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Maranatha:
A Christian Meditation Mantra
by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati
Home page: SwamiJ.com
Maranatha
"Ma-Ra-Na-Tha"
"Come Lord"
Maranatha Mantra: The teachings of Yoga Meditation are universal and non-
sectarian, as is my personal orientation. However, being of Western birth, I mostly
meet people who were born into Christian families, since Christianity is the
dominant religion of the culture where I live. For those who follow Christianity, it is
very useful to be aware of the Maranatha Mantra, an ancient mantra of Christian
tradition. (See also the article Yoga and Christianity)
Maranatha Meditation
Maranatha is the final instruction: To many people the use of mantra or sacred
word appears to be an Eastern practice, often associated with Buddhism or
Hinduism. However, there is a Christian meditation mantra that has been used for a
very long time by the early monks, though it is little known publicly as a mantra
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practice. It is the mantra Maranatha. The word Maranatha is the final instruction
of St. Paul's teachings to the Corinthians, and is St. John's final instruction in the
Book of Revelations. Thus, the last word, the final teaching of the entire Christian
Bible is "Maranatha," which is Aramaic and means, "Come Lord."
Positioning the mantra: While remembering the mantra, it is best to allow the
mind to gently rest in one physical location rather than allowing it to wander here
or there (after preliminary steps of Yoga Meditation).
Heart center: One of the most ideal places is the space between the
breasts, the heart center, the home of emotions and feelings, as well
as what some call the spiritual heart. Imagine it to be a space about
the size of the palm of your hand, allowing the attention to rest within
that space, in the cave of the still, silent heart, feeling the coming and
going of the mantra.
Eyebrow center: You might feel more drawn to the space between
the eyebrows, the third-eye, or the field of mind. Once again, just
allow your attention to rest in that space, neither wandering left nor
right, nor up or down. It need not be a pin-point spot, but a small field,
such as a circular area in that space, where the attention rests.
Gradually the mantra will lead you to the spiritual stillness and silence
from which it arose.
Mantra with breath: While the mantra may be done completely in the mind field,
it also coordinates nicely with the breath when remembered silently as Ma-Ra-Na-
Tha, with each of the four parts remembered separately:
When coordinating the mantra with the breath, let the breath be smooth, slow, and
quiet, with no pauses between the breaths. Be sure that the syllables of the mantra
are only in the mind, and not disturbing the flow of the breath in the lungs, throat,
or nasal passages. Allow your attention to gently rest either on the diaphragm
area, in a palm sized space just below the breast bone, at the upper abdomen, or
on the feel of the air at the bridge of the nostrils, using the cognitive sense of
touch.
Remembering the mantra: The mantra may be remembered in the mind with no
association with breath. The entire "Ma-Ra-Na-Tha" simply rolls through the silence
of the inner mind field, being a pleasant, rhythmic companion, affirmation, and
prayer.
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Follow the mantra to silence: After remembering the mantra for some period of
time, whether or not you count the repetitions, a time will come when the mantra
will lead your attention to complete silence in the physical space in which you are
remembering it (heart or eyebrow center). Allow this to happen naturally, going
into complete inner silence, while holding the deeper meaning and feeling in
awareness. Although repetition of the mantra is quite useful in stabilizing a noisy
mind (without repressing thoughts or emotions), this leading quality is a more
valuable spiritual aspect of mantra meditation.
Counting the mantra: While it is not essential, you might want to count the
repetitions. This can give the mind a focus, and a sense of beginning and end to
your practice time. This can be done with a set of mala beads or some other means
of counting. A typical mala has 108 beads, and the practice will take as little as 3-5
minutes at a faster, pulsing rate within the mind, or as long as 20-30 minutes if
done slower, such as with the breath. Whether or not you count, or use a mala, it is
important to not allow the mantra to become mere parrot-like repetition. Allow the
awareness of the meaning, the feeling, and the calmness to be there. To develop
stability in your mantra practice, it can be useful to do an intentional practice of
one mala (or other number) per day for a period of 40 days, or perhaps one year,
starting and ending on some significant date.
WCCM: The Maranatha Mantra has been taught extensively by Father John Main
and Father Laurence Freeman through their organization, the World Community for
Christian Meditation. Here is link to their website, which then links to the many
locations around the world, as well as other links describing Maranatha Mantra
from within the website:
"Just imagine for a moment a vast, dark, empty hall. Each time you
say your mantra it is like lighting a small weak candle. And I think so
often it seems to us that just as we light one, a previous one gets
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blown out. But very gradually the dawn comes and you begin to realize
that the whole hall is flooded with light. The wonder of meditation is
that this revelation that the light has conquered the darkness and that
Jesus is the light becomes universal in your experience. Everything and
everyone is now flooded, illuminated with this light."
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