RE: Praying with Awareness

[Guest guest]

Effie,

 

I have always understood that the emotion behind the repetition of any

mantra is more important than a literal understanding of the words. A

strong emotional connection with a thought or a word is another way of

saying one-pointed concentration.

 

Chris

 

 

, "Frederica Evangeline Wilder"

<effie_wilder@e...> wrote:

> Dear List,

>

> I often wonder about chanting when ones does not understand the

> words because of something I read in The Interior Castle by St.

> Teresa of Avila. She says that "when vocal prayer is accompanied by

> genuine reflections, it counts as true prayer. But if someone prays

> without awareness of who she is talking to, what it is she is

> asking, who is doing the asking and who is being asked, I do not

> consider it prayer, no matter how much her lips are moving."

>

> Heartfelt thanks to all,

> Effie

[Guest guest]

Hi Effie,

 

I believe St. Teresa was talking about intent. I think she was saying that if

our intent is not behind our words, then the word are basically meaningless.

Generally I agree with her.

 

St. Teresa's prayers were in a language she understood. She could not have

knowledge about a type of prayer that can be done in a language she didn't

understand. So when she spoke of the intent she was talking about how empty

words can be when there is no devotion behind them.

 

In the case of sanscrit the words can never be completely empty because Sanscrit

is a language of the gods, it was created by Rishi's who understood more about

the universe's workings than be conceived today. The sounds of the sanscrit,

even when enunciated incorrectly, still have a pronounced effect on the human

mind, heart, body and soul. And the momentum behind the language which has been

carried forward by Himilayan Monks for the last 20 thousand years has given the

language a life of its own. When we speak it, even incorrectly, we are tapping

into that energy, that momentum, and we are adding to it with our devotion.

 

St. Teresa probably did not know about such things.

 

While its true that the intent behind the sanskrit chant serves to reinforce and

even multiply the strength of the mantram, with Sanscrit is it not even

necessary to believe that it will work for it to work.

 

The language is almost magical.

 

Love,

 

Brian

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Chris makes a really good point--the emotion behind the prayer is far

more valuable and transformative than any intellectual understanding

can ever be. Several of my spiritual teachers have given me the

helpful advice to vibrate the mantra in my heart chakra.

 

or you can just send absolute love for your chosen deity through the

words, however you feel led to....

 

Kalibhakta

 

, "Chris Kirner"

<chriskirner1956> wrote:

> Effie,

>

> I have always understood that the emotion behind the repetition of any

> mantra is more important than a literal understanding of the words. A

> strong emotional connection with a thought or a word is another way of

> saying one-pointed concentration.

>

> Chris

>

>

> , "Frederica Evangeline Wilder"

> <effie_wilder@e...> wrote:

> > Dear List,

> >

> > I often wonder about chanting when ones does not understand the

> > words because of something I read in The Interior Castle by St.

> > Teresa of Avila. She says that "when vocal prayer is accompanied by

> > genuine reflections, it counts as true prayer. But if someone prays

> > without awareness of who she is talking to, what it is she is

> > asking, who is doing the asking and who is being asked, I do not

> > consider it prayer, no matter how much her lips are moving."

> >

> > Heartfelt thanks to all,

> > Effie