> > So, it is not uncommon at all for teachers in India to > > teach mantra meditation on Ishtadevata, and many books on > > meditation mention this method, namely mantra meditation on > > Ishtdevata. And Swami Brahmanand Saraswati taught mantra > > meditation on Ishtadevata; and Marshy teaches mantra > > meditation on Istadevata. > > Bhairitu wrote: > No he doesn't. > If you don't like the Istadevata associated with your mantra you can ask him to change your mantra. I've heard of people doing this.
> When you teach by Ishtadevata you ask the student who > their favorite Ishtadevata is. > If students don't have a favorite Istadevata the teacher assigns them one. Most people from the West don't have a favorite Ishtadevata, so it wouldn't matter to them anyway. > TM doesn't do that. > According to Marshy, the TM bija mantras are the pleasing names of the Gods. > > So, it must be that, since they all teach mantra meditation > > on Ishtadevata, all those teachers have left out one important > > teaching point: namely the *effortless* aspect of mantra > > meditation. > > > > Otherwise, you'd have millions of people all over India > > reporting effortless transcending by use of a mantra > > based on their Ishtadevata. > > > > Instead, you have millions of people all over India > > *concentrating* and putting *effort* into their mantra > > meditation, instead of practicing TM and transcending > > effortlessly. > > > Totally bullshit. Most teachers teach the student not to > strain or hold the mind on the mantra or what you describe > as concentration. The teach the very same thing that as > soon as you notice you are not on the mantra to effortlessly > return to it. > You have a short memory - Judy already told you that Swami Sivananda taught concentration, not effortlessness. Most meditation teachers support concentration; I mentioned at least four well-known teachers that I've studied with who didn't have a clue about the effortlessness of TM practice. According to Swami Vishnudevanada, you should concentrate on the tip of your nose or on your navel. > Some gurus may even label this effortlessness "concentration" > but it is not concentration as westerners understand it nor > what Maharishi described as "concentration" in his lectures > and books. > All I can say is that you never understood the nature of TM your TM instruction. But it has never been established that you ever practiced TM. From what I've read, you've been mixing up various practices since before you even got a TM initiation. It has been pretty much established that the two Barrys and Vaj don't understand the mechanics of TM. > Dream on. > So, maybe you'd like to mention the names of the teachers that you know that teach effortlessness in mantra meditation.
