Traditional Eastern Chakra Mantras Vs. Unconventional Western

[Job]

This is an intriguing observation. It's not necessarily concretely true, but it's notable nonetheless.

Years ago I used to practice the traditional eastern sanskrit root mantras for the exercising of the chakras. I practiced the mantras for many months. A curious fact was that, while practicing the root mantra OM (which is said to stimulate the frontal (third eye) chakra) I used to hear a chakral echo resonating from around the region of my upper chest (where the heart chakra is said to be located). At the time, such an occurence had no significance.

Years later, I began practicing untraditional western mantras, taught by an awakened being named Samael Aun Weor. According to Samael, the root mantra O (the vowel sound) corresponds with the heart chakra: which explains why I was hearing the echo coming from the region of the upper chest. Samael also gave corresponding consonants which are said to further amplify the vibratory affects of root mantras (according to him the root mantras for the major chakras are all vowels). In accordance with their hearable resonance in bodily regions, so far this has proven to be true.

Try recalling memories just normally...then try to recall them when doing daily sessions of the mantra A. According to Samael, the root mantra A stimulates two chakras located near the region of the lungs, up along the spinal column, which hold memories of past lives.

To find out more about Samael's mantras read his book entitled
The Three Mountains.

[star]

If I recall this information correctly, its not going to harm or hurt you if your not using the exact pronounciation. Its the pitch and tone. and getting the correct area to vibrate.

That said, I'd use "Lang" for the root chakra..


Peace~
James

[stiev]

Hi Job,

This is a really interesting topic. I've read some of the gnostic teachings, and they do come at things quite differently from eastern/yoga-style disciplines. I've been told that Sanskrit was developed for the very techniques you're talking about. They wanted a language that had "pure" vowels and consonants, and that corresponded with the energy and other subtle bodies.

Would it be possible to provide a list of the gnostic sounds for chakras?

It would be really interesting to know exactly what you're talking about.

[Job]

The mantras really have a deeper origin than gnosticisim--they tuch Rosicrucianism and go a bit further. The Rosicrucian movement is a bit obscure; it appears to have been divided in the past by two separate geocraphic region, each possessing different principles and concepts of spiritual and arcane development.

A part of the movement stretched into South (primarily Mexico) and North America. Another part of the movement was in Europe (it would seem predominately England).

The European tradition was abominable and currupt, tending towards the gutters of self-indulgene and lusts.

Rosicrucianism in the Americas was different (I think being founded by Max Heindel. The former was, obviously, a society without only an 'external' foundation. The latter, according to Heindel, was intially founded some hundreds of years ago by venerate Adepts who existed in the higher planes of the higher dimensions. Rosicrucianism was probably the intial offshoot of Gnosticism (the roots of its tree).

The Rosicrucian movement in the Americas has since become obscure and its successor (Gnosticism) now disseminated around the world (though not everyone knows about Gnosticism).

I've tried the gnostic mantras several times in the past. Unlike the traditional eastern sanskrit mantras, the sounds of the  activated chakras correspond to their correct locations (keep in mind I did the eastern sanskrit mantras for several months (though several years ago). True, they do have benefits, but here they are not recommended because they relate, in some way, to the practice of hatha yoga (which, by the way, the 'eastern' awakened master Sri Swami Sivananda condemned).

The master Samael Aun Weor also condemned the practice of Hatha Yoga.

From my experience I used to practice Hatha Yoga and the corresponding mantras (though I'm not quite sure whether they are harmful or not). After some years of not doing Hatha Yoga, I decided to attempt it again one time. The result was that I was attacked by a number of black magicians in the astral plane that very night. I had to call white magicians for help...they couldn't heal every hex and curse that were put on me.

Here are the Gnostic vowels for the activation of the chakras:

Frontal Chakra. It is developed by the intonation of the vowel I, as follows: iiiiiiiiiii. [as in see]. Facultly: Clairvoyance

Larygneal Chakra [throat]. It is developed by chanting the vowel E, as follows: eeeeeee [as in echo]. Faculty: Clairaudience

Cardiac Chakra [heart]. It is developed by chanting the vowel O, as follows:oooooo [as in know] Faculties: Intuition, [conscious] astral projection, and so on, etc...

Navel Chakra [solar plexus]. It is developed by intoning the vowel U , as follows:uuuuuuuu [as in tune in] . Faculty: Telepathy [its recepter, not transmiter]

(2) Pulminary Chakras [lungs]. These are developed by chanting the letter A , as follows:aaaaaaa [as in recall]. Faculty: Memory of past lives.

--from The Three Mountains by Samael Aun Weor

There are also some other senses which probably correspond with the chakras such as Clairolfaculty (smelling into the astral plane), Polyvision (seeing into the astral), and
Clairsentience (Being able to sense another's preseance), and so on, etc...

