​“Mantras” are powerful syllables that is said to have revealed in the consciousness of ancient rishis which are capable of transforming one’s mind. Mantras form part of Vedas, chanted during auspicious occasions with the intention to praise the Gods and Goddesses. 

Just like the normal words creating the sound when uttered through mouth, mantras also create sound, but with a vibration affecting the internal chakras in the body. Certain cells in the body, are activated through this vibration.  This helps to control the mind by increasing the awareness and concentration. Chanting of mantras in its specific order brings the effect of Prayanam, a yogic practice of controlling the mind through breath control.  

​The breath is controlled with a consequence of rhythmic chanting of mantras formulated as slokas. This in effect activates the brain cells. Usually, mantras are combination of different words starting with the syllable “Aum”. There are different types of mantras creating various types of sounds. 

Chanting of some mantras create nasal sounds, several others are chanted by giving importance to certain letters in the mantra, etc. Mantras belong to Vedas – Rig, Yajur, Sama chanted based on several traditions. “Aum” is considered as the source of all the mantras in Hinduism. The sound is created with the help of the lips, tongue, jaws, nose and throat. This helps in the smooth flow of prana through the nadis (channels) related to these organs. 

When the pranic flow is smooth through these nadis, the brain cells gets activated by bringing a good control over the emotions of the mind. When the emotions are controlled, naturally, the greed, anger, lust that makes the man mad is also controlled and as a result, the individual who practice the mantra chanting starts to live in the world with harmony. 

Mind is transformed automatically through the channelizing of the pranic energy through the nadis. The individual gets a good balance over the positive and negative energies of the mind. Just like the sound produced by any musical instrument that soothes the human mind, mantras are also powerful in brining tranquility in the mind.  

If the mantras are chanted in a group, the persons who chant and persons who are present in the presence also get benefitted out of it.  Generally, mantras are initiated by Guru to a disciple depending on the favorite deity of the disciple.  Repeated chanting of mantra takes the disciple to spiritual heights. 

Muhurta itself means the auspicious time for starting or performing any event or activity in one’s life. It may be starting of a business, signing of an agreement, buying or selling or a property, marriage ceremony, naming ceremony, etc.

​Choosing the right muhurta for any activity is based on the star of the individual and the planetary position including sun and moon.   Sun’s radiation has high influence on the forces of nature that can create harmony or harmful effects on one’s life. 

​Brahma Muhurta is once such duration of time in the early morning hours every day. Brahma Muhurta is the 3 hours of time in the early morning between 3 and 6 considered as auspicious for various rituals and spiritual practices.  It is the best time for any spiritual practice because of the purified ambience in the atmosphere.  It is believed that this time, the atmosphere is filled with positive electro-magnetic radiation that makes the mind calm and peaceful without any effort.  

Since it is the time when most of the people are in deep sleep, the atmosphere is filled with vital pranic energy which is highly beneficial for the spiritual practices. Activities of the living beings start only after some time so the pollution level is less.  Spiritual masters always advice the people to wake up at this time for spiritual practices because the waves present in this time are most beneficial for the body and mind. 

Brahma Muhurta is best time for doing Yoga, Meditation, Prayer, etc. After the sunrise, usually the atmosphere starts getting dull. One can easily experience the freshness enjoyed throughout the day if he/she wake up during brahma muhurta and if woke up after 7 AM.  The level of freshness if woke up during brahma muhurta is more compared with that of waking up after the sunrise. The rays radiated from the sun during this time brings positive effects on the brain. It makes the brain cells active. This time, the forces in nature is very much pleasant and peaceful. 

One who performs spiritual practices get abundant benefits and it is a cause for spiritual upliftment. The air is also less polluted which is ideal for pranayama and yoga. From medical perspective, waking up during this time makes the blood circulation normal. From Ayurvedic perspective, the three components – vata, pitta and kapha are balanced in the body of a person who wakes up during the brahma muhurta. Vata helps to eliminate the toxins in the body, kapha creates respiratory disorders, etc. 

Kirtana has always played a major role within Bhakti Yoga- the Yogic path of Praise and Devotion. 

​Bhakti Yoga allows anyone and everyone to pray with love and faith. It is a community-singing experience that utilizes songs and music to feel close to the Divine! It does not require strict and often restricting principles and methods of the other two paths of Yoga- Jnana Yoga (Yogic path of Knowledge) or Karma Yoga (Yogic Path of Action).

Categories: 
Vedic Sounds,    Vedic Science    and   Vedic Tradition

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#Kirtan #Devotion #DevotionalMusic #BhaktiYoga #Hindu #Vedic #MaitreyiParadigm #Bhakti #Sadhana #Prayers #Kirtana #Devotion

It is a common practice among Hindus to offer coconut during prayers. Many people, including Hindus wonder- why this is the case.

