Making Your Mantra Effective; Mantra Initiation

Make Your Mantra More Effective

The repetition of Mantra is an intensive form of spiritual movement, and therefore, has an art behind it. Raja Yoga states, “Tad Japah Tadar Urt Bhavanam”—“The Divine Name should be repeated with meaning and with feeling.” When a person repeats the Divine Name with an internal feeling of devotion, the Mantra becomes much more effective.

Firstly, impress your mind with the fact that the Mantra you are repeating is the Name of the All-encompassing Reality. It is much like mystic sugar-candy.

Through the persistent repetition of Mantra day-by-day with devotion, a pattern will be set up so that as soon as you start repeating your Mantra you will feel a sense of calm and begin to enjoy the sweetness of Divine Feeling.

Mantra Initiation— A Mystic Link with the Divine

An aspirant may choose any Mantra according to his inclination and is bound to benefit from it if repeated with devotion and persistence day-by-day. However, a very important part of Japa Yoga (the Yoga of repeating Mantra) is Mantra Initiation by a Guru or Spiritual Preceptor. Through it, a mystic link is set up between the aspirant and his Mantra.

The Guru impresses the mind of the initiate with the mystic meaning behind the Mantra through initiation. One is led consciously and unconsciously to believe that the Mantra is linked to God, and carries the vibration of all the Sages and Saints who have repeated it since time immemorial. Although you may not always remember every letter and its meaning, your unconscious comprehends its deeper implication. Even if repeated unconsciously, i.e. mechanically, a positive force is generated by the Mantra.

Furthermore, an aspirant must understand that the Mantra into which he is initiated is not in conflict with any other Divine Name. Therefore, he can join in repeating or singing the Lord's Name in various ways, without ever developing doubt that other Mantras may be better or in conflict with his own. All Mantras have equal potency and the Goal is the one and only Absolute Self. However, different Mantras are given to different aspirants depending upon their individual attitudes (temperament), levels of evolution and inclination.

From the book Integral Yoga: The Secret to Enlightenment by Swami Jyotirmayananda, published by the Yoga Research Foundation. © Swami Jyotirmayananda. All rights reserved.