Using Mantras to Deepen Your Awareness

By George A. Boyd © 2019

Q: In Transcendental Meditation™ they talk about using a mantra to travel through the bands of awareness to arrive at what they call Pure Consciousness, like a bubble rises from the depths of the sea and arrives at the surface. How is this different than what you teach in Mudrashram®?

A: The “thought bubble” type of mantra that Transcendental Meditation™ teaches is only one variety of mantramic repetition. It is important that you are cognizant of the different types of mantras, and what they do. In general, there are seven major types of mantras in addition to the thought bubble type:

  1. Transformational (bija) mantra – this type of mantra draws down the Light of Spirit to burn the karma between an ensouling entity—or a nucleus of identity—and the next nodal point. This allows this spiritual essence to unfold into that new nodal point and transform along that Path. We teach this type of bija mantra, which we call the Quintessence Mantra or Alayic Divine Name, in our intermediate meditation classes, the in-person Mudrashram® Master Course in Meditation and the by-mail and online Accelerated Meditation Program. It is keyed to your ensouling entity at your cutting edge of spirituality.
  2. Contemplative mantra – this type of mantra allows you to unite your attention with your spirit. This method is variously called remembrance, simran, or zhikir. It aims to unite your attention with the spirit, so your spirit can begin to travel of the segment of the Nadamic Path on which it dwells. We teach this type of mantra in the Nada Yoga module of our intermediate meditation classes.
  3. Centering mantra – this type of mantra leads your attention to a state of contemplative union with an integrative center or spiritual essence within you. For example, there are mantras that will unite your attention with your Self (Swa Dhyan), a nucleus of identity (Manasa Dhyan), or your Soul (Atma Dhyan). We teach how to use this type of mantra in our advanced course of meditation, the Mudrashram® Advanced Course in Meditation.
  4. Awakening mantra – this type of mantra is keyed to awaken the energy of the Kundalini Shakti. We teach this powerful technique in our intermediate meditation classes.
  5. Focusing mantra – this type of mantra helps you concentrate your mind, collecting your attention so that you can enter the state of conscious presence (mindfulness), in preparation for depth meditation. We teach this method in our beginning meditation class, the Introduction to Meditation Program.
  6. Invocational mantra – this type of mantra calls upon a spiritual being and aims to lift your attention and awareness into this being’s presence. These types of mantras are typically spoken aloud (chanting), sung (bhajan), or repeated silently with your attention within the mind (japa). They readily lift your attention into altered states of awareness; many spiritual groups teach this method. We teach you a variety of chants in our intermediate meditation courses.
  7. Empowerment mantra – these specialized mantras are used to activate spiritual powers and release powerful energies. They are taught in magical or tantric meditation schools. Many types are known: for example, there are mantras of this type that can turn you into an channel for a god or goddess; awaken a hidden spiritual power (siddhi); nullify an inauspicious planetary influence; bestow wealth or the ability to have children upon you; open a particular chakra; or release a powerful energy (Shakti) upon purification of a particular track in the unconscious mind. As these types of mantras can produce spiritual imbalances and expose you to spiritual influences you cannot control, we generally advise students to avoid using this type of mantramic practice. We do not teach this type of mantra.

The thought bubble technique is a variety of transformational mantra that unfolds the Supracosmic seed atom on the Brahma 5 Supracosmic Path. There are four orders of mantra on this Path:

  • The first order leads to union with Brahman in the First Cosmic Initiation and the Great Voidness beyond it (Shanti Desh) — there are sixteen varieties of this mantra. For more information about this type, see our article, “Use of Transformational Mantra as a Therapeutic Modality.”
  • The second order is keyed to the top of the First Cosmic Initiation. This leads to the state of liberation of the cosmic consciousness nucleus of identity, which is called Kaivalyam.
  • The third order leads the Supracosmic seed atom of the Brahma 5 Supracosmic Path to the top of the Cosmic Sphere. This Supreme Light has been called Parinirvana or Brahma Jyoti.
  • The fourth order opens the Supracosmic chakras of this Supracosmic Path and returns the seed atom of this Path to its origin in the Supracosmic brain chakra. This brings union with the Guru of this Path, and grants the ability to empower all four orders of mantras (Mantra Shakti).

This mantra taught in Transcendental Meditation™ does not affect the ensouling entity at the cutting edge of spirituality, but instead unfolds the seed atom on one of the Supracosmic Paths. It promotes relaxation, stress reduction, and ultimately absorption of your awareness in this seed atom upon this Supracosmic Path. Next, you return to the origin of this first order of mantra that this lineage bestows.

