our MEDITATION meetings
Why Mantra Meditation
“Mantra” means transcendental sound vibration, sound which transcends the material world. It does not originate in the material world; it originates in the Kingdom of God and descends to the material platform without losing any spiritual potency. A mantra is not
something that anyone can make up, but rather must be received through the spiritual master who has received it from his spiritual master who received it from his spiritual master, and so on. It is transmitted from spiritual master to disciple since time immemorial. There is no
historical beginning; rather, the disciplic line begins with God Himself. A mantra is the descent of the Absolute Truth in the form of sound vibration, making it possible for us to receive Him. Hearing and repeating such sound vibration has the gradual effect of cleansing
the heart and mind so that a person experiences his real identity more and more each day.
There are several ways to chant a mantra. The first is simply to say it repeatedly. The second way is called japa yoga. The practice of japa yoga necessitates use of the tongue, ears and fingers. This means that a person no longer needs to make a distinction between internal
and external activities. Many people think that meditation is internal only. They fail to recognize that their internal consciousness is affected by their external activities. Great sages have understood how external sense perception—whether via the sense of touch, sight, or
hearing—actually affects consciousness. If you hear a song via the ears, that song will remain in your mind. This means that whatever you do with your senses affects your consciousness. Do not imagine that ―spiritual‖ simply means something internal only; the internal world
cannot be separated from the external world.