Question asked by Thorim
(sorry for my english)As I newly discovered mantra recitation, I would know if we need to adjust a "balance" in time of meditation beetween the mantra recitation and the others forms of pratice(vipassana, visualisation for compassion…), for example mantra just to start and end meditation or it can become the main pratice? Thanks, I hope my question is clear.
Dear Thorim,
When you are starting out in either meditation or mantra recitation, the balance between the two is entirely up to you and how much time you can spare in your daily life. Both have very beneficial results.
You can indeed take the mantra recitation as the main practice, in fact the mantra is considered one of the most important aspects of daily practice, as it is through mantra that we are able to invoke upon the enlightened energies of the Buddhas. In traditional Tibetan Buddhist retreats, one actually concentrates on the mantra and accumulates a certain amount, typically 100,000. This is however for an intensive retreat setting.
Depending on the type of meditation you are engaging, the recitation of mantra can be used as the main part of the practice. For example to develop single pointed concentration, many people concentrate on counting the breath, or concentrate on an object. However you can also concentrate on the sound of the mantra. So you can develop single-pointed concentration. This can be coupled with various visualisations during the mantra recitations as well.
In essence there is no set balance between the two, as mantra recitation can actually be used as a form of meditation, while at the same time invoking the enlightened energies of the Buddhas.