Meditation : Gayatri Mantra

Based on my second post How to Control the Mind, it was discussed that only practice and concentration on a particular thing could lead to mindfulness.

How do we turn off these mind chatters? During sleep also mind chatters unless we are in deep sleep. Is it impossible to concentrate on one particular thing when we have multi-tasks at hand and we get distracted easily?

Meditation is one such exercise which can make our mind logoff for sometime.

I have read that people meditate by chanting mantras (voice), breath, watching a particular thing like a flower or second hand of a watch etc. However, I wonder what affect has meditation on our brain?

I tried meditation with both mantra first however I found that I could find few thoughts arising soon. After a few more try, I tried to concentrate on breath which is inhale and exhale. Both of the exercises are very calming however thoughts did arise.

Few days later, I tried combination of mantra and breath which made lot less thoughts and it was lot more calm.

I also went through the thread ceremony at the age of 10, I was very confused at that time that why our ancestors & our elders have done this & what is the use? This question used to hit my mind whenever I was forced to do sandyavandanam in my native at that time. I used to chant it only because I had to do it & had no option.

Gayatri Mantra, according to my grandfather should be chanted thrice a day. Today at 91 he is active, business minded, thinks positive only because that he gets that positive energy through that Mantra. Now he is so experienced that, whenever he breathes that mantra comes automatically. It flows throughout his body like the blood flows.

All over the world people are chanting Gayatri mantra.

Gayatri Mantra:

Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah, Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat

ॐ भूर्भुव: स्व: तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि, धीयो यो न: प्रचोदयात् ।।

Meaning:

Oh God, the Protector, the basis of all life, Who is self-existent, Who is free from all pains and Whose contact frees the soul from all troubles, Who pervades the Universe and sustains all, the Creator and Energizer of the whole Universe, the Giver of happiness, Who is worthy of acceptance, the most excellent, Who is Pure and the Purifier of all, let us embrace that very God, so that He may direct our mental faculties in the right direction.

literally it means,

God! You are Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Almighty.
You are all Light. You are all Knowledge and Bliss.
You are Destroyer of fear; You are Creator of this Universe,
You are the Greatest of all. We bow and meditate upon your light. You guide our intellect in the right direction.

The Gayatri Mantra is addressed to the energy of the Sun which is actually address to lord Narayana as given in Bhagwat Gita.

Meditation: 

Chanting Gayatri Mantra 108 times while inhaling, with holding the breath, and while exhaling (36 times) gives a super calm experience which will take approximately 15-20 mins.

Selfless Duty : Karma

In continuation of previous post – A Balanced Mind

This is getting interesting day by day to improve one self, step by step using the guidelines given in the Bhagwat Gita.

In previous post, we discovered that a balanced mind needs to be achieved to attain peace, however this needs to be done with selflessness deeds (Nishkaam Karma Yoga).

Many questions arises here –

What is Selflessness?

How can we achieve selflessness deeds (Nishkaam Karma Yoga)?

I could only understand that when a person offers deeds with a feeling of selflessness to Lord to merge with Lord. This state is called Selflessness Deed (Nishkaam Karma Yoga)

Let us take an example of real world, we work hard with a desire to attain success or business goals. This results in excess work pressure, stress and physical problems.Hence desire is directly proportional to destruction of self. This is called Sakam Karma (Attachment involved in deeds). I can imagine huge business house or any corporate firm or celebrity of unethical business practice leading to greater loss with temporary fame.

The opposite is Nishkaam Karma (Non-attached deeds) where work and personal life is balanced. Where approach of work is towards excellence which leads to personal satisfaction, expecting no rewards. Less desire is directly proportional to Peace. I could only imagine people like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa whose Nishkaam Karma made them great leaders and have set real life examples for us to follow.

Sri Krishna says every person who has taken birth should perform some deeds/duty (karma). However, they should perform daily duties like performing a Yagya or sacrifice/offering. It is performed for good of people or for Almighty.

Hence, our duty/deeds should be for the people (for their help) or for the God.

I heard that many people do Yagya (Sacrifice) to please Gods. But I did not understand what could those possibly be. Why would people do that?

Sri Krishna says Yagya means “Anything that is dear to you, your wealth or any special thinking or great desire if its offered to Almighty or for welfare of people is called Yagya ” This is similar to Charity.

Yagya could be the like

• Sacrificial holy fire done for worshiping of God (Havan/Homa)
• Wealthy donating to poor or Charity
• Providing knowledge/wisdom to people like teaching profession or advising of good.
• Performing Ashtang Yoga which involves improvement in body/mind using Pranayama (breathing), Yogic postures(Asanas), Deep meditation (Dhyana) etc. The result is destroying all the body illness.

