Meditation & Mantras, part 4

Another way to becoming “enlightened” is to follow the ancient Vedanta philosophy as a panacea for a multitude of problems that are rooted in our mental perception of the world. It is like a therapeutic model, regarding how we perceive life and universe, and can make an enormous difference to our well-being.
Vedanta means literally, the end (part), of the Vedas, and is foundation base to the vastness of a Hinduism. It is monotheistic to a tee! It does not deny the use of religion with a personal god or a devotional status, or the Vedic focus on sacrifice in the form of ablation, (in fire), to the gods, as a means of attaining heaven., The Vedanta Sages clear away the cobwebs are ritual based and point the way to the discovery of the inner soul, the Atma.
The off three the offerings to the gods are all thrown out the window, instead of into the fire!
Vedanta also is not the way of the Messiah, and there is no worship, incantation or even prayer requirement, We are already perfect in the sense that one drop of water is the same as the water in the sea. The Atma is entwined with the Paramatma, the great Soul, or Brahma, the Cosmic Conciousness. We ourselves are god! Aham Bramha Asmi. (I is Aham, God is Brahma, and Asmi is am. This is the Mantra about being the cosmic consciousness with are universe basel place for the individual, who is thus spread throughout the universe. Hard to swallow? Read up on Quantoum physics for a start, and multiple dimensions! Well it probably takes a bit more elaboration to make sense! It’s still a far cry from the world of organised religion, with its ideas of Prophets and Avatars..
Vedanta is in some ways a god less philosophy, or religion. If there is such a thing?
As it is, gives us an understanding of ourselves, true selves, and the world as it really is, free from gods or any Supernatural or Higher power, including that of the Hinduism that came out of the Vedas. It is therefore a universal creed that owes allegiance to no one, and works for the welfare of all.
This welfare is termed Sat, Chit, Anand, out natural spiritual state, of Truth, Existence/consciousness, and Bliss. The true nature of cosmic consciousness that we are one with, entwined with.
Vendata also describes Maya, the cosmic delusion, present in all waking, dream and sleep states. World experience is seen as another form of dreaming, or that one’s divinity is mistaken for gross material bodies. At dusk you see a snake and jump an alarm, but it is not a snake, it is a piece of rope! Another way to see things from the Maya perspective, is to say that the dream ends when we wake up. That when we are enlightened to our true nature, we see the world for what it really is. It’s not such a good deal after all, and we don’t get a guarantee. We also have designed and built in obsolescence. (Called Death). That is if we are lucky enough to just have that as a final relatively painless experience,(without the usual life sufferings, trauma, and diseases).Our physical mental and environmental experience is not pretty!
The problem though is the application of this philosophy, spiritual perspective, and ancient wisdom.
How do we practice something everyday that gives us the place where we fully experience Sat Chit Ananda? So we are aware of Truth and that it is is blissful and beautiful, no matter what the body on mind are doing. No matter what the politicians, environments, and our relationships are creating.
It’s all very well to say that it is all illusion, and yet we are obsessed or distracted with our addictions depression and anxiety, and our deep rooted fear of life. (And death).

Breathe deeply. Inhale to the mantra sound So and exhale to Hum. So, (that Brahma), Hum, (I am). So on the Ingress, and Hum on the outgoing breath. I am divine consciousness. Yes it is a mantra. It is one that is good to use when there is ability to sit and focus on the process of breathing. It works to identify the individual soul, as one with the cosmic sole.
This when done with focus, removes attention from the body/mind and rolled over the days distractions.
The idea is to find something that enables you to float through the day in serenity.
This is just one mantra pathway.
It is good to have a short space of time of vital introspection before the day begins, before the entanglement totally takes over.

There are other mantras, which are suitable for different moods/experience.
For instance. If there is a concern about money/finances, then there is there are mantras to get in touch with the goddess of wealth energy,(Lakshmi). or more simply seed sounds that focus on the chakra regarding this energy, and which is just below the navel. (Basically covering the stomach area with it emanation). This area is a focus for food, material possession of life elements, so wealth sits here as the fundamental root of “having”. To have something is at its most basic level, is having something to eat.
Other mantra are useful to deal with anger, or sexual desire or need. Being irritable or unsettled or over lustful, and then diverting attention and consciousness, to the underlying truth that is behind all emotion and desire, (thus helping to put things into a more stable perspective. it becomes possible to transcend each and every moment and feeling, and see the true nature underneath. The body mind is comprised of many atoms, electrical currents, energies, and chemicals. Jumping all over the place, seeming at times random. Especially random when we experience mental health disorder or physical disease.
With a suitable spiritual pathway and practice, it is possible to allow oneself to flow through the day, to flow through life, and to be in control when all seems to be chaos. It is possible to see through chaos and recognise its very positive functions in the universe. (Just as it’s possible to see through death and see it for its place in the divine journey).
With clarity comes the ability to make decisions, move or act correctly and beneficially in any circumstance. Do I keep my job? Do I keep my relationships? Move somewhere else?
Answers spring up from the will of inner knowledge, automatically.

To be continue……. Mantras to use in practice (Part 5)