Prayer Pose Mudra
Balances the cerebral hemispheres.
"Meditation
is a science, i.e., it is a technical practice that
results in a predictable and reliable outcome or experience."
Points to Ponder
Many of us are hesitant to chant out loud in our first Kundalini Yoga class. It can feel foreign and strange. Once we 'break through' the doubt, fear, and self-consciousness, chanting becomes an integral part of our practice, and for many of us, our favorite part. What is it about chanting mantras that seems so magical and holds such appeal? How is it that chanting is so powerful in opening hearts and raising consciousness?
Every time you chant a mantra, you are tapping out a particular sequence and rhythm that initiates a chemical reaction in the brain and body. It's as if you have an electronic, computerized security system in your mouth. Punch in the right code on the upper palate and you gain entry to the brain and your inner chambers of higher consciousness. When we sing or repeat mantras, we call the heavens down to the Earth to manifest in our own hearts. -- Source.
Kundalini
Yoga is a technology, which includes the practice of meditation
using mantras, i.e., words and sounds, which are chanted
or repeated in a special language called Gurmukhi,
a Sanskrit derivation,
that connects the mind with the inner sound current, as well as the use of mudras. The words
'guru' and 'mukhi' literally mean "from the mouth of
the guru". Although Gurmukhi is a spoken language, it
has poetic aspects made especially for spiritual writings,
i.e., words and sounds by which one can experience the exaltation
of the spirit. The chanting of a mantra is considered the
highest form of meditation.
It includes 1) a mudra,
i.e., a hand gesture or static hand posture (see passive gyan mudra
below), 2) a particular breathing pattern or cycle, and 3)
a prescribed sound current or Naad.
"The
two most important things in your body are the upper palate,
which
is the base of the hypothalamus, because the hypothalamus
controls
the entire nervous system, and the tip of the tongue, which affects
the
central nerve channel, shushumna.
That controls your entire psyche."
“Prayer
is talking to God. Meditation is letting God talk to you." --
Yogi
Bhajan
How does this technology work? The correct pronunciation of
these ancient sounds, causes different parts of the roof of
the mouth to resonate with the tongue touching specific meridian
points (a form of reflexology),
which stimulates different parts of the body, especially the
brain. Actively listening to the inner sound, and the number
of minutes or hours a person chants, all contributes to bringing
the practitioner to inner exalted states of awareness and
transformation. See schedule
below. See Mudras: Regulating the Five Elements of the Body.
There
are 84 meridian points on the roof of the mouth, which the
tongue stimulates as the word
is repeated. These meridian points stimulate the hypothalamus,
and the pituitary gland in the brain directly and immediately
influence glandular function, which in turn alters and transforms
mood, thought, emotions, behavior and physical health. See
Meditation for Everybody.
*
Strengthen your mindset to be successful.
* Gain the drive and inspiration to pick up new skills.
* Achieve greater control over your thought patterns.
* Establish a profound connection with the subconscious mind. * Improve your capacity for creative thought and problem-solving. More.
REPEATING A MANTRA FOR...
3 minutes - Affects the electromagnetic field, the circulation and stability
of the blood.
7 minutes - Causes brain patterns to begin to shift and the magnetic
field surrounding the body to increase in strength.
11 minutes - Begins to transform the nerves and the glandular system.
22 minutes - The 3 minds, negative, positive, and neutral, begin to balance
and begin to work together. The subconscious mind begins to
clear.
31 minutes - Allows the glands, breath, and concentration to affect all
the cells and rhythms of the body. Endocrine secretions become
balanced.
62 minutes - Stimulates the frontal lobe of the brain; pituitary and
pineal glands. You work through the physical body, the emotions
and mental states and are now in communication with aspects
of divinity within self.
2 1/2 hours - Changes the psyche in its co-relation with the surrounding
magnetic field so that the subconscious mind is held firmly
in the new pattern by the surrounding universal mind. You
can totally remake your psyche. 10
Reasons to Chant Mantras.
40 days is required to change
a habit. 90 days days is required to
confirm a the new habit. 120 days days is required to
make the new habit your identity. 1,000 days days is required
to master the new habit.
"You do not just sing a mantra. You consciously chant it in such
a way that your cranium resonates as if you are striking a gong."
Try
repeating these ancient sacred sounds and see what changes
occur in your life. Make a personal commitment for a specific
amount of time each day. At dawn or dusk, the meeting of night
and day, are especially beneficial.
Note 1: Sanskrit mantra is a powerful tool for self-development, healing
and transformation. The word mantra means ‘divine speech’.
Sanskrit has been called the Deva Lingua -- literally ‘language
of the gods’. Like Latin it is technically a ‘dead’
language as it isn’t spoken in day to day life, however
its sacred use in spiritual practices continues to this day.
Just about all of today's religions
practice some form of singing or chanting, but most followers
are unaware of the technology, and the true practice of meditation
remains an esoteric exercise. See A
'Sound' Spiritual Experience.
