Thanks again. Re "Beej mantras are commonly used in astrology and ayurveda . . . tells the person to repeat the mantra either in a short meditation or sometimes throughout the day (like a walking mantra)." Repeating the mantra through the day (like the Hare Krishna crowd) is very different from effortless TM. The point is kinda to forget the mantra. > Re: "When longer mantras are given as a public "first technique" then the teacher usually gives shaktipat to jump-start them. Muktananda's organization teaches this way. But the guru has to wait until his teachers have developed enough shakti to give shakipat to teach these. I was also taught by my tantra guru to teach meditation this way." You sound like the guy I need to meet! What I've read about Muktananda's shaktipat trickery has always intrigued me - he was able to produce serious shifts in his students awareness - shifts that are difficult to explain. Do you think it comes down to hypnotic suggestion? - which is what charismatic church leaders seem to practise (perhaps unconsciously). Or do you reckon there's something more going on here? I was recently looking for a (basic, non-technical) book on shaktipat that might give me some insight: can you recommend any titles (maybe one of Muktananda's as I've not read any of his books)? > Re " . . . With a little zip from performing a puja before each teaching session. But a lot of people might have just picked the beej mantra up out of book and it would have worked after a while." Yes, there are some on-line TM-type instructors that have appeared recently. I remember from my own TM initiation that I felt the dive within right from the get-go. In fact, it took me completely by surprise. Those who've tried learning from a book or on-line do report benefits so I hope they're getting the same experiences but I wonder if, by missing out on that face-to-face encounter, something gets lost by the mediation of text or technology. Rather like Benson's Relaxation Response! One of the most striking things about Maharishi's decision to set-up his teacher-training assembly line was his confidence that they'd be able to transmit the TM technique and get guaranteed results. How could he be so confident when he was dealing with something so intangible? By the way, when I refer to hypnosis above, that's not a put-down as hypnosis is clearly beneficial in certain situations.
--- In [email protected], Bhairitu wrote: > > Beej mantras are commonly used in astrology and ayurveda. They don't > take much to work and the astrologer or ayurvedic practitioner just > tells the person to repeat the mantra either in a short meditation or > sometimes throughout the day (like a walking mantra).. > > Longer mantras like the "advanced technique" require more to work. When > longer mantras are given as a public "first technique" then the teacher > usually gives shaktipat to jumpstart them. Muktanda's organization > teaches this way. But the guru has to wait until his teachers have > developed enough shakti to give shakipat to teach these. I was also > taught by my tantra guru to teach meditation this way. > > Maharishi wanted to create a lot of teachers so in a way went with the > beej techniques ala astrology or ayurveda with a little zip from > performing a puja before each teaching session. But a lot of people > might have just picked the beej mantra up out of book and it would have > worked after a while. Not so much so by taking a longer mantra out of a > book. > > Certain beej mantras are considered useful for certain stages of life.
