Sushmajee
Dictionary Of Hindu Religion | Dictionary
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T-U V-W-X Y-Z The
purport of prescribing meditation on the Pranav (OM) is this.
The Pranav is Omkaar… the A-Dwait-Mantra which is the essence of all
Mantra…. In order to get at this true significance, one should meditate
on the Pranav. …The fruition of this process is Samaadhi which yields
release (Moksh), which is the state of unsurpassable bliss." Our real self, the spirit, is ever perfect and free. But we have forgotten that. So we identify with our present experience of bondage and consequently suffer in countless ways. Our situation is like someone who is asleep and dreaming that he is being tortured and beaten. In reality he is not being touched at all; yet he is experiencing very real pain and fear. He need not placate, overpower, or escape his torturers. He needs only to wake up. Yoga is the procedure of self-awakening. Meditation on the Pranav is a way to freedom from suffering and
limitation. "What world does he who meditates on Om until the end of his
life, win by That? If he meditates on the Supreme Being with the Regarding Om, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (1:28) simply says: "Its repetition and meditation is the way." The Upanishads and the Bhagavad Geetaa, as well as the Yog Sootra, advocate meditation on Om, the sacred syllable that both symbolizes and embodies Brahm, the Absolute Reality. Om is also called: Pranav, Omkaar, and Ekaakshar. Pranav means both life-giver (infuser of Praan) and controller of life force (Praan). Teachings of Sri Raman Maharshi Regarding OM "Maunam (silence) is the state of Shakti (power) that emerges from
within as Ekaakshar (Om)." "Yesterday a Hindu asked Bhagavan, "Is Omkaar a name of Eeshwar?" "Earnest seekers who, incessantly and with a steady mind, repeat "Om"
will attain success. By repetition of the pure "Om" the mind is
withdrawn from sense objects and becomes one with the Self." "Jap reaching to the source of sound is the best course for those who are not firm in consciousness which is the source of the 'I'." (The Collected Works of Raman Maharshi, sixth edition, p. 145) And only Om leads us to the source of sound. Sri Ramana recommended study of the Ribhu Geetaa, a traditional text of
A-Dwait. It simply says: "The syllable
"Om" is the self." Meditation is the process of centering our awareness in the principle of pure consciousness which is our essential being. We have lost awareness of our true self through awareness of external objects, and become habituated–even addicted–to objective consciousness. Rather than disperse our consciousness through objects that draw us outward away from the source of our being, we must take an object that will have the opposite effect, present it to the mind, and reverse our consciousness. That object is Om. By sitting with closed eyes and letting the mind become easefully absorbed in experiencing the inner repetitions of Om we thereby directly enter into the state of consciousness that is Om, the state of consciousness that is Brahm the Absolute. The Practice of OM Meditation(1) Sit upright, comfortable and relaxed, with your hands on your knees or thighs or resting, one on the other, in your lap. (2) Breathe naturally. Your mouth should be closed so that all breathing is done through the nose. This aids in quieting the mind. Though your mouth is closed, the jaw muscles should be relaxed so the upper and lower teeth are not clenched or touching one another, but parted. (3) Gently turn your eyes upward as though looking at a point far distant. But do not strain or try to force your eyes to turn up to a degree that is uncomfortable. Then gently close them–do not squeeze them tight.. (4) Be aware of your breath naturally (automatically) flowing in and out as you breathe through your nose. Your breathing should always be easeful and natural, not deliberate or artificial. (5) Now begin mentally intoning ("singing" on a single note) Om once
throughout each inhalation and once throughout each exhalation. Fit the
intonations to the breath–not the breath to the intonations. If the
breath is short, then the intonation should be short. If the breath is
long, then the intonation should be long. (6) For the rest of your meditation time keep on intoning Om in this manner–in time with the breath–listening to your inner intonations of Om. This enables you to enter effortlessly into the Witness Consciousness that is your finite spirit within the Infinite Spirit that is God. (7) In Om Meditation we do not deliberately concentrate on any particular point of the body such as the "third eye," as we want the subtle energies of Om to be free to manifest themselves as is best at the moment. However, as you meditate, you may become aware of one or more areas of your brain or body at different times. This is all right when they come and go spontaneously, but keep centered on your intonations of Om. (8) Thoughts, impressions, memories, inner sensations, and suchlike may also arise during meditation. Be calmly aware of all these things in a detached and objective manner, but keep your attention centered in your intonations of Om in time with your breath. The sum and substance of it all is this: It is not the experience we are after, but the effect. (9) If you find yourself getting restless, distracted, "fuzzy," anxious or tense in any degree, just take a deep breath and let it out fully, feeling that you are releasing and breathing out all tensions, and continue as before. (10) Remember: Om Meditation basically consists of three things: (1) sitting with the eyes turned up and then closed; (2) being aware of our breath as it moves in and out, and (3) mentally intoning Om in time with the breathing and listening to those mental intonations–all in a relaxed and easeful manner, without strain. It is All up to You
So it really is all up to you. The sane and sober voice of the
Upanishadik Rishi assures us that through the simple Jaap and meditation
of Om all possible spiritual attainments will be realized. "He who knows
Om need know nothing further," declares the Mandookya Upanishad. All the theory and eulogy in the world regarding a meditation practice
mean virtually nothing. But practice is everything. In meditation more
than anything else, practice certainly does make perfect. And the
practice is so marvelously simple. Bhagavaan Sri Ramana Maharshi echoed
the same Truth when answering a devotee's comment that: "Bhagavaan's
Grace is needed in order that meditation (and thus remembrance) should
become effortless." Bhagavan replied: "Practice is necessary, there is
Grace."
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Created by Sushma Gupta on 3/15/06
Contact: sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on
06/09/11