Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Chant and be in the bliss "Be As You Are"


Nama article - 3rd July 2007
 
Source: "Be As You Are" by Ed. David Godman based on the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi

"Surrender to God or the Self can be effectively practiced by being aware at all times that there is no individual 'I' acting and thinking; only a 'higher power' which is responsible for all the activities of the world. Sri Ramana Maharshi recommended Japa as an effective way of cultivating this attitude since it replaces an awareness of the individual and the world with a constant awareness of this higher power. 

In its early stages the repetition of the name of God is only an exercise in concentration and meditation, but with continued practice a stage is reached in which the repetition proceeds effortlessly, automatically and continuously. This stage is not reached by concentration alone but only by completely surrendering to the deity whose name is being repeated:

'To use the name of God one must call upon Him with yearning and unreservedly surrender oneself to Him.
Only after such surrender is the name of God constantly with the man'. 

When Sri Ramana Maharshi talked about this advanced stage of Japa there was an almost mystical dimension to his ideas. He would speak of the identity of the name of God with the Self and sometimes he would even say that when the Self is realized the name of God reappears itself effortlessly and continuously in the Heart."

Nama-Japa can be practiced simply by repeatedly thinking the mantra "God". This powerful practice helps us to transcend our suffering because God is transcendence.

Chant
 
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

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