“Just by repeating the name, that which cannot be understood will be understood . Just by repeating the name, that which cannot be seen will be seen.”Jnaneshwar Maharaj
Mantra can be introduced in many ways to children and with children and as often as you can, bypass the thinking self, and drop into story, song, or movement. Wisdom, deep wisdom, can come from many places and more often than not does not come from conscious thought.
For this exercise, start with the old Buddhist story, the Meditator and the Hermit. This is a wonderful lesson in allowing and in teaching that the importance of any practice is in its intention, not in its precision in following doctrine unerringly. This allows for our own unique unfolding, for our own unique spirit selves to express. For within each of us is a unique path to God that cannot be copied by anyone else. It is our own story to write, to witness, and to embody. You are the spiritual center. The channel through which divinity flows.
I follow this story with the mantra, OM SO HUM. Shiva Rea writes, “The yogic mantra “so hum” is not only a reflection of the sound of the breath but also carries a contemplative meaning: “I am that” (so = “I am” and hum = “that”). Here, “that” refers to all of creation, the one breathing us all.”
The Meditator and the Hermit
There once was a dedicated meditator who, after years of concentrating on a particular mantra, gained enough insight to begin teaching. His own teachers from the monastery saw that his humility was far from perfect, but they were not too concerned.
After a few years of teaching, the meditator had no thoughts of learning from others. But when he heard of a hermit living nearby, he hired a man with a boat to take him across the lake to the island where the hermit lived.
They shared some herbal tea and the meditator was very respectful toward the hermit. At some point the meditator asked the hermit what his practice was.
The hermit replied that he had no spiritual practice other than a mantra which he repeated to himself all the time. The meditator was pleased that the hermit was using the same mantra he used himself. But when the hermit spoke the mantra aloud, the meditator was horrified.
The hermit asked what was wrong and the meditator replied, “I don’t know what to say. I’m afraid you’ve wasted your whole life! You are pronouncing the mantra incorrectly!”
“Oh my! That is terrible! How should I say it?”
The meditator gave the correct pronunciation and the old hermit was very grateful. He asked that he be left alone so he could get started on it right away.
The meditator bid him goodbye and he and the boatman left the island. He was thinking about how fortunate it was that he came along. “At least he will have a little time to practice before he dies.”
Just then he noticed the boatman was looking quite shocked and turned to see the hermit standing respectfully on the water next to the boat.
“Excuse me, please. I hate to bother you, but I have forgotten the correct pronunciation again. Would you please repeat it for me?”
“You obviously don’t need it,” the meditator stammered.
The old hermit persisted in his polite request until the meditator relented and repeated again the way he thought the mantra should be pronounced.
Then he watched as the hermit began saying the mantra slowly, very carefully, over and over as he turned and walked across the surface of the water, back to the island.
The Sunburst and the Mantra
After the story, integrate by introducing the mantra and saying it together. To honor the summer solstice, we weaved sunbursts while chanting the mantra, OM SO HUM. Sunbursts are created by tying four sticks together, then weaving with yarn. As you weave around each ray, say one word of the mantra. Pairing Om So Hum, I Am That, while doing repetitive handwork is wonderfully relaxing and lifts the spirit. As is written by Jnaneshwar Maharaj, the 13th century Hindu poet, philospher and yogi, in repeating the mantra, wisdom will blossom from within.
💓Karen
Image Credits
All images are copyright free and free for commercial use from Pixabay.com. Thank you to the following images artists:
Sunset over water- kordula vahle
Jesus on the water- Gordon Johnson
