all the time that he does not care if I chant and that he thinks it’s cool to hear me. I am actively working on getting out of my own way
The first meditation technique that I learned was ACEM meditation. According to this technique one has to repeat a word (that has no meaning) over and over again. At some point, I got very annoyed by this word, which was sth like “shiwaga”, as I did not understand why I should keep repeating it. With vipassana, as one focuses one`s breath, things made much more sense for me, and until today I keep practicing this kind of meditation. Since my experience with ACEM, I felt like mantras were not for me. But the way RD talks about it makes sense. Also, I like the idea of using beads actually, as this might serve as a good reminder if one gets lost in thoughts again. I’d love to experience a whole crowd of monks repeating the mantra altogether, it must be very powerful.
Clever insight. It does seem how I perceive the practice can impact the quality of…my practice. ‘Getting out of the way’ of my own practice has been a very subtle process, distinguishing thoughts that are worth investigating vs those that I can ‘let go’. Being vs. doing. A work in progress…
I remember desperately wishing that there was a place where I could be along and able to chant out loud when two of my girls still lived with me. Also, even being afraid of the neighbors hearing. I love chanting with others, either on Zoom or to a recording, so that my voice is not alone.
I found it inspiring. I am actually on a trip with my wife, and picked up a really nice mala 2 days ago. So I’ve done my practice a few times with them now.
I remember reading ‘proper’ ways to hold a mala, but I feel like as long as your intention is there, you’re focusing on the mantra, that’s what counts.
Same things for what you do after you are complete. I personally wrap the mala around my hand, put them together in a prayer pose against my forehead and thank god for the lessons of the day. You just need to find what feels right to you. If it’s thanking god for lessons, If it’s fist bumping a Hanuman statue… whatever feels right and helps keep your heart open.
I think saying them aloud is what it’s all about. If I just use my beads, and think the mantra in my head I can quickly get distracted. SOmething about hearing it keeps me focused.
It has to be whatever feels right for you though. If the options are 1, you say it in your head or whisper REALLY quietly and get a little distracted or 2, you don’t do anything at all. Pick #1 every day of the week! It’s all about the intention, and you got it, keep it up :
It’s all about the intention, and you got it, keep it up :