Photo Rosalind Newmark

Mantras and Meditations

MANTRA
Mantra is both a foundational and ultimate tool of the yogis, used for healing, devotion, manifestation, transformation, and ultimately transcendence. There are a number of ‘open’ mantras that anyone can practice, as well as ‘closed’ mantras that are only taught and shared with purpose and care. Inner Mountain Institute is delighted to share the power of mantra.

Here are a number of open mantras.

MEDITATION
According to Patanjali, ‘complete mastery over the roaming tendencies of the mind (vrittis) is yoga.” (Yoga Sutra 1:2) Implied in this statement is that the more we let our mind control us, the more we suffer. You see, the mind is constantly moving, drawing our attention one way and then another, leading us into fear and anxiety, worry and regret, anger, negativity, and sorrow. Through meditation we learn to free ourselves from the magnetic pull of this constantly shifting mind, to bypass the mind and connect with a field of consciousness that is beyond the mind. Mental distractions then fall away, and in the profound stillness and silence, we begin to see clearly our birthright – the inner light of the Self that is the unchanging essence of our being. This inner luminosity frees us from the stresses of the world. It links us to the eternal, provides inner guidance, motivates our growth, and is the source of our deepest peace and most profound joy.

Ultimately, we move inward through meditation to free ourselves from the suffering of the world, so we can then re-enter the world, transformed and empowered. 

Here you will find tools for working with the Sri Sukta. This sublime practice is the perfect mantra practice for the times we are facing. The Sri Sukta is actually a collection of 16 mantras, traditionally reserved only for a select few adepts. It is now being made available to any interested seeker as part of a group practice going on right now, designed to shift collective consciousness in the world. It invokes the feminine energies of healing, nurturance and abundance, compassion and unconditional love. Even just learning and practicing the first verse 3X daily brings you into the group practice. Practicing verse nine 3x daily calls in abundant healing energy to your life. Give it a try! For more information on the Sukta and its practice, here is a beautiful resource: https://shop.himalayaninstitute.org/products/sri-sukta-1

For my own learning process, I wrote out the mantra visually to show where the melody moves up and down from a key drone note.  If you'd like a copy of that version or the original written out, or if you have any other questions regarding this practice, please e-mail me at: mary@maryjohnstoncoursey.com

Here is the Mantra done once through slowly, beginning with a prayer to the seer of the practice:

Each verse below is done first as a call response, phrase by phrase (split), then each verse is done three times through slowly (whole).