Perhaps the best introduction to our approach to spirituality is the meditation technique we call Dynamic Praṇava Meditation. It is a higher (as in: subtler) form of mantra meditation (japa), with an engaging and energising general character. There are many aspects to it, that we will briefly discuss below.
In Dynamic Praṇava Meditation the practitioner explores the praṇava, which is a name for the mantra AUM. This mantra is very ancient, having been discussed already in the ancient scriptures called the Vedas, which are some of the most ancient texts of wisdom known to mankind. It is said to contain the essence of these whole body of scriptures, which contains thousands of pages. How is this possible?
Aum, the primordial Word
The answer is quite simple, although philosophical in nature. The whole cosmos is built out of energy, with three modes of energy (Sanskrit: guṇa) interacting to form all phenomena. They are called: sattva, tamas & rajas. Respectively, one is a balance of a positive and negative energy current, one has a dominating negative current and another a dominating positive current.
Now, each letter in the mantra AUM is a very pure entrance into one of these modes of energy. Therefore, if all that exists is built from interacting patterns of the three energy modes, all that exists can be known through these three letters. Therefore these three letters represent all that exists. The Vedas are books to help understand all that exists, so the mantra AUM contains the whole Vedas. (Are you following me? 😉)
While your response to this may be: ‘isn’t this all just theory?’, the reality is that it’s not. And this fact is proven by practising Dynamic Praṇava Meditation. A succesful practitioner of this technique is able to directly experience the pure presence of the three guṇas in each corresponding letter.
Thereby, he/she/they will also notice that the direct experience of the three guṇas will lead to the receiving of wisdom; insight into any or all the parts of life may come to you in this way. In perspectives that vary slightly from practitioner to practitioner.
How the practice works
When we perform this meditation technique on the mantra AUM, we can explore the mantra from different levels. We call those levels form, mind, essence & soul. Form being the most concrete and coarse, soul being the most abstract & subtle.
During our practice we sit and mentally repeat the mantra — or the letters of the mantra —, and we aim to gradually climb from the most coarsest levels of our awareness of them to the subtlest of levels. In this way, ultimately, we will be able to experience a state where we feel completely merged with the mantra and its very nature draws us into a state of greater harmony.
In this way it can awaken insight, vitality, peace and many other virtues into our life.
More about this technique
The diagrams above are tools we use in our classes to teach this technique and explain its metaphysical context. When this technique has been mastered, it is possible to apply its framework to other objects of attention besides the praṇava. In this way it can be used to study any subject that you can think of, in a contemplative way.
One of the goals of Yoga practice, we could say, is to live each moment of life from a state of contemplation. From a state of Union (with all that is). For advanced practitioners it will also gradually become easier to spontaneously and intuitively apply the essence of this technique to any life situation. Thereby making this technique a powerful instrument in learning how to adopt a contemplative approach to daily living.
Because of its specific qualities, the praṇava has traditionally been used by all the great religions of India (Hinduism/Sanatana Dharma, Jainism, Buddhism & Sikhism). At the same time, some consider the ‘amen’, found in the Torah of Judaism, the New Testament of Christianity and the Hadith of Islam, to be a — somewhat corrupted — form of AUM. Building on that interpretation, which we at Varṇamāntrika Yoga Institute believe to be true, means that most of the great world religions have a close relation to this mantra.
Find out more about Dynamic Praṇava Meditation through our events, programmes or this book.
