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I have experienced the powerful effects mantras can have on clearing, concentrating the mind, and making me feel like a more real, honest, and wiser person. I know that meditation has been proven to create new connections in the brain, and I was wondering if mantras have the same effect or if they might cause lasting changes to the energy centers in the body.
Kimberly (Name changed), USA |
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Yes, in my view, Mantras have the similar effect as concentration (meditation)…in fact Mantra is far much better than just the concentration (without help of Mantras). Mantras help in the process of concentration of mind by reducing the Vrttis (thought waves) that eventually help calm the mind. Mind made calm this way is capable of grasping the Self (Divine).
Let me first explain the meaning of Mantra. A Mantra (the name of God) is so called because it is achieved by the mental process. The root ‘man’ in the word Mantra means ‘to think'. And ‘tra’ comes from ‘trai' meaning to protect or to free from the bondage of Samsara (worldly life). Mantra Yoga is one of the several Yogas used to liberate oneself. By Manana (constant thinking) one is liberated from the round of birth and death - that is power of Mantra. A Mantra is Divinity. It is a divine power manifested in form of a sound (sound body). Mantra is a mass of radiant energy. Mantra itself is the Devata (deity). Sadhak’s individual Shakti (power) is strengthened by chanting of Mantra (Shakti.)
Mantras serve two primary purposes: Concentration tool as well as Vibration tool.
Mantra as concentration tool
The thoughts arising from the mind can be compared to the waves of the ocean. You can see your reflection clearly on the water of the ocean only when all the waves on the surface subside completely and become still. So also, you can realize the Self (Bliss or Chaitanya) only when all the thought-waves in the mind-lake are stilled. Mantra is one of the tools that helps calm the thought-waves in the mind-lake.
The mind from which the impurities have been removed, acquires the capacity to reflect the highest spiritual truth – Self-Realization. Repetition of the Mantra is one of the ways to remove the impurities of the mind things such as lust, anger, greed and jealousy. Mantra has the power to release cosmic consciousness by removing impurities from the mind. The world outside disappears the moment your mind is purified. This is when the Sadhak enters into the Samadhi.
Mantra as vibration tool
Mantras also create positive vibrations in the body centers that are helpful in spiritual process of cleaning of the 72,000 Nadis (pathways of Prana). Yogic literature mentions the presence of 72,000 pathways along which the Prana moves in human body. The pathways have been named as Nadis in Yoga. These 72,000 Nadis interconnect the energetic centers, or chakras in human body. (Nadis are astral tubes that carry Pranic currents.)
Chanting of Mantra is one of the powerful methods of cleaning these pathways. Cleaning of Pranmay Kosha is the basic foundation of spiritual progress that eventually leads to Self-Realization.
Do Mantra cause lasting changes to the energy centers?
You asked: “if they (Mantras) might cause lasting changes to the energy centers in the body?”
As mentioned above Mantras are tools to clean the impurities of the mind and to clean the 72,000 Nadis. It is a process and there are no “lasting” changes or impressions. It is a continuous process where you clean the dirt until everything is mirror clean where you see the reflection of the “Self”. The moment the “Desires”, “Attachments” and “Ownership” takes over the mind, the dirt starts building again. [“Desires”, “Attachments” and “Ownership” give birth to Arishadvarga - six passions of mind (vicars): Kama (Lust or desire), Krodh (Rage, anger or hatred), Lobh (Greed), Moh (delusory emotional attachment), Mada or Ahankar (Ego or pride) and Matsarya (envy, jealousy)]…and then you clean again.
So in this process of spiritual progress the Sadhak (spiritual practitioner) should not allow these Vrttis (thought waves) to manifest in the mind lake, as they may burst out as big waves in the form of Arishadvarga at any moment, if you are careless or weak. There should not be the least disturbance in the mind lake - it should be perfectly calm and serene to grasp the Divine. Then only the “real” meditation is possible.
In short it is a continuing battle until absolute purity is attained. Until then there are no lasting changes. Everything can be wiped out - good and bad both (impressions) on the mind lake and the Karana Sharira (map template which is the sole cause for the gross and subtle bodies in the future birth of the soul that is not liberated or detached from the causal body.)
Thank you.
Mahendra Joshi
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