Mantra

Mantra is a sound, a word or a phrase which is repeated again and again. It is a powerful sound or magic vibration which creates a significant change in attitude and mind set. It helps in focusing one’s energy. Mantra japa is an indirect way to calm mind. After one thought leaves mind and another thought enters, a mantra is slipped between that gap and slowly that gap is increased by increasing the number of mantra. As one experience deeper meditation all worries and doubts evaporate, mind becomes still and feels the oneness with God and experiences supreme peace. Mantra japa is a very powerful tool to enter Samadhi.

(Excerpt from Japa Meditation - The Easiest Way to Calm the Mind by Chandrika Shubham)

Japa Meditation

Japa meditation involves focusing the mind on a certain mantra and shutting out the disturbing external stimuli. It involves the repetition of mantra which is either a single syllable or a magical group of mystic sounds. The repetition, concentration and devotion to a mantra can awaken its energy. A mantra contains the power to God realization. That power has to be grown by repetition, concentration and devotion. One day a middle aged lady told her husband that today I did only 250 grams of japa. She used to live in a village with her husband.  Her husband replied that he did half kilogram of japa. Actually, they used a rosary mala (string) to do japa. And on completion of one rosary (string) they put one grain of whole Bengal gram aside. At the end of the day they both weighed their total japa in terms of grams. They were innocent and innovated their own way of counting of rosary.

(Excerpt from Japa Meditation - The Easiest Way to Calm the Mind by Chandrika Shubham. This book is available at amazon.in)

Selection of place, time and posture for meditation

Meditation happens naturally. As sleep when comes naturally, one falls into it. Similarly meditation comes by itself. While meditating the newcomers should follow certain points in selection of place, time and posture for quick results. Mental attitude, food habits and environment counts a lot. The beginners should select the room in the North – East direction of house and should meditate while facing North. Brahmmuhrata is the best time for concentrating. The spine, neck and head should be aligned straight in a line. Sukhasana, Padmasana, Vrikshasana, Shirashasana are good postures to calm mind. While meditating, one can focus upon various centres within the body. There are seven chakras in the body on which one can concentrate. Most of the spiritual aspirants concentrate on sixth chakra – the space between the eyebrows. The object of focus is visualized in the space between the eyebrows. Some aspirants focus on Fourth chakra – the space in the central channel in the spine between the lungs at heart.

(Excerpt from Japa Meditation - The Easiest Way to Calm the Mind by Chandrika Shubham)

Relationship between mind and breathing

When mind is agitated because of anger or fear then breathing becomes shorter, shallower, fast and irregular. When mind is relaxed and calm then one breathes slowly. Mind and breathing are interrelated. If one of them is controlled then it will regulate the other automatically. For calming mind, a spiritual aspirant can practice bhastrika, kapalabhati, jalandhara bandha, uddiyana bandha, mula bandha, anuloma viloma, suryebedhe, chandrabedhe pranayamas. Pranayam has four steps poorak, antarkumbhak, rechak and bahir kumbhak which should be performed in 1:4:2:2 ratio.

(Excerpt from Japa Meditation - The Easiest Way to Calm the Mind by Chandrika Shubham)

Make mind a good friend

Mind is attracted towards the glittering of materialistic world. Mind wants to seek more and more. It is never satisfied with the sensual pleasures from the external objects. Mind trapped in the pleasure seeking from sensual objects becomes one’s biggest enemy. Mind should be trained to withdraw from sensual objects. Non attachment to sense objects leads to liberation. Thus, one’s own mind becomes one’s friend. 

The best way to make mind a good friend is to forget. Forget the body. Forget the surrounding environment. Forget the family and relatives. Forget the worries. Forget the happiness. Forget everything except absolute the Truth, God or Brahmn. Forgetting is not easy therefore mind should be engaged all the time in God’s name or mantra. Remembering God will help to forget about the pleasures and pains of this materialistic world. On forgetting this world, one attains Supreme Bliss.

(Excerpt from Japa Meditation - The Easiest Way to Calm the Mind by Chandrika Shubham)

How to concentrate mind?

Concentration is fixing of mind on one object or idea either outside or inside the body. Beginners should start concentrating on an image of deity, Om symbol or flame of a lamp etc. The image should be pleasing and should bring peace and joy to mind. It should neither create boredom nor excitement. Concentration is the first step of meditation and can work wonders.

Everybody has concentration power but its range may vary. One should strengthen mind’s capacity by various ways. A newcomer in the field of meditation must practice concentration exercises to focus the scattered rays of mind on a single point which leads to Self Realisation. There are various exercises using different techniques like focusing mind on sound, breathing, on visual image of deity or symbol. They all have one aim to concentrate mind. Tratak, category concentration, concentration on sound are some of the ways to focus it on one single point. Concentrating on breathing, concentration on sensations, observation of thoughts, emptying the mind, Hatha yoga and pranayama are various methods to control mind.

(Excerpt from Japa Meditation - The Easiest Way to Calm the Mind by Chandrika Shubham)

Meditation - A step by step process

Meditation is as essential for us as breathing, eating and sleeping. It is attained step by step. It is a matter, not of miracle, but of evolution, of growth. To master a language, a person learns alphabets first, then words, sentence formation, tense, modals etc. Mind can be focused without any effort while doing interesting things. Most of the persons find it difficult to concentrate mind on the tedious work. One can improve its power of focusing by concentrating the mind on one chore which one is doing presently. One can further strengthen the power of concentration through practice and patience. The increased focus power helps in clarifying ideas, making complex things simpler, removing confusion and enhancing efficiency and working capacity. With the result, one can accomplish more work in less time. 

(Excerpt from Japa Meditation - The Easiest Way to Calm the Mind by Chandrika Shubham)