| Pillars of Spiritual Progress:
The Maha Mantra
By James Chagula
Copyright © July 2006
The Maha Mantra
Wondrous is the Sound
Wondrous the Wisdom...
Ever present to our gaze is wonder
At the sight of this Mystery are we wonderstruck
- Guru Nanak
This article follows our introductory overview of the Sukhmani Sahib CD. For those of you who have not read the Sukhmani Sahib article, please refer back to post no. 21 on the Faqir Chand Legacy Yahoo! Groups site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Faqir_Chand_Legacy/message/21
The Maha Mantra CD is yet another powerful aid for building a strong, spiritual foundation. Our 'success' in meditation practice largely depends on the strength of our foundation. A 'strong foundation' essentially means: a balanced, integrated human personality; healthy body and a pure, ethical life.
On an esoteric level this includes the purification of the mind, nadis (subtle energy channels) and strengthening the central nervous system. The purified, free flowing subtle energy within a healthy human body is the basis for a stable mind; deep concentration and the attainment of genuine samadhi.
Access to these various samadhi or transcendental states of consciousness are the typical hallmark of celebrated God-lovers, mystic adepts, saints, sages and miracle workers; documented in all spiritual traditions and world religions. However, those who have transcended consciousness itself, tell us that samadhi is a means and not an end. These states serve as refined stations in which to perceive the radiant glory of our Eternal Being, the Satlok.
The Maha Mantra, also known as the Wahe-guru mantra (pronounced Vahe-guru), was originally manifested by Guru Nanak. This invocation is said to be an expression of the awe and ecstasy of Guru Nanak's moment of God-realization. According to yogic tradition, mantras are not words which are simply 'made up.' They are audible manifestations of subtle energies, emanating from the Cosmic Over Lord, known as Malik-e-Kul (the Lord of Totality, Radhasoami or Anami, the 'Unnamed'). However, in this case 'Wah' if translated into a contemporary idiom, would look something like "Wow!" and guru means 'heavy' or 'weighty' and also 'dispeller of darkness.'
Sant Harjit Singh first recorded a version of the Maha Mantra in 2002. He dedicated this production to the great spiritual Mystic, Baba Waryam Singh. The soundtrack features Harjit's own recitation of "Vahe-guru" which is followed back-to-back with the vocals of two young female devotees. In fact, there is specific reason behind this arrangement. The two contrasting voices consist of 17 seconds of the female lunar (yin) energy and 18 seconds of male, solar (yang) energy. As my Teacher has explained:
"The mind follows the male voice, half of the circuit, 180 degrees. If you think of it like a loop. And the other half of the circle, it follows the female voice. From one extreme which is a heavy voice, to the other extreme which is a very light voice on the musical scale. So this is another thing that catches your mind, like a hook with a fish. Surat shabad yoga is just like fishing you know. You're catching the fish. The mind."
In the following dialogue, Sant Harjit Singh clarifies and explains the practical application of the Maha Mantra, as well as other closely related topics. The knowledge imparted here is the fruit of personal experience and practical knowledge. Based on my observations; I have yet to hear the Guru speak theoretically about an esoteric topic without explicitly stating something like, "According to classical yogic theory..." etc. This brings home the point that spirituality is a living experiment. And practical life is truly the only book worthy of study. Below is an overview of the themes covered:
· The energetic effects of mantras on the mind
· Practical guidelines for effective mantra practice
· Pranayama (breathing practices) in relation to
surat shabad yoga
· An explanation of Sunn Samadhi
· Biophysical transformations which occur through deep samadhi
· Why bhava is a key principle for success in surat shabad yoga
To read the full version of this article please visit us here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Faqir_Chand_Legacy/
http://www.babafaqirchand.com/
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Very Effective Mantra Practice
