Devotees chanting mantras in the Sri Premeshvarar temple
Chanting Mantras
“Five thousand years ago, when saints and sages were meditating in the forest, they practised the spiritual discipline of ‘japa’, the repetition of mantras with meditation. They practised it with the utmost concentration.
In order to chant the mantra ‘Om Nama Shivaya’, sit, close your eyes and try to concentrate your mind, making it one-pointed. Try to keep your body, mind and thoughts still. Continue the Om Namah Shivaya mantra without stopping. When you breathe in, chant Om Namah Shivaya, and when you breathe out again chant Om Namah Shivaya within your mind. The mantra should be said very slowly. Synchronize your breathing with the chanting of Om Namah Shivaya. With this practice you also inhale and exhale the energy of Om Namah Shivaya as it also pervades the air. This was how they performed intense spiritual sadhana in the olden days. This is also known as meditation with mantra.
Spiritual aspirants can think of their favourite deity, by chanting the name of their preferred divine form – such as Lord Shiva or Lord Jesus and so on. It is a tradition to chant the mantra fifty-four, one hundred and eight or one thousand and eight times slowly increasing the number of repetitions. In this way the name and form of your favourite deity becomes established in your mind. You can then mentally perform an inner puja for that deity. By doing this you can bring your mind to one-pointedness and develop yourself. That was how meditation with mantra was also practised long ago. And it is a great way for human beings to mature.
Traditionally, spiritual seekers received initiation through an evolved person who was senior and experienced. They asked for a mantra that suited them from that person and when they received it they practised it. By practising this, they progressed and developed spiritually.
People following a worldly married life can definitely come close to the Universal force when they follow this spiritual practice. You too can do this. If you perform meditation with mantra you can reach an elevated and mature spiritual level. You can have peace of mind and come close to the Divine. You can know permanent bliss. This is the truth.”
Swami Premananda
