Just Say OM! AAAAUUUUMMMMMMMM
The Mukti (liberation) mantra. The universal sound.
That which contains all mantras. The only mantra you will ever need. When
chanting aloud, the final mmm is pronounced "ng". This channels the sound
vibration into the spheniod sinus. Nestled here is the pituatary gland. The
gland which produces somatotrophin, growth hormone, significant in wound
healing, essential for the production of collagen.
The O is pronounced as a dipthong.
A = A-ha! representing the Eureka of self-discovery and realization.
Oooo = the sound of wonder and surprise, when one retouches on child-like
innocence.
Mmmmm = the universal sound of pleasure and delight.
These three syllables represent the triology of Past, Present and Future.
When the final syllable is chanted. . ."ng". . .it is called Anuswara, or
"little heaven". Knowing this, we hold the final sound 2/3 longer. Within it is
the transcendental sound not heard by the ordinary ear; the unstruck sound heard
in Anahata (Heart) Chakra.
Tonight when you get home, sit quietly and chant slowly and intently "aaauuummmmmmmmm".
Feel its resonance fill your body. A few minutes of this practice and you will
taste true Samadhi, heavenly bliss.
Lineage and Initiation
In our view, lineage-based initiation is an integral part of any authentic form
of Tantric practice. We came to feel this way several years ago, after working
with non-lineage based teachers, so we chose to study with Dr. Jonn Mumford
(Swami Anandakapila Saraswati), Sunyata Saraswati, and Bhagavan Das and to be
initiated by them. Initiation almost always must come from an outer Guru,
authorized to conduct initiations in the traditional way. There are some cases
of initiation through dreams and visions; however, such cases are rare, and the
potential for self-delusion is great. Even great masters from legendary times
down to the modern era --from Rama to Babaji to Ramakrishna to Yogananda -- had
outer Gurus.
Although mistrust of Gurus is commonplace in the West, this is the unfortunate
by-product of cultural misunderstandings and several highly-publicized scandals.
In many New Age schools, it has become standard to follow the voice of an inner
Guru -- a sure prescription for spiritual disaster. "Inner Guru" should not be
taken to mean intuition, common-sense or any general feelings about personal
boundaries. These are all important for human survival and should not be
abandoned or confused with any elevated, mystical guidance Instead, "Inner Guru"
refers to a sense that one is able to know when one is being guided by "spirit",
"divine grace" or any other form of higher power, whether external or internal.
It is only through working with an outer Guru that the voice of the inner Guru
can be separated from the voice of Ego.
We stress that, in this context, Guru does not necessarily mean "great spiritual
master". Rather it means a person empowered to give traditional initiations,
someone who was been trained as a teacher, who carries the Shakti or energy of
the lineage and who carefully monitors the student's practice and growth. This
close teacher-student relationship is a powerful form of love, and it is a
mutual love that nurtures the student's development. At its best, this
relationship is one of the deepest varieties of friendship.
"All holy actions are rooted in the Guru"
"All ritual in upasana, inner discipline, depends for its life dynamism on the
spiritual energy transmitted by the Guru in the initiation. The power which
flows into the disciple when he is taught the ritualistic action by a competent
Guru energises the act and makes it alive. Without it ritual is mechanical and
does not yield its intended fruit."
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