Positioning the Mantra

​While repeating 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.


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 or the field of mind.  Once again, just allow your attention to neither rest in that space, 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

​Some people find that the mantra coordinates nicely with the breath when remembered silently as Ma-Ra-Na-Tha, with each of the four parts remembered separately:

• "Ma" with inhalation
• "Ra" with exhalation
• "Na" with inhalation
• "Tha" with exhalation

When coordinating the mantra with the breath, let the breath be smooth, slow, and quiet, with no pauses between the breaths. 


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.


Follow the mantra to silence

After remembering the mantra for some period of time, 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.