Sward of discrimination
There is no hierarchy among the different practices and tools available to contemplate who we are. Some practices seem to emphasize on physicality and movement, others on stillness, but they all have the potential to touch something essential.
Each individual will be drawn to different practices. It might change over time. It’s part of the dance of life. Contemplative practices are not who we are, they point more or less directly towards it. Other forms of practices like performing arts or art in general have also a fantastic potential to transcend, transform, evolve and they are created by the mind as everything else. Everything is a dance, the body is an instrument, using it to play a beautiful song, unique to our constitution and form, is great. The missing key is discrimination. Discriminating truth from ignorance. The sward of discrimination or Budhi, intelligence, as spoken in scriptures allows us to not been caught by the delusive nature of the world. When the world is said to be an illusion, it is more the veil of ignorance that cover the truth that has to be uncovered by discrimination. Then there is no more duality, good or bad, better or worse.
Mantra & Mudra embraces traditional tools such as the vedic chants and the mudras. These tools are 2500 years old, more or less! The practice I propose is not my creation but a composition that I formulate in this particular way which, to me, expresses the beauty of these traditional forms along with cultivating discrimination. Most important is not to be pulled in the illusive nature of the world but to dance in this world with grace while discriminating the truth from the untruth. Mantra is the remembrance of our true nature.
The chants honor and celebrate who we are. It points to that only. When the chant describes a deity such as Gaṇeśa, Śiva or Viṣṇu, it honors the inherent qualities of who we are such as love, abundance, intelligence, knowledge. There is nothing to reach, transform or learn in truth.
This is my invitation to you.