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From: aarti@pollux.usc.edu (Aarti Kumar)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Re: How *do* those TM folk pick their Mantras?
Message-ID: <30752@usc>
Date: 2 Mar 91 22:06:47 GMT
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Re: Mantra selection

Actually there are some sounds (or words) which are conducive to meditation.
I don't know how the TM people pick their mantras, but normally mantras
are picked so that after a certain amount of meditation, the mantra
can flow along with a person's breath. So when the meditator breathes
in and out, the mantra flows along too, one syllable in and the next syllable
out. 

For example, although  saying literally "Hari Ohm", is a general hindu 
religious practice, one cannot meditate to it since it's not quite conducive
to the flow of breath. Only an experienced teacher can know in depth about
the form of the mantra which should be given. People have tried meditating
with a nonsensical word, but I have'nt met anyone who has really kept up
the practice, to know how far one can go with that.

Also,  the mantra generally should give a neutral or a good
feeling, it certainly should not have any negative associations for the
person. Then the mind will not violently object when the mantra starts
filling up all the mental space. 

Hope this helps.

Aarti Kumar