I wonder about this obssession, genuinely felt of course, concerning "correct" mantras - whether they are right for one's body type or householder status or whatever. Is it more about "reinforcement" for the EGO, to inspire and motivate it - it needs to feel that it's doing something unique and special and exclusive etc for it to perservere along the meditative path; same with its "religious" affiliations - only ITS version is the TRUE religion, meditation technique, mantra etc.
What if this is another of Nature's tricks.. like love and sex - we are catapulted into feelings and behaviours that serve quite a different "purpose" (the SURVIVAL of the species). Suppose it doesn't matter WHAT the mantra is - one is supported in the practice by the BELIEF that it is the ONLY path etc - Nature's way of ensuring regular practice and, eventually, the LIBERATION of the species. Although there MAY BE finer aspects of mantra choice that are more or less facilitative for transcending purposes, I wonder if in the scale of effects it is THAT important. I'm sure, for instance, that one can have an OK life living in a building with a southern entrance. Guru Dev's cave might not have been "ideal" (was it?) but then much of life isn't.. one has to make do with imperfections and still move on. But the most persuasive argument, I think, is that even in the ABSENCE of Vedic knowledge there have been individuals who did attain higher states of consciousness and even siddhi powers from entirely different traditions - Buddhist, Christian etc. If the process is mental with correlated physiology, perhaps no matter what the "sound" impulse one takes as a mantra initially is, it will get duly "refined" and result in transcendental consciousness. In fact the more biological one views this human capacity the less the cultural character of the vehicle for transcendence becomes. The fact that Maharishi changed his mantras about and didn't give non- householder mantras to people who effectively opted for the reclusive lives etc further emphasises the flexibility, perhaps, of mantra choice... To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