Note 2: "In the beginning was the WORD
(Sound), and the Word was with
God, and the Word was (is) God." Genesis 1:1
"Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed (holy) be thy Name (Nam,
Naam or Word)."
The Siri Singh Sahib taught about the unique classes of languages. He
called them phonetic languages where the sounds of the syllables impart
meaning by the way they resonate with the archetypal human psyche. He
described Gurmukhi, Sanskrit and French as three such languages. In the
16th century, the second Sikh guru, Guru Angad, created the Gurmukhi
alphabet to phonetically represent many, if not all, languages.
Guru Angad, the second Sikh Master, invented the Gurmukhi script. Guru Nanak named Guru Angad to succeed him as the Guru for the Sikhs in 1539. Gurmukhi means "from the mouth of the Guru." The Gurmukhi script accomplished something very special. It allowed people to be able to read and pronounce the songs written by Guru Nanak. Up until that point in history, the dialect spoken by Guru Nanak and his contemporaries had no written equivalent. Written languages were reserved for the powerful, the wealthy, and the high-castes. There was no writing or reading based on the common language.
THE GURMUKHI ALPHABET
"The meaning of the Word-Sound is not what is important.
It is the effect of the Word-Sound that matters." -- Hari Singh Khalsa
Gurmukhi was developed to be a very precise phonetic language. By learning to pronounce Gurmukhi, people could not only learn to read and pronounce the songs written by Guru Nanak; they could also learn how to pronounce the songs that Guru Nanak had preserved during his life from other masters and sages, even if those songs were in a completely different language. The purpose of Gurmukhi was not to simply represent the common language of the time, but to allow people to read and sing sacred songs in other languages as well.
Why did this phonetic language develop? And what does it have to do with the Shabad Guru – the Guiding Sound of Wisdom?
Being awakened or enlightened is not simply a mental state. It is a physiological state as well.How we breathe, how the glands secrete, how the nervous system is operating—all of this changes based on what we speak, what we hear, and what we perceive. When Guru Nanak sang his songs, the words he brought forth had a two-fold effect. On the level of language, they imparted a certain philosophical meaning of how to see the world. But in the science of Naad (sound), the songs have the ability to change the physiology of a person and bring them to a more heightened state of consciousness.
The invention of Gurmukhi was key to opening the doors of the Shabad Guru to all people. Through learning this very simple, precise method of pronunciation, and by repeating the words of the sages, you begin to induce in yourself the same state of consciousness that they were in when they sang the songs. It begins to create the same changes in the physiology. It opens the door to higher awareness. And all that is required is your breath and voice imitating and repeating those sounds.
This is the essence of the Shabad Guru. It is between you and you. There is no one else involved. It only requires your breath reciting this sacred poetry. By this practice, there is a process you undergo within your own ego and identity to transform your awareness to live at these heights. -- Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa
Posture: Sit in easy pose, i.e., with your legs
crossed and spine straight in neck
lock as shown, or sit in a chair with feet flat on the floor.
Focus: Eyes are closed and focused at the third-eye point.*
Mantra:Ra Ma Da Sa, Sa Say So Hung. The mantra should be sung in
one complete exhalation. As you chant the first Sa, your navel point
is pulled in so that this syllable is abbreviated. You should also
pull your navel point in as you chant Hung. Hung should be vibrated
at the root of the nose. The rest of the syllables are drawn out
in a strong, powerful chant. Strive to keep your chant at full volume
(loud but not raucous) throughout the meditation.
Meaning: Ra = sun energy Ma = moon energy Da = earth energy Sa = infinity, universal energy Sa (repeated) Say = the personal embodiment of Sa So = the personal sense of merger with Sa Hung = the Infinite, vibrating and real
This mantra literally means: “I am Thou." It can also
mean, "the service of God is within me."
Commentary:
This meditation creates and spreads healing from within
ourselves to the entire universe. Close your eyes, inhale
deeply and meditate, chanting aloud the mantra Ra
Ma Da Sa, Sa Se (Say) So Hung.
Inhale and chant again, Ra Ma Da Sa,
Sa Se So Hung. Continue for 11 minutes.
This mantra translates as "Sun, Moon, Earth, Infinity,
Totality of Experience, I am Thou." With it we
affirm the Universal Power within us, for the healing
of ourselves and others. We can sustain peace only by
maintaining inner peace and good health. See 10
Reasons To Meditate.
Mudra: Bend the arms and bring the
elbows against the side of the rib cage. The palms of
the hands are parallel and face the sky (see photo of
Snatam Kaur above). The elbows are snug at your sides
with the forearms in close to your upper arms. The hands
are at a 60 degree angle, halfway between pointing forward
and pointing to the sides.
Time: 11 minutes.
Finish: Inhale deeply, hold your breath
and visualize the person you want to send healing to
(it can be yourself). Make that image in your mind very
clear and see a glowing green light around the person.