[stiev]

Thanks a lot, Job. I've done a couple of their courses and they're not too bad.

I didn't know that Master Samael attacked Hatha yoga. I thought he respected it as a path alongside gnosticism, but I don't know that much about it.

They are very different systems. What I like about Hatha yoga is its openness. Gnosticism (or modern gnosis) is very black and white. They see the world in the absolutes of pure good and evil.

I was hanging around their discussion boards for a while, but I found them extremely dogmatic. I would much prefer to discuss ideas and techniques in a free forum than have one agenda pushed to the exclusion of all others.

This is their weakness, I think, although their techniques, from what I understand of them, are great.

[Job]

True, there are many methods in gnosis that can change a person's ideas of the nature of everyday existence--how the mind works, the nature of consciousness and perception at its fundamentals, and (most important) discernable truths through direct experiences.

Some people go there expecting to attain enlightenment within the organizations confines. From what I can tell, enlightenment is an individual thing. It's good to go to school for learning the basics. In the end though, it comes down to the raw essentials and things which are done, not promised.

Gnosis doesn't gaurantee heaven within a beautiful golden locket. Rather, the gnostic administers (if the masters can be called that) give the elementary information (if a person can maintain a formal demeanor within the teachings) to achieve it. I say formal because formality is work ethic, as opposed to emotional retort (not realizing that the focus is in the work itself--any current distractions within daily life are a part of the work and only temporary).

Also, before all, the main focus is enlightenment (inner freedom)--something absolute real (though currently imperceptible (invisible)) to the everyday person.

[stiev]

I agree, Job. I've come to the conclusion that metaphysical speculations are useless unless put into practice, but still. I can't help myself:

What do you think of gnosis's central idea that there is a war going on between the forces of light and darkness? They mean this literally, and not metaphorically at all. There is a war in the spirit world, and it has been going on since Genesis.

Part of my own spiritual journey is the aknowledgement that everything is the manifestation of the creator. This is not always easy, but I try. In the path of Raja yoga, attaining enlightenment involves giving up the struggle/war.

But even the Buddha faced temptation under the Bodhi tree. Was this part of the war?

Are we really at war? And if so, how do we resolve this?

[Job]

The war in the spirit world is real. There are really struggles between those awakened in light and those dormant in darkness.

The war, though, also has a metaphorical aspect. That it's metaphorical, on the other hand, doesn't make it any less physical. Metaphorical represents physical. Real metaphors are not just empty (intangible) philosophies.

The metaphorical representation of the war is that it has to be waged within oneself. Darkness has root within single people (every person is a single root of the tree of darkness). Notwithstanding, not everyone has darkness within (though the vast majority of humanity does).

There are amazing accounts of certain people today waging the inner war (extracting the essences (conscious particles) of light and life from the embodiment of the subconscious). As I speak to you this same instant, I'm doing the same (this very instant, just as I think and type). Anyone can do it.

This is how enlightenment is achieved (extracting essences of light and life, from the dark mass of the subconscious). Regardless of whether there is desire to participate or not, the war will still go on (only the subconscious embodiment (in-->body-->meant) will still attack and pilfer (steal the light)).

The resolution is not to get angry, just to reclaim the essences (through "mystical death"). Which is also a metaphor, with a 'tangible' meaning.

[stiev]

Sure, but doesn't the end to the struggle happen when you give up the war?

The path of Raja yoga and Buddhism say that suffering is caused by our abstractions, moral absolutes, our own preferences and judgements of good and evil.

Sure, the war goes on, but it goes on in our own heads. The path to liberation comes in giving up the struggle. Enlightenment is supposedly a state of unity, an acceptance of ALL things as the manifestation of God.

I guess the supreme realisation of this view is Jesus on the cross asking God to "forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do."

The yogic path sees the evolution of consciousness as shades in a spectrum as opposed to a spiritual war. It sees God in all things/beings.

And sure, perhaps it's my egos determining my point of view, but for some reason I do identify more with the yogic way of viewing things.

[Job]

Maybe you have some experiences to go along with that view?

I'm speaking from my experiences and relating to a physiological and metaphysical state that results from the disbandment of egos (which can be done temporarily). I would speak otherwise, but these are my experiences.

The yogic view has seemed legible to me in the past, but now it just isn't consistent. The 'clear state' is the state of being without interferece. People know when they reach this state.

I would feign (with good intentions) support this view of absolute divinity, but I've experienced too much to the contrary. I've "seen" beings possessed by malevolent phantasms--shade-like translucent specters.

I've seen the effects of the disintegration of these specters--which pollute the atsomsphere and beings with there dissharmonious energies.

