« If not here, where? If not now, when? | Main | Thoughtless Mindfulness »
June 08, 2005
Expanding Boundary and Identity by Letting It Go
This week�s session started with a provoking quote of Osho by Manju: "To not live dangerously is to not live at all."
Prasad defined danger as that which lies outside the boundaries we create around ourselves. He said that what lies within the boundaries we create becomes our identity. And hence, whatever lies outside the boundary seem like a threat to our identity, that is, danger.
So how do we go beyond our boundaries and expand our identity?
From an Indian spiritual perspective, Prasad introduced three words to explore the answer: Yantra, Tantra and Mantra.
Yantra literally means "support" and "instrument". A Yantra is a geometric design acting as a highly efficient tool for contemplation, concentration and meditation. The Yantra is like a microcosmic picture of the Macrocosm. The Yantra are often focused on a specific deity and so by tuning into the different Yantras you can tap into certain deities or creative force centers in the universe.
A Yantra is like a radio tuned to a particular frequency. By wearing that yantra or carrying that yantra, you are receiving vibrations at that frequency, and one can access radio station (creative force) that is transmitting in that frequency.
This is a choiceful and focused way of expanding one�s boundary.
A Tantra is a tool or methodology for expansion or a weaving. Through Tantric practice one can experience an expansion of consciousness and recognize the interconnectedness of the web of existence. At the same time, "Tantra" can refer to any of a number of sacred texts in the Hindu, Jain and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Many of these texts contain detailed guidelines for spiritual practice. From this perspective, Tantra is a vast body of spiritual and physical knowledge, encompassing an array of practices, including all forms of yoga. These practices are aimed at expanding consciousness and liberating oneself "through life and not through escape, using the body as an instrument."* In Tantra, the energies of the body are used as the fuel for spiritual development.
If we use the same metaphor as above, tantra is like transmitting and receiving at certain frequency. You can say you are carrying a CB radio or walkie talkie. It is a direct connection with all others who are operating in that particular frequency. You get to become part of that community whether you like it or not. It happens at a physical and elemental level. It is like becoming part of an underground group � that group can be a mafia or do-gooders and you are sworn to secrecy and you are affected by whatever happens in that group.
This is a sacrificial way of expanding one�s boundary.
The word "mantra" is derived from two Sanskrit words. The first is "manas" or "mind," which provides the "man" syllable. The second syllable is drawn from the Sanskrit word "trai" meaning to "protect" or to "free from." Therefore, the word mantra in its most literal sense means "by meditating on it, it protects you." Mantra is, at its core, a tool used by the mind which eventually frees one from the vagaries of the mind.
Using the same metaphor as before, chanting a Mantra is like transmitting certain frequencies to the universe without necessarily knowing whether those frequencies are heard by somebody or not. In other words, just by reciting those mantras, there is mental peace and quietness even though it might or might not be received by anybody on the other end. It generally has a positive impact because you are not closely tied to the other end. Joining a group and reciting mantras can have amplification effect in quietening the mind.
This is a meditational way of expanding one�s boundary because chanting a mantra silences the mind from all the other vibrations going on in the mind.
So, the three ways of expanding one�s boundaries and hence one�s identity and be able to live in the unknown are: Choiceful, Sacrificial and Meditational.
All the three helps a person to invoke a higher consciousness within oneself and hence become it.
As a practice, Prasad said, �Try this: Whatever you want, give it away. By whole heartedly giving away whatever you want, however little you have of it, you are invoking the largest source of it in the universe. Which then absorbs you and you become it.�
If you decide to give away something that you want, let us know by posting a comment.
By the way, one of the participants, Rao did take this on during the session itself and rest of the session was devoted to exploring that person�s issue. He was trying to let go of something that is of high value to him and of no value to the other person with whom he was engaging in a futile dialogue. The issue had multi-million dollar impact and the next day after our dialogue, Rao did go ahead and let go of his attachment and resolved the issue once and for all. We have to ask him what happened after that when we meet him next Thursday.
Note: Definitions for Yantra, Mantra and Tantra taken from: http://www.dhyansanjivani.org/tantra_mantra_yantra/index.asp
Posted by Ragu at June 8, 2005 04:19 PM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://WWW.prasadkaipa.com/blog/mt-tb.cgi/39