Keeping that person in your mind, exhale. Inhale deeply,
hold your breath and continue to send the person healing
green light. Still keeping that vision in your mind,
exhale. For the last time, inhale deeply, hold your
breath and see the person very clearly, see the green
healing light bathing the person, bathing every cell
in the body.
Sit in easy pose.
(Or sit on chair with feet flat on floor.) NOTE: This specific meditation has
been shown to halt the disease
and-or improve the condition of Alzheimer's patients. Research notes.
Posture: Sit straight in easy pose as shown. Meditate at
the brow point (third eye) and produce the five primal sounds: (A) Sa, Ta, Na, Ma. (See Video on Primal Sounds.)
Eyes: Eyes are closed and focused at the brow point, which stimulates the pineal-pituitary centers within the brain.
Mantra:Saa, Taa, Naa, Maa. These
Sanskrit sounds, Sa, Ta, Na, Ma, translated respectively, mean birth, life, death, rebirth.
On
"Saa" touch the index finger (Jupiter finger)
with the thumb tip with pressure.
On "Taa" touch the middle finger (Saturn finger) with the thumb tip with pressure.
On "Naa" touch the ring finger (Sun finger) with the thumb
tip with pressure.
On "Maa" touch the little finger (Mercury finger) with the thumb
tip with pressure.
Jupiter fingermudra stimulates the brain and imparts knowledge, expands our field of possibilities, and releases us from limitations.
Saturn finger mudra stimulates the brain and imparts patience, wisdom and purity.
Sun finger mudra stimulates the brain and imparts vitality and vigor.
Mercury finger mudra stimulates the brain and aids clear communication.
Each time you close a mudra by joining the thumb with a finger, your ego "seals" its effect in your consciousness.
Visualize or feel each individual sound come in the crown chakra at the top of the head, down through the middle of the head and out to infinity through the third eye in the pathway of the letter 'L'. This is very important and must be done with each sound. It is an essential part of the cleansing process. If this part of the meditation is not done, you may experience a headache.
IMPORTANT: During this meditation, you may experience pictures of the past come up like on a movie screen in your mind. Let them dance in front of your eyes and release them with the mantra. This is part of the cleansing of the subconscious mind. If emotions come up, you can also incorporate them in the chanting, i.e. if you feel anger then chant out the anger. Whatever you experience is okay. Do not try to avoid or control your experiences. Simply be the Isolated Seer with what is going on and go through it. It is all part of the cleansing process.
TIME: 31 MINUTE VERSION
Continue chanting, Saa Taa Naa Maa, for a total of 31 minutes in this manner:
For the first 5 minutes chant OUTLOUD (the voice of humans)
For the second 5 minutes chant in an AUDIBLE WHISPER (the voice of lovers)
For the next 10 minutes chant SILENTLY (the voice of the divine) and keep the hands moving, visualizing the L pathway in the head, and keep the tongue moving
Then chant 5 minutes in a AUDIBLE WHISPER
Finish with 5 minutes OUTLOUD
During the final minute of the 31 minutes, listen inside and hear the mantra and experience the 'L' pathway in the head WITHOUT finger movements
Optimally this meditation is done for 31 minutes. It can also be done for 62 minutes by doubling the times.
TIME: 11 MINUTE VERSION This meditation can also be done for shorter times. Yogi Bhajan has said that during these stressful times it should be done for at least 11 minutes every day. For the eleven minute version do:
2 minutes OUTLOUD
2 minutes in an AUDIBLE WHISPER
3 minutes chant SILENTLY. Keep the hands moving, visualizing the 'L' pathway in the head, and keep the tongue moving
2 minutes AUDIBLE WHISPER
2 minutes OUTLOUD
During the final minute of the 11 minutes, listen inside and hear the mantra and experience the 'L' pathway in the head WITHOUT finger movements
FINALLY: At the end of either version, ALWAYS inhale deeply, raise the arms up in the air and vigorously shake the arms and fingers. You can involve the whole body and spine. Exhale. Repeat 1 or 2 more time if you desire. This is an important part of the meditation as it helps move and release the energy in the body.
RELAX for a few minutes before going about your day. Or relax on your back. If it is before bed time, simply go to sleep. Get
the iPhone App here.
Comments: The connotation of the word “kriya” is an
action or series of actions that completes a process and has a predictable
outcome. By practicing Kirtan Kriya, we can begin to understand
the cycle of creation. From the Infinite comes life, from life comes
death or change. From death or change comes the re-birth of consciousness
to the joy of the Infinite through which compassion leads back to
life. More.
What
you talk is not a sound current. The sound current is
that which you create with the organic matter of your
body where you use your pranas. That has a projective
power."
Yogi Bhajan --
*Consultation
with a health care professional should occur before applying
adjustments or treatments to the body, consuming medications
or nutritional supplements and before dieting, fasting or exercising.
None of these activities are herein presented as substitutes
for competent medical treatment. See
Disclaimer.