What is Mantra yoga - Types of yoga

Mantra yoga is one of the types of yoga, a more mind related, spiritual yoga. Mantra yoga is the least complex of the types of yoga because it does not involve any strenuous yoga poses or any other complicated practices.

Mantra is said to be very effective with prolonged practice as the sounds of mantra can awaken the chakras and the serpent power, the kundalini.

What is mantra? What is mantra yoga?

Mantra is a sanskrit language word which means a powerful, sacred word, phrase or syllables.

Mantra comes from a Sanskrit word mantrana which means suggestion or advice. Each and every word is a mantra as our mind responds to it as soon as we hear it.

Word mantra is related to manas, a sanskrit word for mind. Mantra is sound and it may be the sound of silence.

You know sometimes you may be repeating a word or a phrase or a song in your mind silently the whole day or for days together. That becomes your mantra for that duration.

These silent mantras affect your life.

Words form language. Our daily life is possible because of words. That is how we carry out most our activities. Every word has a power, a force and it produces its own reaction.

We all know the power of words that we utter or hear someone say. When we understand the words it may have a positive or negative effect on our body and mind.

Even when we do not understand the meaning of the words we hear, the sound, the tone and volume affect us.

So, choosing a positive mantra is possible and desirable.

Bija - Beeja Mantra - Sound of Om

It is believed that this world came into existence with a sound Om. The vibration of this sound started everything. This vibration still exists and continues.

Om is called the bija(seed) mantra. Though the word mantra is related to Hindu religion, it is not limited to it. Mantras have been used in the native cultures all around the world since thousands of years.

What can Mantra do for you?

Mantra connects to spirituality as well. The sound vibrations produced by the repetition of mantra have the power to give you spiritual experiences.

Mantra yoga means to unite with the supreme power making use of the mantra as a tool, method or way.

Mantra can alter one’s life experience There are many mantras for different purposes.

How and when is Mantra used?

Yoga mantra is also repeated while doing the yogasanas – yoga poses.

Mantra may also be used to improve our life in many ways; to improve health, financial situation, relationships etc. Om mantra, Gayatri Mantra etc.

You may say a mantra loudly or internally-silently. In both ways it is effective.Count or not to count, use a mala (beads) or a rosary or choose not to use anything while repeating mantra.

You may recite a mantra or listen to it.

Related pages to visit

Yoga sitemap

• Bhakti yoga
  
• Mantra yoga 
• Vinyasa yoga 
• Yoga for Digestive problems
• Iyengar yoga poses
  
• Bikram yoga - Hot yoga
• Yoga Stories

About yoga

• Yoga Basics
• Yoga information
• Yoga terms-A to K
• yoga terms-L to Z
• Types of Yoga
• Yoga diet

Yoga poses types

• Yoga poses
• Basic yoga poses
• Yoga balance poses
• Standing yoga poses
• Seated yoga poses
• Yoga relaxation poses

Yoga for health

• Yoga for health
• Yoga for digestion
• Yoga for constipation
• Yoga for weightloss

What is Mantra yoga - Types of yoga

Mantra yoga is one of the types of yoga, a more mind related, spiritual yoga. 

Mantra yoga is the least complex of the types of yoga because it does not involve any strenuous yoga poses or any other complicated practices.

Mantra is said to be very effective with prolonged practice as the sounds of mantra can awaken the chakras and the serpent power, the kundalini.

 

What is mantra? What is mantra yoga?

Mantra is a sanskrit language word which means a powerful, sacred word, phrase or syllables.
Mantra comes from a Sanskrit word mantrana which means suggestion or advice. Each and every word is a mantra as our mind responds to it as soon as we hear it.

Word mantra is related to manas, a sanskrit word for mind. Mantra is sound and it may be the sound of silence.

You know sometimes you may be repeating a word or a phrase or a song in your mind silently the whole day or for days together. That becomes your mantra for that duration.

These silent mantras affect your life.

Words form language. Our daily life is possible because of words. That is how we carry out most our activities. Every word has a power, a force and it produces its own reaction.

We all know the power of words that we utter or hear someone say. When we understand the words it may have a positive or negative effect on our body and mind.

Even when we do not understand the meaning of the words we hear, the sound, the tone and volume affect us.

So, choosing a positive mantra is possible and desirable.

Bija - Beeja Mantra - Sound of Om

It is believed that this world came into existence with a sound Om. The vibration of this sound started everything. This vibration still exists and continues.

