Japa meditation

Japa meditation is an ancient form of meditation that uses a combination of a mantra and prayer beads to sooth the mind and spirit. There are many religions that make use of Japa meditation, although the most well known example is from the telling of rosary beads in the Catholic church. Read more

Meditation with Mantras – The nature of Mantras

IN this chapter I must allow myself to use certain Sanskrit words which have technical importance in the study of the mind and the world. Mantra is one of them. In connection with meditation it refers to words or sentences which are repeated over and over again while the mind is intent upon their meaning. Read more

Mantra of Shri Krishna

One mantra very much recommended in certain Upanishads is the 8-syllabled “Om namo Narayanaya”, which means “salutation to Narayana”. Narayana is Vishnu, of whom Shri Krishna is considered the fullest avatara or incarnation. Vishnu is the middle member of the Trinity, the one Life and Light of the World. Read more

Meditation on Shri Krishna

If you would practice this form of meditation, sit quietly in your usual place and let your thoughts and feelings simmer down until your mind dwells peacefully upon the thought of the great teacher. Read more

Initiation: Diksa

INITIATION is the giving of mantra by the guru.(1) At the time of initiation the guru must first establish the life of the Guru in his own body; that is the vital force (prana-sakti) of the Supreme Guru whose abode is in the thousand-petalled lotus. Read more

Mantra

Sabda, or sound, which is of the Brahman, and as such the cause of the Brahmanda, is the manifestation of the Cit-sakti itself. The Visva-sara-Tantra says (1) that the Para-brahman, as Sabda-brahman, whose substance is all mantra, exists in the body of the jivatma. It is either unlettered (dhvani) or lettered (varna). The former, which produces the latter, is the subtle aspect of the jiva’s vital sakti. Read more

Awakening of Mantra

By mantra the sought-for (sadhya) Devata is attained and compelled. By siddhi in mantra is opened the vision of the three worlds. Though the purpose of worship (puja), reading (patha), hymn (stava), sacrifice (homa), dhyana, dharana, and samadhi, and that of the diksa-mantra are the same, yet the latter is far more powerful, and this for the reason that, in the first, the sadhaka’s sadhana-sakti works, in conjunction with mantra-sakti which has the revelation and force of fire, and than which nothing is more powerful. Read more

Yantra

This word in its most general sense means an instrument, or that by which anything is accomplished. In worship it is that by which the mind is fixed on its object. The Yogini-Tantra says that the Devi should be worshipped either in pratima (image), mandala, (1) or yantra.(2) At a certain stage of spiritual progress the sadhaka is qualified to worship yantra. The siddha-yogi In inward worship (antar-puja) commences with the worship of yantra which is the sign (samketa) of brahma-vijnana as the mantra is the samketa of the Devata, It is also said that yantra is so called because it subdues (niyantrana) lust, anger, and the other sins of jiva and the sufferings caused thereby.(3) Read more

Yajna

This word, which comes from the root yaj (to worship), is commonly translated “sacrifice”. The Sanskrit word is, however, retained in the translation, since Yajna means other things also than those which come within the meaning of the word “sacrifice”, as understood by an English reader. Read more

Japa

Japa is defined as “vidhanena mantroccaranam”, or the repeated utterance or recitation of mantra according to certain rules.(1) It is according to the Tantrasara of three kinds: Vacika or verbal japa, in which the mantra is audibly recited, the fifty matrkas being sounded nasally with bindu; Upamsu-japa, which is superior to the last kind, and in which the tongue and lips are moved, but no sound, or only a slight whisper, is heard; and, lastly, the highest form which is called manasa-japa, or mental utterance. In this there is neither sound nor movement of the external organs, but a repetition in the mind which is fixed on the meaning of the mantra. Read more

Purascarana

This form of sadhana consists in the repetition (after certain preparations and under certain conditions) of a mantra a large number of times. The ritual (1) deals with the time and place of performance, the measurements and decorations of the mandapa, or pandal, and of the altar and similar matters. There are certain rules as to food both prior to, and during, its performance. Read more

Bhuta Suddhi

The object of this ritual, which is described in Mahanirvana-Tantra, Chapter V, verses 93 et seq, is the purification of the elements of which the body is composed. (1) The Mantra-mahodadhi speaks of it as a rite which is preliminary to the worship of a Deva.(2) Read more

Cakrapuja

Worship with the pancatattva generally takes place in an assembly called a cakra, which is composed of men (sadhaka) and women (sakti), or Bhairava and Bhairavi. Read more

Pratyaksa – Dhyana

Through dhyana is gained the third quality of realization or pratyaksa. Dhyana, or meditation, is of three kinds: (1) sthula, or gross; (2) jyotih; (3) suksma, or subtle.* Read more

Siddhi

Siddhi is produced by sâdhana. The former term, which literally means ” success, ” includes accomplishment, achievement, success, and fruition of all kinds. Read more

About Yoga Breathing

This Yoga breathing site is devoted to presenting the many faces of Yoga. The goal of Yoga breathing is to illustrate the classical approaches of Raja Yoga, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti Yoga, as well as Hatha Yoga, Kriya, Kundalini, Laya, Mantra, and the modern approaches of Ashtanga, Bikram and Anusara Yoga. Concentration, meditation, contemplation, mantra join into a unified force directed towards a complete understanding of Yoga.

The Yoga breathing site provides valuable and helpful information for those seeking to make yoga a part of their everyday routine. There is no promotion of any one belief system, only solid information about yoga, and not unbiased promotion of some yoga class. The hundreds of pages are packed with useful information: articles about yoga in general, yoga schools, yoga and health; and step-by-step yoga postures, concentration and meditation. The yoga beginner will get concise and easy-to-understand information about yoga basic principles and more advanced yoga techniques.

Yoga postures are catalogued in a supportive guide and offer step-by-step instructions, yoga video lessons, and yoga photos to better understand the practical side. This site also features essays on Yoga sutras of Patanjali.

Steven Palmer

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