In my post on Cosmic Vibrations I spoke briefly on how uttering certain vowel sounds actually raises the vibrations of humankind.
I’m starting with Tibetan Buddhism as I have always held the people of Tibet in high regards spiritually. That, and most westerners are more familiar with Sanskrit chants than they are the ones in Hebrew or of ancient Kemet.
In a nutshell, Om Mani Padme hum translates into “the jewel is in the lotus.” What this means is each vowel intonation holds the entire Wisdom of the path. So each sound of the chant is as important as the words themselves. The reason is because each sound of this simple mantra holds the collective wisdom of buddhism. All of that wisdom pours into the practitioner as they chant. This can be a very transforming process.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has published several works containing the benefits of chanting the Jewel Lotus. I’ve relied heavily on his understanding over the years and feel it’s better to share his words on the subject rather than mucking up the beauty of this simple practice.
“It is beneficial to recite the mantra om mani padme hum, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking of its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast.”
– The Dalai Lama
That means we are to deepen our understanding of each syllable as we chant. To over simplify a bit:
- Om represents our impure body, speech and mind that needs purified.
- Mani is the jewel we use to transform our intentions to be more altruistic and compassionate.
- Padme, meaning lotus, represents the wisdom of growing through what we’re going through just as a lotus fights through the muck to bloom.
- Hum being the union of method and wisdom as the two are interconnected and one should always be putting their beliefs into effect.
Now this is a very practical mantra. Not only do we benefit from the recitation which deepens our understanding but the very foundation of the practice is to go into the world each day with compassion in our hearts.
The Jewel is in the lotus.
The key to a happy and fulfilling life is in our willingness to allow our struggles to transform us into more compassionate people. What more could you ask for in a spiritual practice?
Any value you found in this post is purely the result of the Dalai Lama and his efforts to help us all grow and evolve. Any fault you find is purely my own.
I thank you so much for reading.
Mystical Mindstate 