Take the great bow of the sacred scriptures,
Place on it the arrow of devotion;
Then draw the bowstring of meditation
And aim at the target, the Lord[/Lady] of Love.
The mantram is the bow, the aspirant
Is the arrow, and the Lord[/Lady] the target.
Now draw the bowstring of meditation,
And hitting the target be one with him[/her].
Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.3-4 (1)
The unknown authors of the vedic Upanishads wrote down the great wisdom of enlightenment. Each book remembers the experience of enlightenment and aims to share it with it the reader. In the Mundaka Upanishad we read how ‘[s]he is the source of love’ and cannot be known through thought, only love. In learning to love the self, we are freed from the bondage of sorrow. How do we get there? This text recommends meditating on a mantra taken from the holy scriptures. By performing japa meditation where the student repeats the same mantra again and again, the mind can be purified. One pointed focus can help overcome negative thought patterns, leading the student to greater self awareness, self control and self acceptance
A rhythmic mantra can attune to the natural pulsation of the body, helping the mind to be otherwise silent as the body moves through the day. There is something about filling the body with the energy of a silent mantra, indeed, the body becomes the arrow of devotion. When we establish a position of equanimity, or unconditional love, we are better abl to identify those areas that are less happy and that need attention. The target is the ‘Lord/Lady of Love’. whatever that means to you. When something gets in the way of that aim, then you can consider taking action, or changing course.
Meditating while repeating a mantra internally, particularly in tune with the breath, can help bring the content of the mind into focus. The mantra is usually a trusted holy verse that evokes a sense of peace. Meditation, as stated in the ashtanga path in verse 2.29 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras consists of dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Concentration, sustained one pointedness and enlightenment are the three steps of meditation. A mantra that is repeated internally helps the student to practie one pointed concentration all day, not just when seated on the yoga cushion. You may be given a mantra by a yoga teacher, or your may find one of your own that brings you light.
When you fill your mind with the repetition of a holy mantra it helps you to fly like an arrow toward the Lord[/Lady] of Love. As my meditation teacher always used to say, in meditation you are building the muscle of awareness. Positive intention can be used to replace your autopilot. Instead of habitually reacting to situations and people around you, you can begin to hone your behaviour and increase the level of mindfulness with which you live.
As we move up the chakras towards the sixth chakra, we are reminded to meditate. Lord Shiva resides at the third eye and he is the ruler of meditation. Lord of death and destruction, but also resurrection and rebirth, the third eye centre finds its power in introspection, unleashing the power of transformation. By learning to watch the mind think we begin to identify the samskaras the bind us. The mental impressions that govern how we think, speak and act are part of the whirling mindstuff, the citta vrittis, that we come to witness when we learn to meditate. By watching the mind think, we come to know ourselves. Only by witnessing where we are now can we change how we think, speak and act in the future.
By studying the scriptures, and cultivating faith in our practice, we are able to devote ourselves more fully to self realisation. When we allow our mantra to breathe the body, we can live more fully in the moment as an enlightened being. As the breath passes over the throat and heart chakras, we are aligned with how th ebody is feeling, perhaps a more important source of awareness than what we are thinking about. A mantra helps ‘cross over the mind’ to access the wellspring of information that is the physical body. Through mantra meditation, by tuning in to the heart space and lessening attachment to the thoughts of the mind, the aspirant can become a vehicle of love. When we commit to seeking love in each moment, with every breath, we know that we are working for peace; we become an arrow of devotion.
(1) Easwaran, E. (1987) The Upanishads (this edition, 2007). Nilgiri Press: California pp.190-1
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