Mental Japa or Mental Pooja???

[Guest guest]

Kundalini Yoga is not "mental" it is a spiritual and physical commitment to the practioner's higher consciousness. The practice is to go beyond the mental. The current situation of humanity is that of being too much in the mental state. As for diety puja, that has nothing to do with Kundalini Yoga. There are no dieties. EK ONG KAR= There is ONE GODSATNAM=TRUTH is the IDENTITY Kind regards,Siri BandhuHumble Moderator Kundalini-Yoga , "onlince" <onlince wrote:>> What is more powerful, mental japa (of a mantra) or mental puja of a deity?>

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

If mind was such an inferior pre-occupation, Yogi Bhajan would not have written

the book titled " Mind, Its Projections and Multiple Facets. " Puja means

devotional practice, and What we would regard as Mental Puja would be devotion

in relation to universal and primordial mind itself, and not necessarily the

projections or multiple facets (although these too are capable of and probably

" should " be regarded as sacred in a context of yoga or spiritual practice).

Hindu traditions are not necessarily but also more likely to to regard the

deities of worship as " real " ( " inherently existing " ) realities than Vajrayana

(or Tibetan) Budhhism, where deity or Yidam practice is essential. However, the

Buddhist teaching is that these deities are essentially archetypal realities

that arise from the nature of the mind itself. In other words, they arise from

with US, and these deities are not visualized as external powers " over and above

us " that somehow rule us in any religious sense of universal command and

control. These deities are essential aspects, facets or projections of

Primordial Mind. And so are we. Therefore, in this context Mind is supremely

important, and such Puja is the vehicle of realization, enlightenment, and

liberation.

 

In our own traditions, the Adi Shakti (Khunda symbol of Guru Gobind Singh) is

very specifically a Yantra that is recommended for use in an inner devotional

way to evolve enlightened qualities and relationships with the Divine Feminine.

In this way it is exactly the same as Tibetan Yidam (or " deity " ) practice. The

Ek Ong Kar symbol is also such a yantra, or Yidam, or " deity " object. It is

purely in consciousness or Mind. These practices are essential in order to

transmute material reality into spiritual practice, and for bringing our

realizations of Spirit into the living world. They are translators and

transformers that bridge between the profound and the mundane.

 

Regarding " mental Japa " - one of the most central teachings and practices within

Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan is Kirtan Kriya (Sa-Ta-Na-Ma, with

finger mudras that press against the thumb and progressing in the order of the

syllables. And, central to this teaching is the use of " THREE VOICES " - vocal

sound, whisper, and inner Japa that is outwardly silent. This would seem to be

exactly what the questioner is referring to as " Mental Japa. " AND, Yogiji

explained that this is the most powerful " chanting voice " of all. So, yes,

Mental Japa can be very powerful if practiced authentically.

 

There also seems to be some lack of clarity about what is " mental puja " and what

is " mental puja of a deity. " The yoga sutras of Patanjali (and Ashtanga Yoga)

are also at the heart of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. In the

highest levels of meditative realization described by Patanjali, there are

worshipful Samadhis related to the Essence of All Being (Purusha, or " Purkha " ).

There is definitely a devotional attitude involved in addressing Universal Being

(or " Purkha, " " Karta Purkh, " " Akal Purkh, " etc.) and realizing the Samadhi of

becoming " absorbed " in the nature of one's meditative focus. If there is

Samadhi " with Form " then the object is an " aspect " of Purkha (Purusha). If

there is Samadhi " without form " then there is no " formal object " - we address

the formless Infinite aspect of Akal Purkh.

 

In short, if we take a moment to recognize the issues and meanings within the

question that was asked, we can say that both mental japa and mental puja are

centrally important to the practices of Kundalini Yoga as Yogi Bhajan taught.

It is also the basis for reconciling his teachings of Kundalini Yoga with the

teachings and practices of Guru Nanak, Guru Ram Das, etc. When the Sikh Gurus

spoke of yoga, they often ridicule the superstitions of merely physical and

supersitious practices of yoga that were very prevalent in Medieval India. On

the other hand, regarding " Mental Yogas " the teachings of the Sikh Gurus are

truly " all about " Divine Union, and authentic mental yogas of meditation. We

especially cite the throne or " Takht " of Raj Yoga that was bestowed on Guru Ram

Das by Guru Amar Das. Another key in demonstrating the Yoga Nature of Sikh

teaching and practice is the Ray Man Shabd of Guru Gobind Singh. Many readers

on this forum have probably listened to Snatam Kaur's version of this Shabd.

The Kundalini Surjee Shabd states that one's Kundalini automatically can raise

into Cherdi Kalaah simply by sitting and meditating in sacred gatherings (Sat

Sangat). This is Kundalini Yoga par excellence from the very heart of Sikh

practice, the Siri Guru Granth. In fact, many subtleties and nuances of deep

yoga practice can be clarified and pragmatically purified by deep understanding

and appreciation for the Siri Guru Granth Sahib as the repository of the sacred

teachings of the Sikh Gurus. This is obviously why so many early practictioners

of Kundalini Yoga became Sikhs - because there was a skillful teacher to point

out the great synergistic benefits by joining these two practices. Now,

Kundalini Yoga teachers tend not to do this, in part because the training

courses for yoga teachers are not making this opportunity clear. And so,

unfortunately, it seems as though very large numbers of practitioners of

Kundalini Yoga project their notions of " religion " onto Sikh " Dharma. " Dharma

is " doing " and there is always a " yoga " for perfecting the practices of any

" doing. " In this sense, the current approach for sharing and spreading the

benefits of Kundalini Yoga practice are omitting the real work of addressing

human spirituality and practices for intentional self-transformation. One who

has accomplished such self correction and transformation through yoga practice

is called a Sadhu - and this is the basis for the word " sadhana. "

 

But if Sadhana is not Mindful, there is no authentic transformation. For this

reason, I love the question about mental japa and mental puja. Thanks for

asking. Discovering the answer will open an entirely new road and horizon for

Kundalini Yogis.

 

Blessings,

Krishna Singh Khalsa

 

 

Kundalini-Yoga , dockhalsa wrote:

>

> The word " mental " has so many inferences in English. Even the external

> mind, or Manas, has different qualities, some more spiritual (Satvic) and

some

> more " mental " and externally driven (Tamasic and Rajasic). The yogi uses the

> mind as a tool, but does not identify with the mind.

>

> Using the mind to meditate on mantra creates, amongst other things, the

> power of Tejas, of clear consciousness. Using the mind in devotional

practice

> (which is Guru Nanak's equivalent of puja) creates the power of Ojas or

Amrit,

> or call it Grace of God and devotionally nutritional bliss. So both

> practices are powerful.