Om is called the bija(seed) mantra. Though the word mantra is related to Hindu religion, it is not limited to it. Mantras have been used in the native cultures all around the world since thousands of years.

What can Mantra do for you?

Mantra connects to spirituality as well. The sound vibrations produced by the repetition of mantra have the power to give you spiritual experiences.

Mantra yoga means to unite with the supreme power making use of the mantra as a tool, method or way.

Mantra can alter one’s life experience There are many mantras for different purposes.

How and when is Mantra used?

Yoga mantra is also repeated while doing the yogasanas – yoga poses.

Mantra may also be used to improve our life in many ways; to improve health, financial situation, relationships etc. Om mantra, Gayatri Mantra etc.

You may say a mantra loudly or internally-silently. In both ways it is effective.Count or not to count, use a mala (beads) or a rosary or choose not to use anything while repeating mantra.

You may recite a mantra or listen to it.

What is Bhakti Yoga - How to practice bhakti yoga

Bhakti yoga is the real search for the divine through love and devotion. Bhakti is the key to open the treasures of wisdom (Jnana). It is a spiritual form of yoga.

 

What is Bhakti? What is bhakti yoga?

 Meerabai - Krishna devotee

Mirabai, who followed bhakti yoga

  Bhakti is the love for the Divine. Bhakti is seeing the diving presence in all the creation.

The word bhakti comes from the Sanskrit language verb 'bhaj' which means to worship or to be attached to. There are other terms too which mean bhakti or love such as prem, priti, anurag, bhajan etc.

The one who does bhakti is called bhakta, a devotee. Bhakti means love, devotion. The devotee( bhakta) wants god only. He/ she feel intense devotion to god. Bhakti is pure, unselfish love of god/ threes no expectation of anything from god.

This pure love is really indescribable. It is a sacred feeling. This is the supreme love of god. Bhakti is to love god with your mind, heart and soul it is selfless love, humility and the extreme desire to be one with god.

Bhakti is another way to reach salvation, which is the aim of yoga.

 

How to practice bhakti yoga?

There are nine ways to express bhakti. They are,

Shravana - Shravana means listening. Listening to God's stories from wise, enlightened persons or saints. Listening to stories connected to the god’s name and form.

While listening to them, bhakta concentrates only on the divine form and forgets the entire world. His mind merges with the divine. He can experience bliss. When he listens to the stories from the wise men, he can ask and clear any doubts he has.

Kirtana - Kirtana means singing. Singing god's glories. While singing gods praises, he may dance. He may also do this singing and dancing with a group of similar minded devotees.

Smarana - smarana means remembering. Remembering god's name all the time and getting merged with that name. Whatever the devotee is doing physically, he is chanting, remembering the god.

Padasevana - 'Pada' means 'feet' and 'sevana' means 'service'. so padasevana means the of god's feet. This service of god can be done by serving the whole humanity. By serving the world, the devotee serves the god.

Archana - means worship of God. This worship can be done of a god's image, metal form etc. This worship may be done by offering material things or by internal feeling of love and devotion. The purpose is to please the lord by surrendering to him completely.

Vandana - vandana means bowing down or prostration to Lord. Vandana done with faith and reverence helps in becoming humble. It helps in effacing ego or Ahamkara.

Dasya - having a servile attitude towards God. Imagining yourself to be god's servant and serving him and his creation. Serving and being associated with the saints and the sages, serving poor and needy and sick people, serving the other devotees can be considered as dasya bhakti. And doing this service all the time while keeping your mind steady on the god's form and the words of scriptures can help a man attain 'Nirvana'.

Sakhya - 'Sakhya' means friendship. This way of bhakti is done by thinking of god as a friend. To be always wanting to be with your friend, to tell him about all your thoughts and feelings, loving him as you do a dear friend or a relative, that changes love to spiritual love.

Atmanivedana - It is complete surrender of self to god. The devotee offers his body, mind, soul to god. He has no separate existence away from god. God takes care of him. All experiences, happy or sad, painful or pleasant are accepted as god's gifts and there is no attachment to them. Just acceptance of everything that happens in life.

A devotee can express his devotion with any of the methods mentioned above that he finds suitable for himself. These nine ways help the devotee reach the supreme, the divine life. These paths of bhakti can be used in accordance to the human inclinations. By following them, progressive realization of god is possible.