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colours
Sweden
108 Posts |
 Posted - May 20 2017 : 1:15:15 PM
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Hi!
I have always thought that you are supposed to focus on the mantra in meditation, but a while now I noticed that meditation flows much more naturally if I am NOT trying to focus on the mantra... If I think about it, I cannot remember that I have read anywhere in the instructions that you are supposed to focus on the mantra, just easily repeat it. Is this right?
I started meditating with attention on breath, maybe it's where I got the idea to focus on the mantra while repeating it from.
It is an interesting topic.
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1730 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2017 : 2:31:30 PM
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Hi Colours
What I think Yogani means by 'easily favouring' is a soft focus on the mantra. Some meditation techniques involve a hard focus on the meditation object, that is holding on to it very tightly regardless of the effort it takes. Yogani makes a clear point that repeating the mantra in the AYP meditation should be effortless.
Perhaps it is the soft, effortless kind of focus you have just discovered?
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colours
Sweden
108 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2017 : 3:52:06 PM
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Ah, yes maybe it is that soft focus I have discovered. I am not consciously/deliberately thinking thoughts instead of mantra, but am not pushing thoughts away either. Maybe it's a natural soft focus... :)
Colours |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1730 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2017 : 4:38:59 PM
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Sounds like you're following the correct procedure.
There has to be a favouring of the mantra (otherwise anything goes and that's no longer mantra meditation), but once the habit of picking up the mantra is formed, it doesn't feel like a doing any more.
Enjoy your practice Colours  |
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Kisen
Malta
5 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2017 : 03:46:07 AM
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Just a question regarding the mantra.
It seems like there is an emphasis on repeating the mantra (at least in the beginning) which leads to temporarily holding a certain rhythm.
Is it correct procedure to repeat it just a few times at the start then just let go as if returning to a natural sitting state? I found my best results when doing it like this. Similar to when you become aware of a sound in the environment then continue doing what you were doing, but the sound is suddenly in your background awareness for a while without you doing anything.
However, it makes me worry if I'm being too lazy with it or just overthinking it since I worry that the mantra just slips away or I fall asleep. However, if I try (even a little) to manually keep my attention on the mantra, my physical body responds with some degree of strain.
Thank you |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1730 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2017 : 04:47:38 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Kisen
Is it correct procedure to repeat it just a few times at the start then just let go as if returning to a natural sitting state?
Hi Kisen
That is a good question and one that other meditators have asked in the past. The short answer is: We do not introduce deliberate pauses in the repetition of the mantra. That would be a different procedure than what Yogani recommends.
You might find it useful to read a few older topics related to DM procedure, where Yogani made some clarifications:
http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....15385#130881
http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....D=9738#83429
I hope this helps.
Enjoy you practice |
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colours
Sweden
108 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2017 : 08:05:59 AM
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| Thanks Blue |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4373 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2017 : 1:34:42 PM
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quote:
I have always thought that you are supposed to focus on the mantra in meditation, but a while now I noticed that meditation flows much more naturally if I am NOT trying to focus on the mantra... If I think about it, I cannot remember that I have read anywhere in the instructions that you are supposed to focus on the mantra, just easily repeat it. Is this right?
quote:
It seems like there is an emphasis on repeating the mantra (at least in the beginning) which leads to temporarily holding a certain rhythm.
Is it correct procedure to repeat it just a few times at the start then just let go as if returning to a natural sitting state? I found my best results when doing it like this. Similar to when you become aware of a sound in the environment then continue doing what you were doing, but the sound is suddenly in your background awareness for a while without you doing anything.
Hi Colours and Kisen,
Favoring the mantra with our attention means that at least 51% of the attention is with the mantra. If you find, during meditation, that less than 51% of the attention is with the mantra, then easily favor the mantra again. If the mantra is not there, then pick it up easily at the level of clarity or fuzziness that it was at before it was lost, and then continue to favor it again.
In the beginning it is necessary to introduce a rhythm to the mantra, but after some time, the mantra will begin to find it's own rhythm, so this becomes no longer necessary. As Blue says, no deliberate pauses are introduced whilst repeating the mantra.
Christi
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colours
Sweden
108 Posts |
Posted - May 25 2017 : 03:26:36 AM
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Thanks Christi!
I find that a soft, natural focus works for me. I find myself in a thick silence with a faint, fuzzy mantra "in the background" (or with at least 51 % attention on mantra), and it works best with alot of activity before, as Yogani explains it...  |
Edited by - colours on May 25 2017 05:16:02 AM |
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Attention on mantra VS easily repeating it