Since many of the Hindu practices come from the original Vedic culture, which was very logical and scientific in it's approach, this practice of offering coconut has a very beautiful and logical explanation.

​Watch on to know more...

Categories:
Myths And Beliefs,   Prayers And Sadhanas,   Vedic Symbolism   and   Vedic Tradition

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Tantric practices are considered more esoteric and very few people truly understand the full connotation of their extensive possibilities.

One needs to remember that any of action, any kind of system, right-handed tantric path (Dakshinachara), left-handed tantric path (Vamachara), Shabar tantra or simply doing meditation and/ mantra chanting (Bhakti yoga)- it is ALL ultimately a “tantric” path!
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As the word tantra suggests (tantra, literally means a tool), all these paths are a way of manipulating the energies and when we consider the simple scientific fact that all matter and energy is interconvertible- then we know that by manipulating the subtle energies, we can also manipulate and modify a situation at the grosser level! 

Because people doing black magic or wishing ill on people have taken the guise of doing “tantric” rituals, tantra started getting a bad reputation in the east (as in India). 

On the other hand, in the west, tantra has been portrayed as some kind of sexual technique that allow one to feel a higher sense of physical gratification- thus reducing it to mere physical debauchery!!

Then there is the practice of Shabar Tantra. In this, people can do simple activities which allows them to modify smaller energy patterns. Usually these activities are conducted not for spiritual awareness and raising of consciousness but for material gains or other ego-gratifying reasons such as stopping one’s enemies, taking revenge and so on.
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Shabar Tantra techniques are called as totka in Hindi. Many a times, these techniques seem illogical to the rational mind (unless one truly understands the working-mechanism of the cosmic energy at the level of quantum consciousness). 

The one extremely challenging aspect of Shabar Tantra is that, it also takes help from lower energy forms and spirits such as channeling spirits of dead people, working with elemental forms and other such activities which can easily ensnare and captivate both the practitioner and the one seeking their help!! 

For e.g. a Shabar Tantra practitioner (called as Tantric or Tantrik) may suggest something like feeding grains to birds or tossing a piece of bread down a flowing river to attract more abundance into one’s life. 

As mentioned above, many of the Shabar Tantra techniques seem illogical to the rational mind. But they work by manipulating the universal energy at a small level to bring about the required change. 
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Instead of building up one’s understanding of the cosmic phenomena, people seeking to learn and utilize these techniques are usually asked to work with “faith”- this in turn has led (still continues) to rise in superstition and further abuse of these practices.

Over the years, there has been much abuse of these many such Shabar Tantra practices. 

Also, there are not many clear guidelines for all kinds of tantra- but particularly for Vamachara (left-handed tantra) and Shabar Tantra. There are no clear texts on how these activities should be properly and safely conducted to ensure- what (and how) one is doing something is in-tune, is in-sync with the cosmic flow and so will not captivate one in the lower energy states!

Bottom-line: it is not that tantra or tantric practices are good or bad. It is a medium of energy manipulation. What one does with it, is our choice. It is our action, our karma.

Think of tantra like electrical wires that allow for the electrical energy from the reservoirs to be transmitted and brought to the various appliances. If used positively, it can light our homes and power up our life and if used in a negative way, it can be used to electrocute someone to kill or harm them!!

So, are the electrical wires- good or bad?? They are neither- they are merely a tool that give us the ability to harness electrical energy. 

How we choose to tap into this energy reservoir and how we ultimately utilize this energy will determine our karma and then as per the universal law of Karma- we will need to face the retribution!!

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Read further:

• Understanding the basics of the Tantric Spiritual Pathway
• The two main Tantric pathways of Transformation- Dakshinachara and Vamachara

​#tantra #tantric #tantrik #dakshinachara #vamachara #righthandedtantra #lefthandedtantra #shabartantra #shabarmantra #totke #totka #spiritualtransformation #ascension #spiritualdevelopment

In the tantric way of attaining higher states of consciousness- to ultimately obtain moksha; there are two main pathways- the right-handed path, called as the Dakshinachara and the left-handed path, which is called as the Vamachara.

Tantric practices are considered more esoteric and very few people truly understand the full connotation of their extensive possibilities.

It is not that Dakshinachara is better or worse than Vamachara, they both are equally effective in allowing one to reach higher states. 
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As the word tantra suggests (tantra, literally means tool), both these paths are merely tools that ultimately allow an individual to walk on their path of spiritual awareness.

Dakshinachara practices are usually more in line with societal norms and so have generally been accepted by people. These are the traditionally followed ascetic practices to attain ascension. These practices try to enhance the Sattva guna- the positive principle of cosmic truth in our body.

