Photo by Sai De Silva on Unsplash

During my 16 years as a TM Initiator, sometimes I taught kids the age of the adorable girl pictured here. Of course, the vast majority of my TM students learned the full technique of Transcendental Meditation, not Maharishi’s version for young children, “Your Walking Word of Wisdom.”

All the children and adults whom I initiated were given a Mantra. Then I taught them how to use it properly.

What will I share with you today? A kind of spiritual secret. It’s a secret known to spiritual teachers in many Eastern traditions, authentic teachers who take Mantras seriously.

In this Dedicated Responses #17, Just for You

Today I’ll share a Spiritual Secret about mantras that I learned directly from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Some 50 years ago!

I think it kind of slipped out of him. Since I never heard him impart this knowledge at any other time. Not during the 11 other courses I took as one of Maharishi’s initiators, teaching Transcendental Meditation (TM).

This was one of so many advanced courses I took as a TM teacher. Were my colleagues in the auditorium as shocked as I was? I’ll never know.

Will you be shocked too? Definitely let me know. WHY shocked? HOW shocked?

After reading this article, will you understand better how outraged I feel when somebody like Anita Moorjani toys with packaging her brilliant ideas as “mantras”?

First, though, let’s go into the basics for all our Dedicated Responses articles, including this #17.

This Article Is Powered by ENERGY SPIRITUALITY® ENLIGHTENMENT COACHING

Our first 16 articles with your Dedicated Responses? They filled up fast. Now for a fresh beginning with our Dedicated Responses: #17 comes next.

No AI from Rose, I promise.

Always find human, practical perspectives from Energy Spirituality®.

Although I’m publishing a second version of this article at my personal blog, please send your comments only to the version of this article on Medium.

Why have I made the switch? Learn the very human details from my pinned post on making that switch, over at the link just provided.

Wisdom Seekers, your questions and reactions enliven all the articles at this Energy Spirituality® Blog. In this article I’ll give you many opportunities to share your point of view. So, feel free to highlight, clap, and respond at any time. On Medium.

In my experience, those who engage the most? They learn the most, too.

Good. Now let’s get started.

PREVIEW of What You’ll Learn Here

1. Rose Rosetree’s Standing as an Enlightenment Coach
2. Wisdom Seeker Jasmine’s Request for Today
3. A Recap of Anita’s Interesting Use of Mantras in Her Book for Empaths
4. How to Effectively Impart a Mantra
5. Initiator Sam Had a Bright Idea: Let’s Stop Doing Those Annoying Pujas
6. Sam’s Reasoning Went Like This
7. Here’s How Maharishi Replied
8. Without the Puja, a Mantra Will Not Work
9. Wow, Right? Really

 

1. Rose Rosetree’s Standing as an Enlightenment Coach

Before you read any article, it’s always wise to check an author’s standing. That way you’re more likely to read ideas that have High Truth Value. 

As for this author, yes, I do have the Standing to Write as an Enlightenment Coach.  So I just linked you to an article about that.

2. Wisdom Seeker Jasmine’s Request for Today

Jasmine made her request at Anita Moorjani: When Is an Empath Expert NOT an Empath Expert?”

Readers were invited to ask me about a rare moment of candor from Maharishi about how a Mantra must be imparted. That is, if that Mantra is to bring the desired results.

Jasmine Responded

Very curious about this! What you’ve written here about mantras is really interesting.

3. A Recap of Anita’s

Interesting Use of Mantras in Her Book for Empaths

Namely: “Sensitive Is the New Strong: The Power of Empaths in an Increasingly Harsh World”. 

At the start of each chapter, Moorjani provides short “Mantras”.

I was moved to disclose what follows in this article.

After 16 years of teaching meditation, I know something about mantras. My ex-guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, was responsible for initiating an estimated 6 million people into his system of Transcendental Meditation (TM). Each initiate would receive one Mantra. You would never put yours in a book, or casually say it out loud. Spiritually, that would be a desecration.

Why not? Because a Mantra is a sacred word that serves as a tool to direct consciousness toward the Divine. The combination of a Mantra and how to use it–-that’s what brings results to a meditator.

Also, Wisdom Seekers, the way a Mantra is imparted matters, too. Exactly what you’ll be reading about today.

4. How to Effectively Impart a Mantra

Of course, an ethical teacher would care about this. Rather than using the sacred term “Mantra” in the way Anita did, as one more exercise in cultural appropriation.

As noted earlier, during my 16 years as a very active TM initiator, I took many courses in person with Maharishi. Students would wait at a microphone to ask their questions. One would speak at a time. After each question, Maharishi would improvise an answer. Impressively, I thought.

What was the purpose of all these improvs? Maharishi served as an Enlightenment Teacher, aiming to make us more effective at teaching meditation. My goal was to help every person I could to reach Spiritual Enlightenment. Even though I knew I was nowhere close to Traditional Enlightenment.

One time only, a fellow initiator threw a semi-disrespectful question at Maharishi. Never before had I heard anyone ask such an outrageous thing. Even more memorable was Maharishi’s answer. I’ll share both.

