Relax and Feel the Peace

Today we stand and live in an age that is pushing us ever on, faster and faster. We are driven by society to do more and more, yet we still have the same 24 hours in a day. Work work work. It’s like we wake up on the rollercoaster and only step off when we go to sleep at night.

Most people don’t even have the time or awareness to notice how hectic our lives have become, or how far we are straying from the path of a spiritual life and our connection to the source.

If you are reading this, chances are you are interested in a better way of living and may even have noticed how your life has become so manic. The point of this post is not to cause worry and panic about the way we live today, more to help people open their eyes to what is REAL LIFE. Once we do this we feel much better, more connected and happier.

Start by taking just 5 minutes a day to meditate. It can be a real meditation or just taking time to reflect on your day with your eyes closed. Remind yourself to be grateful for your life, your family, friends and all that you have. Feel the peace in the stillness and let it heal your mind and body. Relax.

Do this every day and you will find yourself veering back onto your spiritual path. It really is very simple to do.

Meditation Mantras – A Guide to Mantras for Meditation

One of the most popular ways to meditate is by using a mantra. For those who don’t know what a mantra is, essentially it is a word which you repeat over and over, usually in your head. This helps focus the mind and remove distractions such as thoughts that will naturally pop into your head. It’s an effective way of encouraging the mind and body to let go and relax.

Sometimes meditation mantras are based on spiritual figures such as Buddhist, or even God. In Hebrew tradition there are 72 names for God, each representing an aspect of God. In Islamic tradition there are 99 names of God, which again represent various aspects of God.

Let’s go through some of the more widely used meditation mantras and try to understand their meaning, background and use for meditation…

Om
Probably the most popular mantra for meditation worldwide is Om. According to Hinduism, Om is the primordial sound from which all creation arose. The sound of Om has four distinct aspects to the creation of the sound: ah sound – a long ‘o’ sound – mmmm sound and silence. It is worth trying to feel where in your body you can feel the sound vibrating. OM resonates the vibrational tone of a non-dualistic universe as a whole. Buddhists relate OM to the crown chakra. This mantra centers the mind on the thought “I am manifestation of divine consciousness”.

Om Namaha Shivai is the feminine form and Om Namaha Shivaiya the masculine. These are also the name of God and they are popular in India and used as an invocation and prayer to the Hindu God Shiva. Repeating it will bring your state of consciousness in closer alignment with the state of that sound vibration, the state of Brahman. Consequently, many people use the sound of Om as a focus for their meditation.

Om Mani Padme Hum
Following on from Om is the meditation mantra Om mani padme hum, the six syllable mantra of the Bodhisattva of compassion Avalokiteshvara. This mantra is particularly associated with the four-armed Shadakshari form of Avalokiteshvara and is also known as the jewel in the lotus. The Dalai Lama is said to be an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, and so the mantra is especially revered by his devotees. It is a meditation mantra for healing the heart.

Rama
Rama, another Sanskrit name for God, is one of the most popular mantras used in India. It was used by Gandhi for over sixty years and is powerful at removing negative energies. You can simply repeat Rama on its own.

Hare Krishna mantra
Krishna is another name for God. The Hare Krishna mantra, also known as the Maha Mantra (“Great Mantra”), is a sixteen-word Vaishnava mantra which first appeared in the Kali-Santarana Upanishad.
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare,
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hu
Hu, a Sanskrit mantra, is also an ancient name for God. Ani-Hu is a variation of the Hu chant. Pronounced “ahn-eye-hu,” it is also an invocation to God with an added dimension that brings in the quality of empathy and oneness with others.

Here are examples of other spiritual meditation mantras:
Ek Ong Gar – one creator, God is one
Shante – supreme peace
Om Namah Shivaya – I honor the God within
Soham or Hamsa – I am That
El Shaddai – a Hebrew name for God, translated as “God Almighty”
Elohim – another Hebrew name for God, translated as “to whom one has recourse in distress or when one is in need of guidance”
Allah – the Islamic name for God
Govinda – one of the Hindu names for God, which refers to God’s power as he pervades everything

There are many, many more. The idea to keep in mind is that each name represents a particular quality or aspect. By focusing on that aspect, you come to know it in a deeper way. There are also longer mantras that consist of one or more sentences. Mantras like the powerful Kundalini Yoga Mantras and the Gayatri Mantra are more like prayers in the way they are set up.

Meditation mantras build up a powerful field of spiritual energy that can change your consciousness. The key is in your intention – bringing an attitude of reverence and love to whatever you are chanting. From ancient times, people have believed in the power of sacred words. The non-Buddhist approach to spirituality, known as Tantra, made extensive use of mantras as a method of contacting and influencing the gods. Buddhism adopted this method as a way of encouraging enlightenment.

