One of the most popular retreats in Amrita Virtual Academy is the Mantra Japa retreat with Swami Atmananda Puri. Several students have given glowing reviews after participation. In this blogpost we will go deeper into one student’s experience.
“Receiving my Guru mantra from Amma was a blessed moment I will never forget”
I got my Guru mantra from Amma during a European tour almost 20 years ago. It was a blessed moment I will never forget, with Amma whispering in my ear, blessing me with a shower of flower petals, leaving me feeling high but also grounded. I sensed something important had happened, even if I did not understand what, nor the value of the mantra at that time. Amma says:
“When Amma gives you a mantra, She sows a seed of spirituality within you. She transmits a part of herself into your heart. But you have to nurture that seed by meditating, praying, and chanting your mantra regularly, without fail. You have to be totally committed.
“The natural way to get yogurt is by adding a spoonful of yogurt to warm milk. Having added the culture, you let it stand for some time, and thus, all the milk is transformed into yogurt.“In the same way, Amma has transmitted part of herself into you. Now you have to ‘let the milk stand’- you have to attain a state of inward stillness by constantly repeating your mantra and doing other spiritual practices. Your entire being will thus be transformed and you will then realize your divine nature.”
My intention was to practice mantra japa daily as Amma instructed. I knew intellectually what a big blessing it is to have received a mantra from someone like Amma, but it was not really clear to me how to chant it apart from knowing it should be internal and as continuous as possible. And if I am honest, I did fail in more hectic periods to sit down and do my round of at least 108 mantras a day, as Amma advises. In those periods, at least I repeated the mantra throughout the day as soon as I remembered it, but that meant that on some days I chanted more frequently and it almost flowed by itself, while on other, more busy or “emotionally busy” days, I almost didn’t remember it at all! However, whenever I did remember to chant, I always felt a sense of peace in the otherwise busy mind with all its different thoughts and feelings. That is how I knew the mantra was a precious gift I needed to treasure more.
When I read about the Amrita Virtual Academy retreat on mantra japa practice, I felt it might be Amma’s way of drawing me closer to the practice! I felt I needed guidance and inspiration to become regular with mantra chanting (japa), and tools to connect more deeply with it. I also had questions about the pace and the mental “volume”.
So I did the one-day retreat. It was perfect! First of all, living in the world, it was a welcome day of rest from the daily grind. It was an opportunity to go within in a focused and guided way, which had a lasting and positive effect on my mind. The schedule is not that strict so I could be flexible and still have some time to take care of other things. But still organized so I had the opportunity and framework to go deep within. I remember that day: it was winter, it was snowing outside and I felt that the stillness of Nature reflected the stillness of the retreat.
“It (the mantra) was peacefully cleansing and put tensions to rest.”
The retreat exceeded my expectations. The waves of peace from taking that time to go within caressed my mind for days. Swami Atmananda is such a good teacher, his teaching style very clear, organized and down to earth.
In the retreat, he taught several different japa techniques and meditations on the mantra. One really spoke to me so I have been practicing that off and on since.
The best moments during the retreat were when I experienced the mantra being a wordless energy, full of divine light and subtle love, flowing through my body. Just like being in Amma’s presence. It was peacefully cleansing and put tensions to rest. A presence to rest within, a feeling of it being so intimate, almost being one with me. Or me being one with it. I am so happy I partook in the retreat.
“I have grown to consider my mantra my best friend who never lets me down.”
Afterwards, I have grown to consider my mantra my best friend who never lets me down. It makes me relax. I used to forget my mantra on rough days or not remember it until late. Now I often turn to the mantra as if turning to a friend when in distress, to feel more peace and clarity within. The problems might not get solved, but often my mind gets clearer and I can respond better to situations rather than react. When I cannot, I still feel more peace within, which is the biggest win. I still might not be as disciplined with the meditations I learned in the retreat as I wish, but as Amma says:
“Don’t feel sad that you cannot be as disciplined as you would like to be. Do what you can. Don’t be sad about what you are not able to do. Don’t push yourself too hard. Don’t suppress or judge yourself. Give the body the food and sleep it needs. There is nothing wrong in that. But don’t overly pamper yourself either. There may be lapses in your discipline. We may fall down. But we shouldn’t allow it to make us feel frustrated.”
Today I at least make my round of chanting 108 mantras every morning as I enjoy it and see the benefits; it sets the tone for the day and makes the mantra come more easily to the mind throughout the day.
Thank you Swamiji Atmananda and the Amrita Virtual Academy Team for making this retreat available to us. Though physically far away from Amritapuri, getting closer to the energy of the mantra brings me close to Amma.
Amrita Virtual Academy offers several sadhana retreats, including three Bhakti, two Gita, and others addressing challenges on the path such as taming the unruly mind, working with fears, or finding our purpose. There is also a new library of satsangs and guided practices. There are two Mantra Japa retreats, level 1 and level 2. The participant in the blog wrote about level 1. As a member you get access to all retreats, as well as over 60 other courses and workshops! Become a member now!