Thu 30 Nov 2006
So I discovered that mantra simply means “mind tool” in Sanskrit. We think of a mantra as some lofty meaningful word to use during meditation but it, or *they*, can have other powerful uses.
We all have internal chat going on in our heads all the time. How often do you catch it and find that it’s really negative? Or if you’re in the middle of a really tough time, find that you’re just internally freaking out about the tough time you’re going through. Like tough times are rare or supposed to happen to the guy down the street. We *all* have that kind of internal chat, it’s human nature. But it also isn’t the most helpful thing we can do in our heads.
Mind Tools are a good replacement. You can’t think about *nothing* when the chips are down, or you’re at the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded. Insert your favourite metaphor here. It’s best to replace it. So how about one of these?
- It’ll all work out
- This too shall pass
- I can be the EYE of the storm
- It’s always darkest before dawn
- I need to do this in *my* time (I use this when i’m feeling out of control/rushed)
- There is a Plan and I’m being lead
- This person (who’s driving me nuts) is doing the best they can
- It ain’t over til it’s over
You probably have 12 more useful Mind Tools - feel free to share them because I can always use more!
December 1st, 2006 at 2:04 pm
Oh, I so do the mind-tripping thing… it’s so hard to get yourself out of a negative mode when you are in it. But I do know just how powerful the mind is because, really, everything comes from a single thought- and that leads to more thoughts… and that leads to perception of the world, people, things. I’ve been trying to think of the mind tools I use when I get in a stressful situation but your list was quite inclusive. I’ll think more on it today!
December 3rd, 2006 at 2:35 pm
In favor of loftiness, ….
I sometimes get to go to the yoga studio, O2 in Boston, where they tag themselves with “up dogs, down dogs, no dogma” and my reaction is usually, “Too bad, I like the dogma.” Thus it is predictable I might post the following:
Russil Paul (Yoga of Sound, p. 224) seems to define mantra as “sonic formulae that take us beyond, or through, the discursive faculties of the mind and connect our awareness directly and immediate to deep states of energy and consciousness.” This idea is expressed in a section called “going beyond everyday consciousness.” Paul’s viewpoint is that mantra is a spiritual concept. Paul’s instruction on “mantra” origin is “manas”— “linear thinking mind” and “tram”— to protect, to free, to go across (quite a range of meaning).
Because of inexperience in these matters, I can imagine only that this matter of how much spirit as compared to mind control is in yoga is a continuing and often encountered issue.
Thanks for your work/practice at the site. It is helpful to (me and I imagine) us all, and it is artful.
December 3rd, 2006 at 5:33 pm
Hey slpete, thank you for your comments and the helpful quote. I didn’t mean to dismiss the value of mantras, I wanted to suggest they’re more useful than we sometimes give them credit for. I wanted to look mantras as a way of going beyond my everyday consciousness (as your quote put it) in my day-to-day life. Here’s my example. Life is really hard right now at work. Most days I’m managing to maintain my perspective and keep my center and then blammo, I get broadsided by some really depressing stuff. Stuff that affects the livelihood of people I care about. Stuff I have no control over. So my question to myself was – what spiritual tools can I use to keep my perspective? To keep from wallowing in the mud of despair? Your definition is great – because when things feel rotten I absolutely want to protect myself, free myself and get beyond focusing on the grim reality of that moment. I hope that helps explain the context a bit. Thanks again.
December 6th, 2006 at 2:08 pm
Thanks for the attention of a reply (to slpete42). I understand better and am sorry to hear work is muddy at the present time.
Upon reflection, it seems to me I should try what you suggest. I am a great one for book-learning and theory-talk. Paul in his focus on sound and mantra aims to take his reader to a highly transcendent use of mantra and sound. But an as if-Buddhist perspective is: Trust your own experience. So I should try your suggestions. Try something likely very accessible. (And perhaps stop waiting for a guru to give me my one and only mantra.) Hope to report back, and any reports back from you and us all will be of high interest.