Some meditators like to repeat their mantra in alignment with their breathing, perhaps repeating the mantra on every out-breath. Others teach not to tie the mantra to any set pattern but just to go with how it comes out and not to focus on the breath.

So what happens after repeating your meditation mantra for a while? Usually it will bring you to a deep, beautifully quiet place in your mind, where external noise is dimmed and everything seems tranquil. This is when you are actually meditating. The breathing is subtle, your muscles are relaxed, your head is relaxed. The mind is at peace. You could liken it to normal life being the choppy waves on the sea, then as you go down the water is less noisy, until you reach the bottom of the sea and all is still, quiet and peaceful. This is where you are in a deep meditation.

So a mantra is essentially a way to focus the mind and filter out thoughts, thus bringing the mind and body into a deep state of relaxation. I once asked my meditation teacher does it matter what word I use? Could I just repeat ‘banana’ over and over? In principle this should still work, but by using a sacred word for your mantra you have further benefits. Meditation mantras have a sacred meaning and their sounds have healing energetic vibrations that are beneficial to your mind, body, heart and soul. This is true even when used silently – your thoughts of these words have similar vibrations as when verbally sounded. By using such sacred words, you take the meditation to a deeper level of consciousness and therefore the energetic vibration also becomes stronger.

If you are just starting out with meditation, try some of these mantras and see if you find one that works best for you. I will be writing some meditation tips and guided meditations in the future to aid meditation.

How To Keep Your Meditation Regular

Personally I find meditation is one of the greatest things we can do to guide us down our spiritual path and maintain a healthy life. It works on so many levels and can be very powerful. The trouble is, in today’s modern world of hustle and bustle it can be quite draining and sometimes we forget to take a few minutes each day to meditate. In this post you will discover a very simple way to ensure you get your regular meditation practice back on track…

I was taught to meditate for 20 minutes, twice a day. This is certainly not set in stone and many other meditators will do less or more, but this is what I have become used to. This can be achievable, but when you do a full time job, perhaps have children to look after at home etc., it can be very difficult. Before you know it, it’s time for bed and you’re so tired that if you tried to meditate you would fall asleep immediately!

What I do when I realise I have not been meditating regularly is to start back with some bite-sized meditations. Simply find a quiet place sometime in the day and meditate for 2 minutes. Seriously, anyone can spare 2 minutes for a quick meditation, can’t they? Being 2 minutes late for work, or having 2 minutes less soaking in the bath isn’t going to be a problem. In itself you won’t gain much from a meditation that short, but here’s the secret: do this for a week and it sets your mind back into the routine of meditating regularly. You will then find you want to do the bite-sized meditation twice a day, or maybe extend it to 5 minutes. After a few weeks you will be extending the meditations to 10 mins, 15 minutes… back to whatever time you used to do. Routine is very powerful. It conditions the mind.

What I have found is that making time for these short meditations every day makes you think about meditation. It brings it back into focus through the blur of the day. Try it. Before you know it you will be meditating like you used to before things got so hectic.

I will be posting more about meditation in the future, such as guided meditations and meditation techniques, so please check back or subscribe to the blog.

What are the most important principles in life?

I think most people who are lucky enough to have a spiritual outlook on life try and live by a few core principles which help to keep them focussed on their spiritual path throughout the day. Personally I have three which I keep referring myself to: Love, Peace and Understanding. For me, these are a guide for everyday living. They offer a base by which anything can be created, overcome or discussed. These qualities can conquer all.

I try to remember these when talking to people, working or just relaxing. Perhaps I’m talking to someone who is rubbing me up the wrong way – I’ll try to remember understanding so I don’t judge them in my mind. After all, we are all making the best of our current state of mind. That’s an important thing to remember. Sometimes we are in a spiritual place in our heads, sometimes we are angry and do stupid things – but we are all doing our best for our current situation.

I try to feel love when walking down the street or talking to people. I try to radiate that warm, loving energy. It’s like I want to show people how nice you can feel when you have that spiritual feeling inside you. It makes you want to spread the love!

Peace is so wonderful, when you really are at peace with the world and yourself. I feel this most when meditating regularly. It just makes you feel like nothing can upset you – everything is in perfect balance and harmony.

I think each one of these qualities relates to the others and bringing even one into your day will help you to bring the others too. It’s a knock-on effect. The Beatles said “All you need is love”. I would add ‘peace’ and ‘understanding’ and be happy with that. If everyone lived by those principles, or even just one of them, imagine what a lift that would give to the world?

So what principles do you live by?