Bija Mantras Practice

[GicuPiticu]

So, this is my first post, I'm trying to be brief yet clear.

Anyone in this forum has experience (as in in practicing) in bija mantras meditation ?

By bija mantras I mean Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham, Om. They are traditionally associated with chakras, but that's a secondary aspect, actually they work on the Tattvas: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether, Mind.

What I'm interested are these:

1. How long/intensive was/is your practice ?

2. How would you describe/prescribe the practice ?

3. What results have you achieved ?

With no intent to be rude...please understand that I have no interest in replies from the books, but only in your experience.

 

[Sketch]

I use "om" along with sounds derived from the Daoist six healing sounds, Alexander technique,  and sounds based on Emilie Conrad's Continuum practices. This is in conjunction with stillness practices, quiet attention,  and zahn  zhuang standing. The overall practice has been built around tissue change, and the sound work seems to amplify or support the rest. 

 

Sessions are early morning, 2 shifts of 20 minutes,  one syllable running through various pitches, layered with a complimentary syllable in the second shift. Quiet meditation before and after, lots of exploration in between and regular vocal exercises and singing through the day. The short term effects are strong; the sound work is every other day.

Over time, an interior vocabulary will emerge. Problems with audio recording interior sound practices may remain insoluble.

 

Very interested in reading about other's experiences with sound based practices. 

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by Sketch

[RiverSnake]

Listening to Om Chanting as i write this. Harmonizing and Cleansing would be the way i describe its effects.  

 

 

 

[GicuPiticu]

Ok, Sketch, thank you very much for your input.

While I'm unfamiliar with Alexander technique and Emilie Conrad's Continuum practices, I have tried Daoist six healing sounds and I found the bijas more powerful/effective.

Now, two things in your reply resonate with my practice:

1. There's definitely focus/circulation of energy in body areas, tissues, bones for each bija. Like each one would activate a specific circuit, a particular modality.

2. Interior sound !? That's a deep one...

Sometimes the bija is not so much sounded as thought/invoked before and beyond mere uttering.

Secondly...I think I can talk to my body (the physical one) in a "language" that's before words...I can't put into words the feeling.

 

Now, my practice as I have navigated through it:

1. I do it for 30-90 min at a time, 2-3 times a day. Possibly because of my health problems....I need a stronger dose.

2. First Stage: clarity in uttering the bija (inner sound, I do not use chanting). By clarity I mean the uttering has some crisp clear quality like outrightly speaking....and the bija vibrates all body.

3. Second Stage: bija starts repeating itself....I have reached this...from time to time.

4. Third Stage: mind (as in buddhist mind, that's all being) gets fully focused...eventually absorbed/immersed in the bija....I had only a glimpse of this.

 

Basically....that's my experience...I must admit that sometimes I feel like there is a threshold I can't pass through...maybe the health interfering ?!

I don't get Second Stage on a regularly basis....Third Stage remains only a dream for me.

 

Any input on the above ?

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by GicuPiticu

[Sketch]

Unsounded sounds are a whole world of amazing.  Practice on an imaginary instrument is effective for the same reason the mantras work. The mind must really engage to support these activities. For building mental discipline the unsounded syllable may even have the advantage. 

 

In the main, I am working with "sounded internal sounds" and voiced breaths. I'm feeling standing wave motion in deep tissues consistent with that. There can be disquieting sensations, and wavelike feelings rise and fall through the day. 

Once again, silent practices are absolutely essential as well. I tend to use a mala and a softened breath for this part.

 

Any sort of obstacles to practice with silent mantra recitations seem like something that would resolve over time, with plateaus and valleys...like any other musical instrument.

 

I'd love to recommend adding a sounded practice of some sort to tonify breathing parts and make you happy but I've been recommending singing for health  forever, it's just more of the same.

4 hours ago, GicuPiticu said:

Ok, Sketch, thank you very much for your input.

