Fwd: THE PRACTICE OF PRANAVA MEDITATION

[Guest guest]

, Alan Jacobs

<alanadamsjacobs wrote:

 

A Posting from Swamiji. Members are reminded that he has kindly

offered to answer correspondence on practical Sadhana. Alan

 

--- On Tue, 17/2/09, Swami sadasivananda <sadasivananda wrote:

 

 

 

[ DEAR ALAN,  AS YOU CAN SEE, I AM AGAIN PUSHING (AS DID BHAGAVAN)

PRACTICE OVER THEORY]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     " EFFORT IS NECESSARY. IN FACT EFFORT ITSELF IS YOGA "

         (Guru Ramana, S.S. Cohen, Sri Ramanashramam, 2006,

p. 74)

 

              

                                   

              

 

     " The purport of prescribing meditation on the Pranava (OM) is

this. The Pranava is Omkara…the advaita-mantra which is the essence

of all mantras…. In order to get at this true significance, one

should meditate on the Pranava. …The fruition of this process is

samadhi which yields release [moksha], which is the state of

unsurpassable bliss. "

                   (Collected Works of Ramana

Maharshi, 6th edition, p. 25,26)

 

    Our real self, the spirit, is ever perfect and free. But we

have forgotten that. So we identify with our present experience of

bondage and consequently suffer in countless ways. Our situation is

like someone who is asleep and dreaming that he is being tortured and

beaten. In reality he is not being touched at all; yet he is

experiencing very real pain and fear. He need not placate, overpower,

or escape his torturers. He needs only to wake up. Yoga is the

procedure of self-awakening.

   

    Meditation on the Pranava is a way to freedom from suffering

and limitation. " What world does he who meditates on Om until the end

of his life, win by That? If he meditates on the Supreme Being with

the Syllable Om, he becomes one with the Light, he is led to the

world of Brahman Who is higher than the highest life, That Which is

tranquil, unaging, immortal, fearless, and supreme. " (Prashna

Upanishad 5:1,5,7)    Regarding Om, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

(1:28) simply says: " Its repetition and meditation is the way. " The

Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, as well as the Yoga Sutras,

advocate meditation on Om, the sacred syllable that both symbolizes

and embodies Brahman, the Absolute Reality. Om is also called:

Pranava, Omkara, and Ekakshara. Pranava means both life-giver

(infuser of prana) and controller of life force (prana).

 

Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi regarding OM

 

    The first recorded teaching of Sri Ramana Maharshi, written

down by him in response to the request of a seeker, was: " The

Ekakshara [Om] shines for ever in the heart as the Self. " (The

Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi, sixth edition, p.

145) " Pratyahara [interiorization of the mind] is regulating the mind

by preventing it from flowing towards the external names and forms.

The mind, which had been till then distracted, now becomes

controlled. The aids in this respect are meditation on the Pranava

and reflection on the Nada [the subtle sound of Om experienced in

meditation]. " (The Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi, sixth edition,

p. 24)

     " Maunam [silence] is the state of Shakti [power] that emerges

from within as Ekakshara [Om]. " (Sri Ramana Reminiscences, G. V.

Subbaramayya, p. 149).

     " Yesterday a Hindu asked Bhagavan, 'Is Omkara a name of

Ishwara?' Bhagavan said, 'Omkara is Ishwara, Ishwara is Omkara. That

means Omkara Itself is the swarupam (the real form of the Self). "

(Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, Suri Nagamma, p. 60).

     " Om is everything. " (Day by Day with Bhagavan, Devaraja

Mudaliar, p. 214).

     " Earnest seekers who, incessantly and with a steady mind,

repeat 'Om' will attain success. By repetition of the pure 'Om' the

mind is withdrawn from sense objects and becomes one with the Self. "

(Sri Ramana Gita 3:10,11, Ganapati Muni)

     " Japa reaching to the source of sound is the best course for

those who are not firm in consciousness which is the source of

the 'I'. " (The Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi, sixth edition, p.

145) And only Om leads us to the source of sound.

 

    Sri Ramana recommended study of the Ribhu Gita, a traditional

text of Advaita. It simply says: " The syllable 'Om' is the self. "

(Ribhu Gita 10:22)

 

    Meditation is the process of centering our awareness in the

principle of pure consciousness which is our essential being. We have

lost awareness of our true self through awareness of external

objects, and become habituated†" even addicted†" to objective

consciousness. Rather than disperse our consciousness through objects

that draw us outward away from the source of our being, we must take

an object that will have the opposite effect, present it to the mind,

and reverse our consciousness. That object is Om. By sitting with

closed eyes and letting the mind become easefully absorbed in

experiencing the inner repetitions of Om we thereby directly enter

into the state of consciousness that is Om, the state of

consciousness that is Brahman the Absolute.

