Mantra Meditation

Mantra meditation is a very powerful technique. It is a form of meditation that uses sound to open the heart and mind. This is the Meditation Technique of Devotion, a deeply spiritual and sacred practice for a lot of meditators; however a person doesn’t need to be “religious” to experience the gifts that Mantra Meditation can offer.

Mantra meditation allows your mind to focus and concentrate more completely on sound, and clear away other thoughts, emotions and distractions which divert our energies. We are able to learn and preserve our mental and emotional energies, enabling us to develop a direction and focus in our actions. We become more aware of the simple aspects of life, transforming our previous attitudes about work towards an uncomplicated and non-competitive life, creating a balance of being physically active and capable with your external actions and maintaining a condition of perpetual meditation internally.

Mantras (sounds) can be whatever you choose; they don’t even need to be Sanskrit Mantras (an ancient language of India used more often in yoga). A mantra is a sound repeated over and over again until it becomes one into you consciousness and free your mind from its regular doing, elevating you to an altered state of awareness; a state that can connect you with your soul and its most deep level, achieving a state of universal consciousness.

With mantra mediation, one can use whatever sound he likes, such as saying “I am” during inhalation, and “at peace” during exhalation. Mantra is often taught using Sanskrit words or phrases, most common of which are:

OM
The sound of the universe; vibration of all living things
So Ham
This is a beautiful and powerful mantra, honoring both the light and the shadow; the integration of opposites; life and death, light and shadow, inhalation and exhalation; the yin and yang.
Sat Nam
Truth
Om Namah Shivaya
Transformation; creation born of change; the phoenix rising.
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
Join with the divine will; I surrender to
Aham Brahmasmi
I am the creative force
Tat Tuan Asmi
I am that I am

Shanti, Shanti, Shanti
Peace, peace, peace

Common Mantras in English:
I am
I surrender to Your will (God, Goddess, Universe, What IS)
Love
Peace to all
I open to What IS
All is well

Preparation for Mantra Meditation
It is always important to prepare yourself before doing mantra meditation. Getting yourself in the right mind set and setting a spiritual atmosphere will help a lot in the practice of mantra meditation.

* Let a sense of spirituality and enthusiasm for your inner quests fill you.
* If possible, shower and dress in clean, white, loose fitting clothing.
* Pull back long hair and brush the teeth if possible. A comfortable and clean body promotes a clear mind as well.
* Sit in the sacred space you have set aside for your spiritual practice.
* Create a simple altar for you space. Inspirational pictures for you can be used, light a candle, or some incense to keep the air sweet and the atmosphere meditative.
* Surrender your egos. It is about purifying yourself and letting go of preconceived thinking, and opening yourself to boundless, unconditional love –Divine Grace.
* Sit in a comfortable position which allows your spine to be straight and erect.
* Offer a prayer from deep within your heart.

How to do Mantra Meditation
If you are doing a Mantra that has one syllable, such as OM, begin by concentrating on the rhythm of your breath. Say to yourself OM as you inhale, then as you exhale count. Inhale OM, exhale one, inhale OM, exhale two, and so on until the number ten, and then start over again.

For longer mantras such as the mantra So Hum, begin with deep, relaxed breathing, calming the mind and the body. Deeply connect to the rhythm and absorb the rhythm of breath. On the inhalation, mentally repeat So, and on the exhalation, mentally repeat Hum. Flow with the silent sound and breath, and allowing the sound to become one with your consciousness, visualizing life force energy moving into your body and down your spine when you inhale, and energy flowing up the spine when you exhale.

Enjoy the practice of this mantra technique without requiring yourself to achieve anything. Enjoy the process and in time your breath and Mantra will become one.

Mantel Sconces Information

Many of the houses in the world have living rooms in which the focal point is the fireplace. The mantelpiece of the fireplace gives you an occasion and a spot for more decoration for your home. You can choose to leave the mantelpiece empty or add different items on it as well as above it to create a certain type of decorative effect to go with the rest of the room. In order to get the best arrangement with and around the fireplace you can use different items like photos, pictures or statues, mantel sconces, vases or other decorations, candles and flowers. If in the past fireplace mantels were meant for heating and cooking and other domestic activities, in the present they set the atmosphere and the theme, if you want, of a room. Very often people turn to mantel sconces to add to the effect created through the other decorative elements on the mantel.

There are different ways of arranging the mantel area; you can think of symmetrical, asymmetrical or radial arrangements of the little photographs, little mirrors and mantel sconces on the wall above the fireplace. You may want to place a big mirror or painting on the wall above the fireplace; you should place this centrally and then attach two mantel sconces on the sides of it at the same height. When you use mantel sconces, candle sconces, track lighting or spot lighting, make sure that you do not diminish the quality of the focal point because of inappropriate arrangement of the lights. If your room has high ceiling then you need to increase the height of mantel sconces. Even if you do not want to use a mirror or painting as focal point above the fireplace, you can still use two mantel sconces to frame a space.

When you decide to apply mantel sconces in the fireplace area you can either do it yourself or ask specialists – electricians or interior designers, for advice or help. Anyway, to find the right mantel sconces for your room, you can visit specialized stores or e-stores, to see the variety of mantel sconces available, to compare designs and prices and then decide on the model that meets your needs and preferences. The wide variety of mantel sconces you will find in stores might make it difficult to choose but, on the other hand, the benefit of this multitude of designs and styles offers every buyer a chance to find the suitable mantel sconces. Sconces in general and mantel sconces, in particular, come in a variety of styles, shapes, colors and materials. You can choose from the country, classical, traditional, modern and fantasy styles whichever suits your theme, style or taste.