Paraphrasing, of course, as best I can, since all this happened half a century ago.

5. Initiator Sam Had a Bright Idea for Reaching More Students:

Let’s Stop Doing Those Annoying Pujas

Hold on, Wisdom Seekers. Maybe you’re wondering, what is a puja? (Pronounce puja like POU-jah.) In Hinduism, it’s common for daily worship to include doing a puja to one’s favorite version of God. One’s “Chosen Ideal,” whether Krishna or Lakshmi, Shiva or others.

In the 1970s and 80s–and even now–Initiation Day without a puja would be unthinkable. Usually.

During each “Preparatory Lecture,” we initiators would say something like this:

When you come for initiation, come fresh and well rested. Bring with you some fresh flowers, two or three pieces of fruit, and a new handkerchief. These ingredients will be used in a brief ceremony.

This ceremony is for the initiator. After doing this, your initiator will turn to you and impart your mantra.

• Probably you’ll enjoy this ceremony. You know, there will be fresh flowers and fruit. Your initiator will even do a little singing.
• If you’re not into ceremonies, there’s good news for you, too. That ceremony will be short.
• All you’ll do is stand next to your initiator, who will then be ready to give you your Mantra and show you how to use it to meditate.

In hindsight, this chirpy little summary left out quite a lot of information. If any of you Wisdom Seekers are curious, feel free to ask. What else went on during a TM puja?

6. Now Back to Initiator Sam.

His Reasoning Went Like This

Where I live, California, is probably very typical of America. Some people are into religion. Many of them are ex-religious. They don’t like the idea of having a ceremony with fruit and flowers and singing.

Some find it embarrassing. Besides, you know how we keep telling people that, “TM is not a religion.”

You and I know that’s true. So why don’t we cut out that ceremony and just go ahead and do everything the usual way, only we’ll be very modern and not include that puja?

I’m sure many more people will come to learn.

7. Now, in Honor of You, Jasmine

Here’s How Maharishi Replied

In our meetings, on a spotless sofa, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi would always sit cross-legged on a deerskin. (That deerskin was supposed to protect him from Low Vibrations.)

In back of this serene teacher would be his favorite portrait of his late guru. Usually referred to as “Guru Dev”. (Guru Dev means Divine Spiritual Teacher.)

Never did I see Maharishi look rattled when his initiators threw questions at him. His way was to speak  slowly and liltingly, as though he knew everything. Yet, in retrospect, there might have been a hidden intensity to my guru’s response. It was almost as if he had become capable of losing his temper at one of the beautiful initiators in the crowded lecture hall. Almost as if Maharishi was capable of yelling.

Such a thing would not have been possible, of course not.

8. Without the Puja,

A Mantra Will Not Work

When he told us the following, Maharishi got everyone’s full attention. For sure.

You know what’s it that puja. It begins with naming all the Masters of our Holy Tradition. Every TM initiator has memorized that puja.

On your Teacher Training Course, you received all the words in Sanskrit, followed by an translation into English. On your course, you sang it nearly every single night.

It should be obvious to you that when you sing the puja, all those Masters come into the initiation room. After you finish that puja and bow down, in silence, those Masters know it’s time to join with you.

When you begin to whisper your initiate’s Mantra, all those Masters say it along with you. This is what gives power to that Mantra.

If people aren’t willing to sit through a puja, they can’t learn Transcendental Meditation. That’s all.

Hearing Maharishi explain this, for the first time ever, I recalled my own Initiation Day. That very same day, my first husband came along with me. (More on that to come.)

9. Wow,

Right? Really!

Look, Wisdom Seekers, when I became authorized to teach Transcendental Meditation, I took a vow. I promised I would never divulge the TM Mantras. I promised to teach TM exactly, using only what Maharishi had taught us.

Of course, I continue to honor that vow. A vow is for life. I’m the kind of person who keeps my promises, honors my commitments.

Integrity is definitely helpful if you seek to reach Spiritual Enlightenment, and aim to stay in Enlightenment.

Wisdom Seekers, in case you’re curious, ask about the central importance of integrity. This Energy Spirituality® Blog is interactive; it’s for learning.

Let’s Be Clear

What I’ve shared with you today was knowledge that I never promised to keep secret.

BTW, the story of my initiation into TM is included in the memoir, “Bigger than All the Night Sky.” If you read that part, do you remember what Donald Davis (later, Ari Davis) told me?

And do you have any reaction to there being a central truth about TM that initiators may never have heard?

Jasmine and other Wisdom Seekers, now you know why a Puja is essential for the respectful giving of a Mantra.

Seems to me, that TM Puja counts as an Age of Faith version of what is spiritually possible now in the Age of Awakening: Co-creating with God.

(As is taught for many different purposes — but never secretly. Those purposes being different trademarked skills of Energy Spirituality®, such as aura reading and energy healing.)

By all means, share your reaction to anything in this article.

And thanks for reading.