Learning Chanting just from a recording,
is like learning Āsana just from a video.
In other words you can hear the recording,
but the recording cannot hear you.
Equally you can see the video, but…..
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
Bhakti Dhyānam uses Japa to build a bridge,
over the fear bringing streams of the mind.
– Personal Commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 28
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
A day without Gāyatrī is like a day without Sun.
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
Holding the body steady, with the three upper parts erect,
causing the senses and the mind to enter the heart,
the wise person should cross by the boat of Mantra,
all the fear bringing streams of the mind.
– Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad Chapter 2 verse 8
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
To be within the presence of the Mantra
is to be within the presence of Grace.
– Personal Commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 28
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
Nyāsa –
The Art of drawing the Mantra into the Heart through the Body.
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
Veda Chant is a practice
that uses language
to experience ‘That’
which is beyond language.
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
A Mantra is that which shapes space through vibration of sacred syllables.
In the art of Mantra Saṃskṛta is a sacred tool for shaping sacred form out of space.
Sounding the Saṃskṛta according to the precisions of pronunciation and vibration
manifests the sacred form inherent in each Mantra out of universal space.
The ancient seers understood this process and left us sacred phonemes
to guide our journey into and beyond the self.
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
As the spider moving upward by
the thread obtains free space,
thus assuredly the meditator,
moving upward by the Mantra
obtains Svatantra (self dependence).
– Maitrī Upaniṣad Chapter Six verse 22
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
Make friends with a Mantra and you have a friend for life.
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
A day of clear clear blue, no past no future,
just the present with the clarity of the sun permeating every molecule of the sky.
Brings to Mind the Gāyatrī Mantra:
tat savitur vareṇiyaṃ
That sun most excellent
bhargo devasya dhīmahi |
on the radiance of the Divine I meditate |
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ||
wisdom may (that radiance) our impel ||
I meditate on the divine radiance
of the most excellent sun.
May it impel my wisdom.
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
The practice of Bhakti Dhyānam outlined in the Yoga Sūtra Chapter One
can utilise either Veda Mantra or Tantra Mantra.
The Veda focus is one of external harmony with the forces of nature (Tri Guṇa) and
the Tantra focus is one of internal empowerment within the forces of nature (Tri Guṇa).
Link to Series: 108 Chanting Practice Pointers