If I were to say anything to the contrary of the things which have already been said (that everything is benevolent--emanations of God) it just wouldn't be true.

I like the idea that there is 'no' ominpotent tyrant (Yahweh/Zeus) reigning over the vast cosmos, treatening with rays capable of indubitable destruction and desolation. On the other hand, I could'nt truthfully attest to the notion of an all encompassing universal benevolence (all is God)--my experiences contravene such a notion.

[stiev]

I was thinking about this discussion the other day, when I heard an interesting commentary on Judaism. Jews believe that Satan is actually charged with doing the work of Jehova - that, by him tempting us and giving us challenges to overcome, we become a little bit closer to God if we remain strong. Jews believe that truly good things should be difficult to do. It is the same in the yogic tradition: you don't develop spiritually without challenges. Evil is thus a manifestation of God, and in the end, all is God.

I don't know if I have ever experienced universal benevolence either, but I don't think it's fair to say that the formless God is purely benevolent. You get what you want in this world throught the law of karma, and karma literally means desire. If you put love out, you get love back. If you put fear and anger out, you get that back too. God doesn't seem to have a lot to do with it. Instead, we do. If you seek God, you will eventually find Him/Her/It.

There are different agents of God, such as angels, messengers, guides, and highly attuned masters, but they are not God. God is just existence in all its manifestation, and this is not always benevolent. When people become more attunded to God, they probably become more benevolent because they see themselves as part of a greater whole and want to help others. This happens at all levels, including the chemical, so that hormones are activated that help to keep you going on the path. What I like about yoga is that it works on a range of different levels: spiritual, thought, astral, etheric and chemical. There are eight limbs in yoga that cover all our thinking and behaviour.

The difference, I guess, between gnosticism and yoga is that gnosticism is dualistic, and yoga is non-dualistic. In non-dualistic traditions such as taoism, tantra, yoga and (I imagine) Judaism, there is no absolute separation between good and evil, God and the Devil, etc, etc, etc. At its source, all is one.

But I'd love to know how you dissolve the egos temporarily. Personally, I find it hard to imagine that you can lose your egos without years of hard work, observation, and committment. Is this true?

What do you do to remove egos temporarily?

[Job]

The 'clear state' doesn't come from dissolving the egos, rather temporarily disbanding (removing) them from bodily influence (they are phantasmal entities affecting the physical body from the astral).

With a heightened enough degree of awareness through the five senses or concentration through meditation it becomes possible to temporarily escape them. I know this because I've done it myself, more than once.

Also, I don't believe in masters (though I sometimes claim it because people accept it). I've seen things which don't support that notion. Although, there are beings with awakened consciousness and some without egos. What's more, I don't like the idea of "mastery" because it seems to connote "slavery" on their students' parts.

Still, I'll use the term mastery for beings with awakened consciousness because it comes from the word "Atman". Ironically, atman is supposedly the part behind the essence. It's supposed to be one's true self. Anyone with a certain degree of awakened consciousness is said to be working from their true self--Atman (and have allegedly gained 'mastery' over their self). A master will work from the inside, out, destroying the veil which holds it imprissoned (egos).

Mastery is a folly concept, though. It means nothing, but it means something in its nothingness in this day and age. On the other hand, people who claim mastery have taught others' wonderful things (mystical death the most profitable). Anyone who has learned this technique and gone deep enough with it knows that it rids anger, fear, pride, gluttony, and so on, etc. (it really does have the effect of disintegrating egos).

I know very little regarding the nature of God, but I will say that (from the little that I do know) it makes me believe that not everything is God, or for that matter if there is even a God.

Anyone has a right to think the contrary. When facts come to facts, though, and methods come to methods, I think practicality is more important than ideal notions--which I will freely disguard (and sometimes do) for the facts.

Personally, I find it hard to believe that anyone can lose their egos without years of hard work, observation, and committment. Isn't this true?

It's probably true. For one, I haven't disintegrated all of my egos yet (though I've managed to disintegrate some, and other times to disband (remove) egos from the body for temporary instances). There are a lot of them, though, and they can be different sizes. So, some are really hard to get rid of.

There's also a little more to it than observation and commitment. Something has to be done for them to be disintegrated. With the disintegration, some amazing things about human nature and bodily manifestation are learned.

The mystical death is good mainly because egos are disintegrated, but it's also good because it gives insight into the subtle depths of conscious impressions (meanings) and minute will.

[stiev]

I definately agree (about the facts). I guess it would make sense to say that if EVERYTHING is God, then maybe nothing at all is God. I think this is how the Buddhists handle things.

Does it have practical considerations? Maybe. Some people I've met who practice yoga are very serious seeing everything and everyone as God, and therefore, worthy of their respect and humility. Everyone has the seed of "God" in them, and therefore, deserve their service. They are very serious about this.