While I'm unfamiliar with Alexander technique and Emilie Conrad's Continuum practices, I have tried Daoist six healing sounds and I found the bijas more powerful/effective.

Now, two things in your reply resonate with my practice:

1. There's definitely focus/circulation of energy in body areas, tissues, bones for each bija. Like each one would activate a specific circuit, a particular modality.

2. Interior sound !? That's a deep one...

Sometimes the bija is not so much sounded as thought/invoked before and beyond mere uttering.

Secondly...I think I can talk to my body (the physical one) in a "language" that's before words...I can't put into words the feeling.

 

Now, my practice as I have navigated through it:

1. I do it for 30-90 min at a time, 2-3 times a day. Possibly because of my health problems....I need a stronger dose.

2. First Stage: clarity in uttering the bija (inner sound, I do not use chanting). By clarity I mean the uttering has some crisp clear quality like outrightly speaking....and the bija vibrates all body.

3. Second Stage: bija starts repeating itself....I have reached this...from time to time.

4. Third Stage: mind (as in buddhist mind, that's all being) gets fully focused...eventually absorbed/immersed in the bija....I had only a glimpse of this.

 

Basically....that's my experience...I must admit that sometimes I feel like there is a threshold I can't pass through...maybe the health interfering ?!

I don't get Second Stage on a regularly basis....Third Stage remains only a dream for me.

 

Any input on the above ?

 

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by Sketch

[Maddie]

4 hours ago, GicuPiticu said:

So, this is my first post, I'm trying to be brief yet clear.

Anyone in this forum has experience (as in in practicing) in bija mantras meditation ?

By bija mantras I mean Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham, Om. They are traditionally associated with chakras, but that's a secondary aspect, actually they work on the Tattvas: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether, Mind.

What I'm interested are these:

1. How long/intensive was/is your practice ?

2. How would you describe/prescribe the practice ?

3. What results have you achieved ?

With no intent to be rude...please understand that I have no interest in replies from the books, but only in your experience.

 

 

I used to do this practice a lot several years ago. To try to answer your questions as best as possible...

 

1. The practice time would vary. Sometimes I'd go through all the sounds for a few minutes each for a total practice time of about 30-45 min. Other times I would focus on one or two chakras for maybe 20-30 minutes per chakra.

 

2. They way I would describe the practice would be it made what ever chakra I was working on more of that chakra. I know its kind of vague, but at the same time I think its a pretty good description of what happened, this would also include the results.

 

**edit: I'd say it was also similar for the healing sounds for the organs as well.

Edited January 10, 2021 by dmattwads

[Sketch]

6 hours ago, RiverSnake said:

Listening to Om Chanting as i write this. Harmonizing and Cleansing would be the way i describe its effects.  

 

 

 

Cool. Is this something you would use in that context? Singing along or harmonizing at the bottom of your own vocal range can be relaxing. 

Edited January 11, 2021 by Sketch

[Sebastian]

On 1/11/2021 at 5:45 AM, Sketch said:

Unsounded sounds are a whole world of amazing

 

Interesting.... Personally I find voiceless or inner sounds that you emit to carry power too. I like doing the practice below. It's the three gates of Tibetan Buddhism.

 

You imagine a seed syllable in middle of head (white Om)

then in the middle of throat (red Ha)

then in the center of chest (blue Hum)

 

What I do is "touch" the three energy centers lightly with the mind, one by one, starting at the top. And emit a soundless sound for each, as per the seed syllables.

 

In more detail, I briefly imagine the syllable in each location, but dont hold the visualization. I just know it's there and lighting up the entire space like a lamp of a particular color. Then I emit a silent sound, and I imagine the source of the sound to be from that symbol. Then I focus only on the sound and body's vibration.

 

In terms of breathing, you can do one breath/sound for each location or try to touch/voice all three in one breath.

 

After a few times you will start to feel very comfortable in the body. This sort of opens up everything.

 

Just my own experience with this practice.