Before this absorption with the seed atom is attained, there are a variety of intermediate states that may be experienced, including:

  • Union with the subatomic field
  • Union with the physical universe
  • Union with the spiral of spiritual evolution; vision of the goal of spiritual evolution (Omega Point)
  • Union with an Oceanic state of consciousness (e.g., the Void beyond the Nirvanic Flame)
  • Union with the cave of the Cosmic Child (ground state of cosmic consciousness)
  • Union with cosmic consciousness, with the experience of energy flowing out into the universe and returning to this center
  • Union with the cosmic physical body and turning this form into light
  • Union with the cosmic physical universe and viewing the entire universe as composed of light rays
  • Union with the cosmic astral body with awakening of the first order of extraordinary powers (siddhis)
  • Union with the cosmic astral universe and viewing the celestial heaven worlds
  • Union with the individual causal body—at this level you gain union with the Supracosmic seed atom of Brahma 5

Beyond this seed atom, there are the following additional states up to the origin of this first order Transcendental Meditation™ mantra:

  • Union with one of the gods or goddesses of the cosmic causal universe to which your mantra is keyed
  • Union with the cosmic AUM vibration
  • Union with the Supreme Light on the Ideational Plane and awakening of the second order of supernatural powers (siddhis)
  • Union with Brahman with God Realization
  • Union with the Great Void of Peace (Shanti Desh); merging into the origin of the first order mantra

While many people use thought bubble technique mantras as a way to relax and release stress, they are not aware that sustained use of this method will ultimately open them into these higher states of awareness. For many individuals, Transcendental Meditation™ has been their introduction to meditation, and they do not realize they are actually developing an aspect of their Supracosmic consciousness outside of their cutting edge of spirituality.

So while they are “transforming” or “evolving” this Supracosmic seed atom of the Brahma 5 Supracosmic Path, this does not affect the state of spiritual evolution of their ensouling entity at the cutting edge of spirituality. Rather, they are “doing something else,” other than the Divine Plan out-pictured behind their ensouling entity at their cutting edge.

It is possible to use techniques to unfold one of the nuclei of identity along its track—any one of the 64 active Supracosmic seed atoms are included in this category; to open the Nadamic channels of the spirit in one of the domains of the spirit other than the one contiguous with the cutting edge ensouling entity; or to transform an ensouling entity in another octave of being than the cutting edge. In Mudrashram®, we think it is a better idea to start with the cutting edge of spirituality and not jump ahead into these alternate tracks of spiritual development that are not germane to the work of fulfilling the Soul’s intrinsic spiritual destiny.

Methods to Activate Mantras

The thought bubble technique is rather novel in the way this mantra is activated: after some initial repetition of the mantra, you simply hold your attention on the mantra and it seems to repeat itself. As this repetition occurs, you sense you are moving to a deeper level in meditation. This deepening continues as long as you keep your attention focused on this mantramic seed.

There are alternate methods to activate mantras, however. These include:

  • Chanting the mantra aloud
  • Breathing the syllables of the mantra
  • Visualizing the letters of the mantra and manipulating them in special ways [Tibetan Buddhist schools teach this visualization method of mantramic syllables in Tibetan script to activate mantras on their Path]
  • Repeating the mantra with your attention
  • Repeating the mantra with the tongue of the spirit
  • Intending the mantra as a beam of thought to strike the bija mantra

We teach our students to use intention to activate the Alayic Divine Name. These other methods to activate mantras have no effect on the Quintessence Mantra.

Hopefully this discussion has enabled you to make distinctions between these two types of mantra meditation. It is important to understand what Transcendental Meditation™ does and how this is different than what we teach in Mudrashram®. We recommend that you be clear about what you are trying to achieve with your spiritual practices, and find a Path that allows you to reach that objective.

Reflections on Power

By George A. Boyd © 2018

Q: I have come across a list that Hubbard posits are the twelve conditions of life. It struck me that Hubbard places power at the top of his twelve conditions. One list of these conditions, as Jenna Miscavige-Hill remembers them in her book, Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology™ and My Harrowing Escape are:

  • 12 – Power
  • 11 – Power change
  • 10 – Affluence
  • 9 – Normal operations
  • 8 – Emergency
  • 7 – Danger
  • 6 – Non-existence
  • 5 – Liability
  • 4 – Doubt
  • 3 – Enemy
  • 2 – Treason
  • 1 – Confusion

How do you view this formulation?