The problem I have with the spiritual war is that it might lead some to make judgements: this or that person or thing is good/evil. Actually, there are a few religions in the world at the moment who do just this.

One of the three keys of modern gnosis is service, and this is an important aspect of yoga as well. In fact there is a whole type of yoga devoted to what they call selfless service: karma yoga. The whole point of this type of yoga is realising that everything is God and your purpose in yoga is to worship God through your service.

Can you say any more about the egos? How do they exist in the astral plane? How many do we have? How do we get rid of them (temporarily or otherwise)?

I've done some of the gnostic Self Discovery course, but they didn't talk much about the physical manifestation of the egos. There's that book, Revolutionary Psychology, but I haven't read it yet.

[Job]

How deep did you get into the course? The technique to observe the egos should be there.

Egos can get a little tricky. Because they exist in the astral and bring about reactions in the body, it's also true that not everything which they are doing is always seen. The first level of observation is their manifestations in the body (if its not the only essential one, ironically).

The technique, if I'm not mistaken, is supposed to hinder their bodily manifestations and work at the minute details which make up their structures.

The mystic death technique is very good at getting at the subtle energies that make up the egos. Because the small details are being dissolved, it takes time to disintegrate them. On the other hand, first it's neccessary to become aware of them in the body.

I couldn't just give the death technique out. It wouldn't work well without observation, if it did work at all.

The technique should be available on the course following Self Disovery. Also, it can be learned in Revolutionary Psychology.

If your thinking of looking into it and possibly trying it, I think it will be worth your while
There's a lot learn from it about the nature of human behaviors.

[Job]

Centers of energy in the human being

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Our body has certain control centers which are responsible for specific physical and psychological functions. Basically, we can divide them into three centers:

Intelectual Center, located in the brain, it works with mental energy.

Emotional Center, two points located in the heart and at the solar plexus (navel region), that work with emotional energy.

Sexual Center, located in the sexual organ that works with sexual energy.


Unfortunately, due to our psychological defects, also called ego, these centers don't work properly, which results in malfunctions of the human machine.


This results in all kinds of diseases.
The ego acts at these centers all the time and consequently controls the human machine, causing enormous harm.
How can we prove this?
We have a function that is atrophied by disuse. It is "Self-observation".
This sense allows us to perceive the presence of psychological defects.
By perceiving these defects we can eliminate them through mystical death.

The subjects of "Self-observation" and "Mystical Death" are explained in detail in the related pages.

Self-observation and mystical death are the foundation for attaining equilibrium in the centers, for regeneration and awakening of consciousness.
"Each center has its own hydrogen, which in us has been entirely changed or unbalanced, because inside us there is no order that can balance these centers, to make each one work with its own energy or its own hydrogen.
So, what happens? Because these centers are all out of place, all of them steal energy from this (sexual center).
When this (sexual center) perceives it has been robbed, it needs to steal energy from the other centers in order to be able to function. So, it is gets loaded with heavier hydrogens.
Thus, sexual imbalance occurs, which in turn unbalances the whole human machine. That is why it is so important to understand this.
Thus, for each center to work with its own hydrogen, we must begin the psychological work, that is, progressive death (mystical death) is very important to achieve this.  You see, this is a subject which is not given much attention, but which is basic and fundamental to allow us to begin the work of revolution of the conscience, first by balancing the centers so they can produce the SI-12 hydrogen." 

V.M Rabolu

Basically speaking, the ego is made up of many little defects which we can call "ego details" or simply "details".
These details which act in the centers of the human machine are those which must be observed, because like roots of a tree, they feed the ego with the energy of the centers in which they operate. Eliminating the details (roots), the tree (ego) will be starved and killed.
By doing this we are really balancing our centers, changing our inner beings and regenerating. Also we are restoring our consciousness, because each detail imprisons a little fraction of our consciousness.
Consider each detail as a bottle that imprisons a small part of our consciousness. When we break the bottle, that part of consciousness which was imprisoned returns to us.

from http://english.divinaciencia.com/centro_i.php

Note: The term "hydrogen" (not be confused with the element on the periodic table) denotes all energies of the body (which are all capable of creation). The hydrogens of the sexual centre are not just spermatozoa and ova, but also the other cells surrounding the area. All cells  have DNA and as such are considered creative energies (hydrogens). Different groups of cells (hydrogens) relate to different centres (areas) of the body. They are said to be 'mixed up' with the influence of egos. The key is supposedly to balance the centres (return cells to their respective centres). This key isn't for the disintigration of egos, rather it's for obtaining internal stability in the body. Ironically, however, mystical death (dissolving of egos) is used to obtain this stability (observation alone won't do it).