 

The Practice of OM Meditation

 

    1) Sit upright, comfortable and relaxed, with your hands on

your knees or thighs or resting, one on the other, in your lap.

 

    2) Breathe naturally. Your mouth should be closed so that all

breathing is done through the nose. This aids in quieting the mind.

Though your mouth is closed, the jaw muscles should be relaxed so the

upper and lower teeth are not clenched or touching one another, but

parted.

 

    3) Gently turn your eyes upward as though looking at a point

far distant. But do not strain or try to force your eyes to turn up

to a degree that is uncomfortable. Then gently close them†" do not

squeeze them tight..

 

    4) Be aware of your breath naturally (automatically) flowing

in and out as you breathe through your nose. Your breathing should

always be easeful and natural, not deliberate or artificial.

 

    5) Now begin mentally intoning ( " singing " on a single note) Om

once throughout each inhalation and once throughout each exhalation.

Fit the intonations to the breath†" not the breath to the

intonations. If the breath is short, then the intonation should be

short. If the breath is long, then the intonation should be long.

Make sure the O and the M get approximately " equal time " †" Oooommmm,

not Oommmmmm or Oooooomm. Don't torture yourself about

this†" approximately equal is good enough, and in time your

intonations will automatically occur in this right manner. Also, your

intonation of Om should begin when your inhalation/exhalation begins

and end when it ends. In this way your intonations should be

virtually continuous, not with long breaks between them. That is:

OommOommOommOomm, or Oomm-Oomm-Oomm-Oomm, rather than

Oomm…Oomm…Oomm…Oomm. Here, too, approximately continuous is

sufficient.

 

     6) For the rest of your meditation time keep on intoning Om

in this manner†" in time with the breath†" listening to your inner

intonations of Om. This enables you to enter effortlessly into the

Witness Consciousness that is your finite spirit within the Infinite

Spirit that is God.

 

    7) In Om Meditation we do not deliberately concentrate on any

particular point of the body such as the " third eye, " as we want the

subtle energies of Om to be free to manifest themselves as is best at

the moment. However, as you meditate, you may become aware of one or

more areas of your brain or body at different times. This is all

right when they come and go spontaneously, but keep centered on your

intonations of Om.

 

    8) Thoughts, impressions, memories, inner sensations, and

suchlike may also arise during meditation. Be calmly aware of all

these things in a detached and objective manner, but keep your

attention centered in your intonations of Om in time with your

breath. The sum and substance of it all is this: It is not the

experience we are after, but the effect.

 

    9) If you find yourself getting restless, distracted, " fuzzy, "

anxious or tense in any degree, just take a deep breath and let it

out fully, feeling that you are releasing and breathing out all

tensions, and continue as before.

 

 10) Remember: Om Meditation basically consists of three things: a)

sitting with the eyes turned up and then closed; b) being aware of

our breath as it moves in and out, and c) mentally intoning Om in

time with the breathing and listening to those mental

intonations†" all in a relaxed and easeful manner, without strain.

 

It is all up to you

 

     Yoga, the spiritual state, is produced by yoga the

practice. Those who persevere in their yoga practice find unfailing

and abundant happiness, peace, and fulfillment. Certainly the goal is

not reached without much practice through the years, but every step

of the way is blessed and brings rejoicing to the yogi's heart. Then

at last no more steps are needed, and he enters the ocean of

Satchidananda.

  

     So it really is all up to you. The sane and sober voice of

the Upanishadic Rishis assures us that through the simple japa and

meditation of Om all possible spiritual attainments will be realized.

 

     " He who knows Om need know nothing further, " declares the

Mandukya Upanishad.

    All the theory and eulogy in the world regarding a meditation

practice mean virtually nothing. But practice is everything. In

meditation more than anything else, practice certainly does Make

Perfect. And the practice is so marvelously simple. Bhagavan Sri

Ramana Maharshi echoed the same Truth when answering a devotee's

comment that:

     " Bhagavan's Grace is needed in order that meditation (and thus

remembrance) should become effortless. " Bhagavan replied:

 

    " Practice is necessary, there is Grace. "

 

(Guru Ramana, S.S. Cohen, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, p. 76.)

 

--- End forwarded message ---