Why should we meditate by the name of GOD?

Discourse of Swami Krishnananda

There are certain medicines which have their own effect on the system; they act on the system in the manner required, whether or not we know what medicine we have taken, notwithstanding the fact that a knowledge of the contents of the medicine may help us in creating the necessary psychological atmosphere in ourselves so that the action may be accelerated. Knowingly or unknowingly, God's Name can be taken, whether we know the meaning of the Name, whether we can appreciate the implication of the Name, or not.
The Name of God is compared to fire that burns. Knowingly or unknowingly we may touch fire; it shall burn, it shall have its own effect. Likewise, this potency of the Name of God has its action upon our entire system, physically as well as psychologically, so that it purifies us. The process of purification is that action which takes place in ourselves, which transforms the baser metal of crude thinking engendered by rajas and tamas into that form of expression known as sattvaguna. The recitation of a mantra, therefore, accelerates the process of the revelation of the sattva in us, transforming the rajas and the tamas in our nature. It is not so much a destruction of rajas and tamas as a complete transfiguration of the constituents that we know as rajas and tamas. Inertia, distraction and equilibrium are termed tamas, rajas and sattva.

In fact, these three qualities, or properties, known as sattva, rajas and tamas, are not extraneous toxic matter that have entered into our system like a thorn that has struck our feet, but they are forms of our mind itself. The gunas of prakriti, known as sattva, rajas and tamas, are not outside the mind, like dirt or dust that covers a mirror on its surface. While the dust on the mirror is different from the mirror and we can wipe the surface of the mirror and the dust can be eliminated, not so is the case of the transformation of rajas and tamas into sattva. The mind itself is the substance out of which these gunas of prakriti manifest themselves. What is the relation between the mind and the three gunas, viz., sattva, rajas and tamas? The quality of a substance is generally distinguished from the substance. The redness of a rose is generally regarded to be different from the rose itself. We do not say that redness itself is the rose. The rose is the substance in which the character or the quality of redness inheres. Not so is the case with the mind in its relationship to the gunas. The gunas of prakriti, the qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas, in relation to the mind, are related to the mind as the three strands of a rope are related to the rope. You know what are strands of a rope: three thinner ropes make a thicker rope. The three thinner ropes are not outside the thick rope. They themselves form the thick rope.
The threads themselves form the cloth. There is no cloth outside the threads. Though we use two different epithets - threads and cloth - we will find it is only a way of naming two different circumstances of one and the same substance. The threads are the cloth, and the cloth is the threads, though when we purchase a piece of cloth we do not say that we purchase threads. It is a way of expression, but, actually, substantially, they mean one and the same thing. Likewise, the mind is the gunas, and the gunas themselves constitute the mind-stuff. So, in the transformation that takes place from the condition of rajas and tamas to the state of sattva, what happens is an inner reconstitution of the elements of the mind into an inner setup of circumstances known as sattva. It is something like the transformation of the constituents of milk when it becomes another substance known as curd, though the analogy is not wholly appropriate here. I cite this instance only to tell you that the constitution is inwardly reshaped and an external element does not introduce itself. We ourselves become another thing in this process of transformation.

The principle of God is not wholly outside our nature. The Supreme Being, whom we are invoking through mantra japa, is not entirely disconnected with our inner constitution, or makeup. We are not importing God from outside, like an external element unconnected with our nature. God is not brought into our nature from outside, from the seventh heaven. The element of God, the principle of Reality, is manifest from within. This fact could be clear to us when we contemplate on the fact of the Immanence of God, as the scriptures proclaim. God is not merely transcendent to our nature, though He is also that, for He is at the same time immanent in us, which means to say that the nature of God is not only superior to the baser nature of rajas and tamas in us, which is the meaning of transcendence, but also that the principle of God is hiddenly present, secretly permeating our own personality, our own mind, intellect - our very Atman itself. In fact, the Atman in us is the Brahman of the cosmos. This is what the ancients have declared. The Self is the Absolute. The internal is at once the Universal-All.

Siddhars of Tamil Nadu - Part 1

This post and the forthcoming posts on this topic is purely derived from THE PHILOSOPHY OF TAMIL SIDDHAS by Dr.T.N.Ganapathy

The term 'Siddha' has different connotations.
A Siddha is a person who has attained spiritual enlightment or mystical self-realization. Tiruvaaduthurai Puraanam speaks of Siddhas as one who is 'rich in Knowledge'.
A 'Siddha' is one who has attained 'Siddhi' - power,extraordinary ability which a non-Siddha doesn't possess.
Dawson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology speaks of Siddhas as sem-divine beings of great purity and holiness who dwell in the regions of the sky between sun and the earth.
He is a complete,fulfilled and accompolished, a GOD realized being alive in teh world for the sake of mankind and all living beings.
A Siddha is one who has realized the non-duality of Jiva and Siva.One who has realized Siva in himself.
A Siddha is one who attains perfection by arousing the Kundalini.

