Science of Mantra Chanting
Chanting mantras has the benefit of calming the mind and allowing access to specific knowledge associated with the mantra from the universal consciousness. For example, Lakshmi Mantra allows one to gain all the material wealth while Mantra for Matangi (Tantric Goddess) allows one to gain the occult knowledge and supernatural abilities. Let's learn how.
Mantras consist of unique syllables that are intended to be chanted. Chanting offers two main advantages. Firstly, it produces a potent energy barrier around an individual, also known as an "aura". This aura, when it grows stronger, has the potential to create a positive impact on one's surroundings. It has the ability to change things for the better and bring about a peaceful and composed state of being. Additionally, even the disposition of those around you may change when they are in your presence. Secondly, chanting mantras allows you to access the memory of the universe, also known as the "akashic records". This term gained popularity through the work of the Western astrologer Edgar Cayce.
Every mantra possesses a unique power or knowledge that can be unlocked by reciting it repeatedly. However, our ancestors went even further and discovered that chanting a mantra at a particular time on a specific day can enhance its potency.
Akashic Records
The Akashic records serve as the universe's vast library, containing records from its inception to the present day. Unlike a traditional library with a physical location, it is a repository of thoughts that exists everywhere (like a cloud library). In much the same way as our memories are dispersed throughout our body, the Akashic records are present everywhere in the universe, including within each of us, contributing to our overall being. However, accessing the Akashic records is only possible when one attains a sense of unity with the universe, realizing that their existence is not limited to being a specific individual, but rather a part of the larger cosmic scheme. In other words, the carbon atoms that make up our body are the same ones found in every living being on earth. When a person's body is buried or cremated, the molecules from the body mix with the earth or air, which then get absorbed by plants and animals that we consume, creating a cycle of life. This is the essence of who we are.
Will of the Universe
Being one with the universe entails aligning your actions with its will. The ultimate goal of the universe is to guide us towards enlightenment and liberation (moksha) once we have fulfilled our karmic duties (prarabda karma) through our present actions (agami karma). However, our free will often leads us to make mistakes and get trapped in an endless cycle of rebirth. When we align with the universe's energy, we become more attuned to its will and are less likely to act against it. When people say they are not forcing anything to happen, it indicates a stronger union with the universe.
Scientific Explanation
According to modern physics, everything in the universe is made up of vibrations. Even atoms require specific vibrations to take a particular shape. At the subatomic level, a dance of vibrations occurs, which is often referred to as the cosmic dance. Lord Natraja represents this universal truth, and that's why his statue is kept at the CERN particle research centre. Each atom and particle have unique vibration that combine to create different objects based on their combination, much like how your cells come together to form you as a whole. By matching your frequency with that of an object's frequency, you can access or even control the object. There are many incredible videos online that demonstrate this phenomenon.
The fundamental sound vibration (primordial) that underlies everything in the universe is the sacred syllable "AUM".
To delve deeper into this concept, it is important to understand that "thoughts create everything". Even the primordial sound had to originate from something, and that something is the pure consciousness in the form of subtle thoughts (aka Shiva). These thoughts are not the same as the surface-level chatter that constantly runs through our minds, which we are often addicted to. Rather, they are deeper and more profound, manifesting as sparks of inspiration that we may not even be consciously aware of. For example, before taking any action, we typically run it through our minds first. However, even before this mental rehearsal, a notion or spark of thought arises in our minds. These fleeting moments of thought are incredibly powerful and can store vast amounts of information, such as an entire day's worth of experiences. If you're asked to recall what happened yesterday, it would only take a moment to run through the events in our minds to provide a detailed account. That's the power of thought.
While science suggests that this thought process is happening on a subconscious level, I believe that it actually occurs on a conscious level, and that our actions in the external world are what take place on an unconscious or semi-conscious level.
Most of the time, we are unaware of why we get specific thoughts because there is a constant chatterbox in between our body, which is the outer self, and the mind, which is the inner self. This chatterbox always keeps us busy in the mundane routine of our lives, and we forget to explore our inner selves. This chatterbox is supercharged 24x7 because of our constant interactions with people, excessive use of social media, and consumption of news. All these things trigger our emotions continuously, and our lives become nothing but a series of chatterbox moments. The conscious aspect of yourself stores all memories as thoughts, but these thoughts can only be accessed with a particular mindset. This is why you often hear people say, "I'm disturbed right now, I can't remember anything." It's because their mind needs to be in alignment with the same frequency as the stored memory in order to access it.
The formation of thoughts results in the creation of corresponding sounds, which, in turn, shape the physical objects around us. Conversely, the sounds produced by these objects can also evoke specific thoughts and emotions within us.
The memory or thought I am referring to does not have an expiration date, but rather exists indefinitely throughout the universe. Similar to our bodies, the universe operates through consciousness and stores everything that has ever occurred since its creation as akashic records. According to Vedic texts, the universe is a form of consciousness known as the universal consciousness, and we are all simply manifestations of the universe's thoughts. Like the saying goes, "When Lord Vishnu is awake, the universe is sustained, and when he sleeps, the universe undergoes dissolution."
Types of Chanting
Mantra can be chanted in four different ways, including:
Loudly
Quietly
Silently, while mouthing the words
Mentally, by focusing on each letter or syllable of the mantra.
The last one is the most potent method to strengthen your aura and to access the universal archive effortlessly. Different mantras can have various effects such as bestowing specific abilities or bringing balance. The crux of the matter is that when you consciously use your subconscious mind, you can access the records. However, the effects of chanting take time to manifest. For instance, if you chant a mantra 108 times a day, you can observe positive results within a few days of practice. Chanting more times a day, especially through the power of thought, such as 1008 times or more, yields even better results.
Devotion and dedication go hand in hand - one cannot exist without the other. By following a consistent practice with dedication, it becomes more powerful. Maintaining a regular schedule and avoiding excessive indulgence in materialistic pleasures can completely transform your life and even alter your destiny.
What is Beej Mantra?
In Sanskrit, the word for seed is "Beej". Beej mantras are short mantras for a longer version meant only to be chanted silently through one's thoughts. Every mantra has one including the infamous Savitur Gayatri mantra.