Previous Weekly Messages

My Dear Ones,


In meditation the fluctuating and restless mind is always a great challenge. Learning to use a mantra can be very effective in helping us to deal with this condition. Though it may seem simple it can be very powerful. A mantra is a tool we use to develop our concentration and to tap into our inner Power. It can be a sound, word or affirmation that we repeat continuously to manage and uplift the mind. Mantra is a Sanskrit word that literally means “that which protects or saves the mind.”

Using a mantra in the meditation process helps us to hold our attention in the present moment, develop our power of concentration and ultimately tap into a higher state of consciousness.

The mind shifts so easily into undesirable trains of thought if not managed. We need, therefore, to be aware of this tendency in each moment and to be always mindful of what we are thinking. Starting each day with a mantra is a powerful way to prepare the mind for a new day of activity. The moment you wake up embrace the mantra. In this way it is easy to keep the mantra in the mind all day. A good practice is keeping the mantra in the mind whenever the mind is idle. The secret of saying the mantra effectively is being aware of it as you say it. This holds you in present moment awareness. This activity itself makes the mind stronger and more focused.

Use a mantra that you enjoy saying. After a while you begin to see the world differently. The mantra takes you to a deeper level of being. You will feel more peace, compassion and understanding within you. This will naturally carry over to your interactions with your world. The effort in the practice is in the beginning. Eventually it will become second nature. This is such a sharp contrast to beginning your day with restless, disturbing and worrisome thoughts that are difficult to control and leave you with fluctuating energy levels.

As we repeat the mantra with the goal of using it to align ourselves to a greater Power, we begin to open ourselves to this powerful and important connection. In our challenging world we can become very vulnerable and weak when our own mind acts against us. The mind literally becomes our enemy. We become divided inside and lose our state of well-being. Repeating the mantra and centering our mind and heart on the Higher Power within can be a very powerful experience. The more we get into this practice the more we open ourselves to Grace.

As we repeat the mantra devotedly a point will come where we will feel that the mantra is still with us even as we shift focus to some other activity. The mantra would have led us to a certain quality of consciousness that stays even beyond the repetition of the mantra. This is such a wonderful space to be in. As the mantra becomes deeply established in our consciousness, just a few repetitions will be enough to center us in that sacred space where we feel aligned to our Higher Power.

Let us not neglect this simple tool. It has such great power if used with the right awareness and discipline.

In loving service,
Vasudeva