The eight siddhis in the science of yoga incclude
1.anima - ability to become a minute as atoms.
2.mahima - ability to expand infinitely
3.laghima - ability to float in air.
4.garima- ability to reach anywhere.
5.praakaamya- ability to overcome natural obstacles.
6.tsitva- ability to create or control
7.vasitva-domination over the creation
8.kaamaavasaayitva-ability of attaining everything desired or to attain the stage of desirelessness

Attainment of Siddhis indicate whether practitioners of yoga are ready for liberation or to reach GOD. It is wrong to think of Siddhas as magicians or ascetics possessing supernatural powers.Sivavaakiyar clearly states that "Siddhas are real seers,highly evolved and realized souls.They are not atheists or agnostics as is commonly believed. A genuine Siddha is beyond atheism and theism alike"

A Siddha is one who has attained stage of realization where he is not bound by the injunctions of the sastraas,where he has gone beyond the Vedas. Tirmular asks " when one has realized the THAT which has gone beyong worship,what is the need of spiritual education and sastras?"
The Siddhas wanted to convey their spiritual experiences to the people without the medium of Sastras or rituals.To seek enlightment in words is like expecting the sight of menu card the satisfy the hunger of a man. The truth expresses in Vedas is like the truth in echo or reflection of moon in water. Of course, vedas point to the goal,but they donot contain it. Veda is like a finger pointing to the moon of liberation. It would be a calamity if one take the finger for the moon.
A description can never in itself transmit experience.

The Siddhas act as spiritual guides.They merely indicate the path of experience wanting the individual to seek and attain truth by his own effort.Truth is felt experience and it cannot be translated fully in any sastras. They are pious rebels in the field of religion and as such are not atheists. Kaarai Siddhar draws distinction between a Siddha and a non-Siddha by saying,Siddha ponits to path of experience whereas a non-Siddha points to path of scriptures. Bauls of Bengal,Raadhaaswami movement share many thoughts of the Tamil Siddha.

According to one ancient tradition,ascetics who strive to gain liberation are classified into four classes: kuticakas,bahudakas,hamsas,paramahamsas. Of these, the last one is an extremely ancient ascetic order. They are indifferent to everything in the sense that they are disinterested,free sould. They look at mud and gold with the same dispassion. It is worthwhile to go through a minor Upanishad Paramahamsopanidhad which elaborates the characteristics of Paramahamsas. The Siddhas of Tamilnadu come very close to the Paramahamsas.

Notable feature of the Tamil Siddhas is that they do belong to any local cult or diety. Even notable siddhars like Tirumoolar has not sung in praise of any personal GOD or deity. This feature differentaites Siddhas from Nayamars and Azhwars.In this connection,it is better to carry out fresh research work to study Tirumandhiram as a Siddha work than a Saiva siddhanta work. One Siddha has made a distinction between a jnanin and a Siddha. A jnanin is one who prevents karma from affecting him whereas a Siddha is one who not only overcome past karma but also squeeze and crushes the future karma.

Siddhas of Tamil nadu are Mahesvara Siddhas who advocate the pure method of Tantra,Suddha marga.They are classified as Balavarga,Moolavarga and Kailasavarga. For Balavarga GOD Murugan is the first Siddha and guru. His peacock kills the serpent which stands for cycle of births. As long as complete control of semen is attained in the practice of yoga Skanda is not born.Skanda is born only when the semen is sublimated and reaches the Sahasrara. Skanda resides on the mountain top. He is the symbol of arousing the kundalini and reaching the sahasrara.
For Moolavarga,Tirummolar is the guru. Agastya is the guru of Kaialasavarga.

According to another version,Siddhas are classified as yoga Siddhas,kaya siddhas,rasavada siddhas. Yoga siddhas are those who use kundalini yoga to reach GOD. Kaya siddhas are those who are only concerned about transfiguartion of the body than liberation. Rasavada siddhas are alchemists,medicien men.

will be continued...

Cymatic "Om"

When base tonal sounds are vibrated through sand or liquid they create patterns within the material. The science of producing, viewing, and understanding these patterns is known as "Cymatics". This science was pioneered by Swiss scientist Dr. Hans Jenny (1904 -1972). Every frequency of sound creates its own unique pattern. These patterns occur repeatedly through out nature. The base tonal vibration for all creation is the "Om" or "Aum" vibration.

Everything in the universe is made of vibrating energy. Every object or entity vibrates on its own unique frequency. All vibrating energy can be seen as light. This includes humans. We are vibrating light energy. There are points in the universe and on our earth where this energy is more focused and these points are known as vortices or vortex's.

The below is the Black and White image produced be Dr. Hans Jenny. It is the tonal vibration "Om" vibrated through sand.




It is very astonishing to see that "Om" vibration produces the pattern of "Sri Chakra" ( see the image below)