Learn to Meditate - Mantra

Part 4 - Mantra and Meditation

On the Inner Plane of Existence

Sri Chinmoy’s path is that of the Heart. The Heart we refer to here is the psychic our spiritual centre located in the middle of the chest. It houses or highest consciousness, which has been given various names such as the Inner Pilot, Soul, Inner Light and Inner Divinity. It is this vast and illumined consciousness within the Heart that makes it such an important centre in which to enter and meditate. We aim to immerse ourselves in the flow of the Heart and allow it to raise our entire being beyond the limitations of the mind, into a realm of silence and fullness.

 “ When you are successful in chasing away all the thoughts that disturb your mind, sooner or later your Soul will come to the fore and stand right in front of you. At that time it will be like the blazing sun clearing away the veil of clouds.”   

- Sri Chinmoy

  Sri Chinmoy identifies five main aspects within each of us; body, vital, mind, heart and soul.

· The body refers to our physical aspect, and is most important in allowing us to function in the physical world. “It is only on earth and through the physical body that the soul can manifest its own divinity, which is infinite Peace, infinite Light, infinite Bliss.”

· The vital refers to our capacity to initiate actions it is our dynamic aspect. It also houses our ‘emotional life’ which can create confusion within us.

· The mind seeks the truth through an analytical process, which involves ‘compartmentalising’. That is to say it ‘builds a picture’ with parts of reality because it cannot perceive the whole. This indirect knowing separates us from reality.

· The Heart has the capacity to identify with reality and directly know through oneness – there are no barriers or boundaries for the Heart. The Path of the Heart  …   - Read p108-p109

· The Soul – Consciousness is the spark …   - Read p15-p16

(All page references are to be found in The Wings of Joy)

Mantra, Music and Silence

Music and Silence

“ Silence is the nest and music is the bird. The bird leaves the nest early in the morning and returns to the nest in the evening. Similarly, in the spiritual world, divine music comes from the inmost soul of silence.”

When we listen to soulful music our Heart is inspired and awakened this lifts our consciousness and prepares us to dive within to experience the inner silence.

“ When we listen to soulful music, or when we ourselves play soulful music, immediately our inner existence climbs up high, higher, highest. It climbs up and enters into something beyond. This Beyond is constantly trying to help us, guide us, mould us and shape us into our true transcendental image, our true divinity. When we hear soulful music, or when we play a soulful piece of music, we feel a kind of inner thrill in our entire existence, from the soles of our feet to the crown of our head. A river is flowing through us, a river of consciousness, and this consciousness is all the time illumined.”                    

- Sri Chinmoy

Mantra & Chanting

In a similar way chanting helps create the right conditions within ourselves so we can access our inner silence. Mantras can also establish spiritual qualities within the practitioner.

Chanting a mantra over many times creates a vibration within and around the person chanting. We use mantras to create a specific vibration, still the mind and become absorbed in the consciousness of the mantra. Another way to use a mantra is to chant it aloud and then silently and finally not at all but instead ‘hear’ and ‘feel’ it quietly reverberate within you – this quietening down of the mantra absorbs the mind, and allows you to enter the stillness and silence within.

Part 5 The Spiritual Heart

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