Vamachara practices on the other hand come across as forbidden activities (the Panchamakara, also called as the Five M-s) that sometimes ruffle up our sense of all acceptable esthetics and at times even seem too morbid for them to be of any spiritual value!!
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Though, if done correctly, the sheer ‘shock’ and extreme negative aspects of the Vamachara techniques can catapult one to very high states of spiritual awareness and accomplishments. These techniques work to transform the “decaying aspect”- i.e. the tamas guna in such a way that it will give us the understanding of  the Divine absolute- (that which is beyond all the three gunas of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas).

Please note that Shabar Tantra, though has the word tantra in its name, is not a true Tantric pathway for spiritual transformation.

In this, people do simple activities that allows them to modify smaller energy patterns. Usually these activities are conducted not for spiritual awareness and raising of one’s consciousness, but for material gains or other ego-gratifying reasons such as stopping one’s enemies, taking revenge and so on.

There is also a medium pathway called as the Madhyama Tantra is also possible. It utilizes the Rajas guna of transformative action. Though in terms of formal schools of Tantric practitioners, the two main schools of thought are the right-handed pathway of Dakshinachara and the left-handed pathway of Vamachara. 
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Coming back to utilizing a tantric pathway for our spiritual transformation and ultimate liberation- it is not that the right-handed path (Dakshinachara) is better or worse than the left-handed path (Vamachara). Both these pathways allow us to spiritually transform ourselves. 

Dakshinachara involves more acceptable forms of worship, prayers, and rituals and so it provides one a safer way to advance on their spiritual journey. On the other hand, because Vamachara practices involve unconventional methods that typically tend to lower our spiritual energies such as drinking wine or indulging in sex; unless practiced with full understanding and the guidance of a wise guru, it can easily ensnare a person and push them into lower states of delusion and debauchery!

Take your pick- you can choose either of the tantric pathways for your spiritual transformation and advancement. Just make sure that you have adequate knowledge and the required wise guidance to properly follow that pathway, so you can progress on your spiritual journey.

​#tantra #tantric #tantrik #dakshinachara #vamachara #righthandedtantra #lefthandedtantra #spiritualtransformation #ascension #spiritualdevelopment 

The term tantra means any "text, theory, system, method, instrument, technique or practice" that can be systematically and broadly applied- because, in its simplest meaning- the word Tantra means a “Tool”.

Tantra also means a “loom” as well as the process of “weaving”. 
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This goes to explain that the tantric teachings inter-weave various philosophies, activities and techniques such as the ancient texts, mediation, mantra-chanting and so on to spiritually transform a practitioner and help them advance on their spiritual path to ascension.

As per Ayurveda (called as the Science of Life), our bodies are made up of the three gunas- Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Accordingly, there are three tantric pathways that helps to transform our physical and energy systems.

The first tantric pathway is the right-handed tantra called as the Dakshinachara. Dakshinachara practices tend to be in line with societal norms and so have traditionally been accepted by people. This path involves using ascetic principles and practices to attain ascension. Dakshinachara (right-handed tantra) practices try to enhance the Sattva guna- the positive principle of cosmic truth in our body.
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The second tantric pathway is the Madhyama tantra. It is the middle pathway that utilizes some techniques from the right-handed tantra and some others from the left-handed tantric practices so as to work with the Rajasic guna of activity, transition, and transformation. 

The left-handed tantric pathway is called as the Vamachara. Vamachara practices utilize ‘forbidden’ activities such as drinking wine or indulging in sex, which are typically found to lower our energies and spiritual conscious. The activities conducted within Vamachara (left-handed tantra) can disrupt all our sense and sensibilities of norms and esthetics!

These Vamachara techniques work to transform the “decaying aspect”- i.e. the tamas guna in such a way that it will give us the understanding of the Divine absolute- (that which is beyond all the three gunas of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas).
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All the tantric pathways are ultimately a way of manipulating the subtle energies of our bodies and thus bring about the required spiritual transformation. 

Tantric practices are considered very esoteric and extremely few people truly understand the full extent of their cosmic possibilities. Deeper symbolism and true effect of tantric practices is often misunderstood or completely missed; because of which, people rarely are able to utilize the full benefit.
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Tantric practices can seem challenging at first glance- but the divine grace and a wise guru can help one on this path. If one is able to truly understand the underlying significance and correctly work with that guidance, then they can use these practices to easily transform their energy state and ascend to higher dimensions.  

Read further:

• What do I do if I do not have any Spiritual Guru? - How can I still obtain Divine guidance and proceed on my spiritual path to ascension?
• Why Tantra has a ‘bad’ reputation!!
• The two main Tantric pathways of Transformation- Dakshinachara and Vamachara

​#tantra #tantric #tantrik #dakshinachara #vamachara #righthandedtantra #lefthandedtantra #spiritualtransformation #ascension #spiritualdevelopment