A: Hubbard’s highest position on the twelve conditions is power, and the ability to increase one’s power. The application of power takes the following forms:

  • Earth – the exploitation of its resources to gain profits
  • Animals and plants – exploitation of living creatures to fulfill human needs and to make money
  • Religion – development of a religious cult; exploitations of followers for money and sex; and to fulfill the leader’s narcissistic desires to be loved and worshipped
  • Body – Control of the bodies of others through intimidation and demands for obedience; those who are disobedient may be subject to violence, torture, imprisonment, or death
  • Intimate Relationship – Enslavement of his or her partner; control through emotional and physical abuse; using partner for sexual gratification and fulfilling of his or her needs
  • Customer relations (sales) – Views others as sources of money, he or she uses any means fair or foul to make the sale—lie, cheat, and deceive if necessary—the only thing that matters is to meet and exceed sales targets and enrich his or her self.
  • Career – Become an autocratic boss who drives employees to meet goals; readily fires those that he or she doesn’t like; uses employees for sex; frightens and intimidates them to demand their loyalty, obedience, and silence
  • Finances – Achieve money at all costs through any means fair or foul; use legal loopholes and surreptitious means to hide money from taxation
  • Organization – The leader has absolute control over the organization through policy and direct command; no dissent is tolerated
  • Government – The government is a dictatorship; the leader exerts control over all aspects of the country through the military, police, and secret police; the leader suppresses any dissent of criticism; he or she may muffle the press, imprison or disappear those who do not obey his or her directives
  • Perceived enemy – Destroy the enemy without mercy; ruthlessly pursue the enemy until he or she is utterly vanquished; crush the spirit of the enemy so he or she will be obedient and servile

Q: Then gaining power is not the highest aim of life?

A: This perspective of placing power, as his highest objective, places Hubbard in the same mindset as the Occultists and dictators of the Lower Astral Plane. It is not surprising, that those who adopt this mindset often turn religion into a cult, with their central aim to exploit others for money; those who enter the political arena with this mindset become demagogues and authoritarian leaders.

If we view the keynotes of each level of the Continuum from the Middle Subtle to the Soul Plane in the Planetary Realm, we find that Hubbard’s call to power is most typical of the Lower Astral Plane:

Level of the Continuum

Keynote

Middle Subtle

Obedience – Following cultural norms, and religious and moral precepts

Lower Astral

Power – Gaining power and wielding it over others; forcing your will on
others

Subtle Illumined Mind

Protection from dark forces – Using Soul force to counter dark magic

Biophysical Universe

Harmony – Living in harmony with the earth and cosmos

Abstract Mind Plane

Control of mind – using mind to control athletic performance, make discoveries and innovations in science, augment creative expression in art, pursue truth through philosophical inquiry, to overcome personal obstacles, and to manifest what you desire

Psychic Realm

Development of psychic powers and metaphysical ministry – activate your psychic
abilities and use them to help others

Wisdom Plane

Development of wisdom – gain wisdom, practice forgiveness and understanding

First Exoteric Initiation

Faith and love – establish faith in God and follow his guidance; read the
scriptures; express love, charity, and kindness towards others

First Mesoteric Initiation

Devotion and purity – draw nigh to God’s presence; develop virtue and holiness;
minister the Holy Spirit to others

First Esoteric Initiation

Knowledge of the Mysteries – gain insight into symbols and archetypes; identify
the hidden truths and teaching substanding ancient faiths

Second Initiation

Power united with love – activate the Mighty I AM Presence, speak the Word
with love to set others free, to empower them, and to motivate them to achieve their highest potential

Third Initiation

Love united with wisdom – develop the innate abilities within each person,
make the personality into an instrument for the Soul, align your life to carry out your Soul’s purpose and to fulfill your Divine Plan (spiritual destiny)

Fourth Initiation

Illumination, Grace, and Compassion – receive the Light of Illumination to remove
ignorance and gain enlightenment; become an instrument for the Grace and compassion of the Masters; express your highest genius to uplift humanity

Fifth Initiation

Mastery – Gain mastery over each vehicle of consciousness and use your love,
wisdom, and power to serve others spiritually

We suggest that gaining power as your ultimate aim— as Hubbard advocated—is not a very uplifting or noble goal. We encourage you to examine the keynotes for each stage of your spiritual journey and aim to incorporate each of these higher objectives and fulfill the high calling of your spiritual destiny. Renounce the will to power; embrace love and service, and you will become an instrument of the Light.