The Tae-eul Mantra is a healing mantra which contains the energy of every medicine and cures all diseases of the human mind and body when it is chanted with one mind (il-shim). Sahng-jeh-nim and Tae-mo-nim taught that this mantra is to be used at the time of gae-byuk. Chanting the Tae-eul Mantra allows the practitioner to become one with the universe by summoning the original ancestor of all beings in heaven and earth, awakening the practitioner to the creative world of the spirits.
1. Offerings, Bows, and Prayers
To enhance your spiritual experience during meditation, prepare a bowl of water and perform sa-bae-shim-go (four bows and a prayer). The bowl of water symbolizes the purification of body, mind, and spirit and is an offering of qi to the spirits. Sahng-jeh-nim taught that during meditation one should direct the gaze upon the bowl of water with ‘inner eyes open and outer eyes closed’ (Dojeon 3:88:9). By bowing, we show respect to Sahng-jeh-nim, Tae-mo-nim, and other spirits as we unite our human virtue with the virtue of heaven and earth. By offering a personal prayer before meditation, we reflect upon, and ask forgiveness for, shortcomings, and we also express our intentions to heaven and earth.
2. Posture
During meditation, your body should be relaxed with good posture. As you kneel or sit cross-legged, keep your back straight, your chin slightly tucked in, and your shoulders slightly back. If your legs get tired, change from a kneeling to a sitting position, or vice-versa, but try to keep your back straight while doing so. The spine is the main channel for the flow of qi within the body and is a conduit for receiving the qi of heaven and earth. If the back is crooked, this qi does not flow well. Also, because the body and mind are one, there is a direct relationship between mental and physical posture. If you find that your mind is wandering during meditation, check your posture. When the back is not straight, the mind tends to lose focus.
3. The Central Energy Point
Different schools of meditation recog-nize various focal points. In Jeung San Do, it is recommended that you direct your consciousness inward toward the lower dantian, a central energy point located below the navel. While doing this, imagine the sound of the mantra permeating your entire body.
4. Abdominal Breathing
Breathe from the lower abdomen. As you exhale, the lower abdomen goes in; as you inhale, the lower abdomen goes out. It is important to do this in a natural way, not tensing or forcing the stomach muscles. Before long, you will feel any stress-related tension in your chest dissipate as fire energy descends and water energy rises.
5. Methods of Chanting
There are three basic methods of chanting: chanting aloud with a resonant voice, chanting softly to yourself, and chanting silently within your mind. Chanting aloud is the most effective way to experience the vibration of the mantra’s sound, but it may be necessary to practice soft or silent chanting when the sound may disturb those around you. You can use all three methods in your daily practice.
6. Sound and Mindset
While chanting, keep your mind positive and keep your mantra’s sound bright. Your mindset and the manner in which you chant determine the kind of energy and the sort of spirit that respond to you.
7. Non-discriminating Mind
Tae-sa-bu-nim teaches that when meditating, “Do not think of goodness. Do not think of badness.” This describes the state of non-discriminating mind, which allows a practitioner to become one with the universe. Do not think of yourself as good or bad, do not think of others as good or bad, do not think of any phenomena as good or bad. Just be natural.
8. When to Meditate
Any time is a good time to meditate, but the best times for meditation are in the early morning and late evening. In the morning, you receive the activating yang energy of a new day, and in the evening, you receive the yin energy that brings perfect rest.
9. Chant Continuously
To extend the peacefulness and energy of meditation throughout the day, continu-ously chant in your mind while carrying out your daily activities.
This brief guide cannot do more than suggest general principles of meditation, because spiritual pursuits like meditation must be learned by the individual, for the individual. For this reason, guidance in meditation is best gained within a learning environment such as a dojang, in which an instructor can directly teach beginners the methods of meditation best suited to their individual needs. |