In real world we do these Yagyas however we do not follow these consistently. The consistency would only come if we have a firm mind, acquire knowledge from a good source and set of our own principles to follow rather than follow age old manipulated philosophies!

A Balanced Mind

In continuation of previous post – How to Control the Mind

A person who neither expresses displeasure even while in pain nor is he greedy for joy. A person who gives no room to rage, desires, greed, fear and he is always content is said to be a Neutral minded or Balanced like a wick of a lamp.

A strong desires does not allow man’s mind to remain firm. If one does not curb ones’s desires then one desire could lead to multiple desires.To keep a balanced mind one needs to have control on desires and keep content or happy with what he has. Man can have peace of mind and joy only when he is able to derive contentment!

A question arises, How come a person achieve the higher self when he cannot listen to his wisdom nor mind?

Sri Krishna explains that every person is has a different nature when he is born, his qualities are different like Satva (Pure), Raj(Passionate), Tama (Dull). Every person has one of the quality in dominance. Man’s character depends on the quality that prevails in him.

Satva guna person is best quality where the person is innocent and honest.

Rajo guna person is dishonest, is greedy for power and wealth.

Tamo guna person is lazy, has negative traits like hatred and greed

Every above individual desire happiness, however the definition of happiness varies from person to person according to the nature and character. Satva guna person may find happiness in sharing or helping others. Rajo or Tamo guna person may find happiness in hurting others or they could get hurt if others are happy.

However, one should know that happiness or sorrow is temporary. Hence, using balanced mind or being neutral will help each and every character to over come these bad qualities and achieve a stable state of mind.

How to Control the Mind

In continuation of previous post – Ultimate Goal: The Discovery of Soul

Sri Krishna also says that there are two weapons to attack our mind to conquer it.

1. Practice Concentration

Practice means consistent practice. Focus mind on one particular thing, it will try to escape. We have to conquer it and it will run again and we have catch it again. We have to keep on repeating to conquer the mind like a new born foal which is difficult to tame. If we are determined to practice then we can control our mind.

2. Detachment/Dispassion

Detachment is essential to curb one’s mind forever else it may go astray once again. The mind needs to know the truth that objects are attractive and illusion.When some objects tempt, we should be ruthlessly avoiding them. Hence this will mature our dispassion slowly, thereby get rid of worldly desire. Now we are conscious of our supremacy.

Ultimately these instruments will develop self-control leading to higher self.

However, this does not mean that we should not use our sensory organs. Using these organs we should enjoy the god made nature, be happy, peaceful and share the happiness not getting attached.

How to control the mind?

There are ways to control the mind, these depends on person to person. If a person is firm in his decision, then he can easily control his mind else it will take ages to succeed in controlling his mind.

Firm Decision can be achieved by Belief in Lord, Belief in Truth, Belief in your Duty.

During our duty, when we look upon Happiness and Sorrow, Benefit or Loss, Victory or Defeat is same manner and our faith with not shake, we start making firm decisions. This process is called Karma Yoga where one does not expect of results while performing his duty – Neutral Mind.

When we desire results for our duties, our mind wanders towards results and will not be focused on his duties and responsibilities. Fate or Destiny is responsible for our results.

Desire is nothing but ignorance of mind which leads to craving of worldly desires. As human body is temporary. When we have the knowledge of permanent and temporary, we become a Karma Yogi or less desire of results, no worldly attachment. The conscience gets strengthened and as result the mind gets firm and neutral!

Ultimate Goal: The Discovery of Soul

I am recently going through tough time understanding the ultimate goal of human being. I am curious like everyone what would be our purpose of my birth. Hence, I went through Bhagwat Gita, which is like human encyclopedia where every question to humans problem is answered effectively.

Sri Krishna says

To control mind (mann) and ultimately discover the soul the consciousness (atma), then he should be able to see the divine light or super soul (paramatma).

Else, if a person is not able to control his mind, then the mind will take over and make you play life as it wants.

The human body resembles a chariot –

The Horses resemble organs like Sight, Hear, Smell, Touch, Taste.

The Charioteer resemble the Mind which controls the sensory organs.

The Master of Chariot resemble the Soul or Atma.

The Lord resemble the Divine light or Super Soul (Paramatma)

Man is attracted to worldly pleasures and his mind guides him in the direction of these pleasures. This will only happen until the consciousness (the master of Chariot) doesn’t take control of the mind. The worldly pleasures lure them and the mind approaches them. The mind (the charioteer) ignores the consciousness and (the horses) moves in that direction. If we take control over mind, then it will guide us in the right direction and helps to discover the divine-self (super soul), shall be immortal and attain salvation (moksha).

I understand that we have to Master the mind, rather being slave to it. However, mind is indomitable and is very difficult to take control of it. Now I see why we get 50K thoughts per day!

Human Body Chariot