In Jane Austen’s day, people were quite aware of the amazing effects of meditation. Even 200 years ago, Jane chose the word, ‘meditation,’ (seriously, it’s in her novels), to describe her heroine’s sitting in contemplation (as a religious activity) or as a means for becoming calm and relaxed.”[24 This was her heroines’ strategy for mental balance. For everyone and at all times, it is an amazing practice for a healthy psychology, rational perspective and freedom from anxiety.
Meditation is a the only true panacea, clearing negativity and promoting an evolution from confusion to enlightenment, from negativity and The Dark Side of the Force to, you know, your better ‘elf. (Jane did not appreciate dull elves, “[Who] have not a great deal of ingenuity themselves.”) Of course, we would like to be anything but dull and besides, meditation purifies the mind for the low, low price of just a few minutes of your time! Purification of consciousness trains the mind to be nice–actually it trains the mind to be nice to you!
No more raging mind is a blessing!
The names of God have the power to pull the mind away from darkness and wise people have been practicing meditation for thousands of years. Mantra meditation is most effective in this age. (‘Man‘ means mind and ‘tra‘ means to ‘free’ (from anxiety). By the way, anyone traumatized by the ‘God’ concept, can think of it as addressing the source of our existence. It works for those who ‘work’ it.)
I will explain a bit further as to why the name of Krishna is my choice (Krishna is a Sanskrit word meaning “All-attractive”). It means one who possesses, unlimited beauty, wealth, fame, knowledge, strength, power and renunciation. Imagine if an extraordinarily beautiful, powerful, famous. renounced or rich person walked into the room. We would be attracted. It would not be an intellectual decision, rather it would be completely natural. Sometimes we hear of a billionaire giving away money in charity (an act of great renunciation), we are naturally impressed. As the possessor of every opulence in full, Krishna is naturally most attractive as well as being the very source of our existence. Krishna is the Supreme Person which means we can have a personal and loving relationship with God. Such an amazing thing to think about.
Unfortunately we are living in such an unbalanced world, one which contributes to our ignorant condition. Yet, by meditation, we reawaken our dormant spiritual consciousness and find relief from stress and anxiety because we reestablish ourselves in the best state of pure consciousness. As is stated in many scriptures, the supreme is present in the sound of His (and Her) divine names. Any holy names will do, yet the Krishna mantra is the perfect antidote to this crazy world. It packs unlimited potency to break through the ignorance of this age. I want to share it with you, and hope you will experience it for yourself-and share it with others. (Of course you will because your friends will want to know how you became so peaceful and content!)
The founder and spiritual mentor of our society, who is affectionately called Prabhupada (pronounced “pra-boo-pa-da”), explains the way mantra meditation works:
Krishna Consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind; this consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived…This chanting of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration surpasses all lower strata of consciousness–namely sensual, mental and intellectual… As such anyone can take part in the chanting without any previous qualification…
To bring The Force into your life, try chanting the names of Krishna, Hare (pronounced “hu-ray”) and Rama (pronounced “Rah-mah”) every day. Here is a link that further explains the mantra. A little chanting goes a long way. Think of it as a sort of mental hygiene. Even 20-30 minutes in the morning before your day starts will make a big difference in your peace of mind. It is so easy that you can chant anywhere and any time, while driving, taking a walk or cooking dinner. George Harrison of ‘The Beatles’ enjoyed chanting and wrote many songs that glorify Krishna. “My Sweet Lord” was one of his most popular tunes. I’ve been chanting for over 40 years and it only gets better. Here is a link explaining the mantra. It is interesting that Saint Theresa of Avila (pictured above) recommended 2 hours of mediation per day and that is what I do myself. It is wonderful. I hope that you will try it and experience a life of freedom and happiness.
- Buy Bhagavad-Gita here!From Barnes & Noble
- Get Jane Austen’s Complete Novels here!From Amazon.com
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Jane Austen Yoga 