I think about this often. Magic. Words have power. When you consciously will there to be power or connection in these words then they become magical by shear willpower.
There is power in the naming of the thing. The ancients have told us this for aeons but modern society denies the truth in these words.
What is mantra but charged words that in and of themselves wield power. Mantra, spoken, sung, or just silently chanted internally in your soul, has power.
In the lyrics of Pink Floyd’s song Time you can hear this again:
Far away, across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spell
“Softly spoken magic spell” in this case is a prayer whispered by the holy man. This prayer is magical in that it creates a divine will that resonates in the minds of those speaking it in God.
I once asked a Tibetan lama about saying the translated mantra in English and his response took me by surprise. He explained that the mantra has been chanted uncountable times in Sanskrit by holy men and women all over the world and throughout time and space. This has reinforced the magic in the words, in effect charging the words with even more power due to the will of those saying the mantra in devout concentration.
He concluded by telling me that if I was to say the mantra in Sanskrit and then again in English then eventually, one day, millennia from now, the English phrase would also be powerful as well. This really made me think.
OK, so words and sounds strung together contain power, then you add the power of the will from those chanting the mantra or prayer. This forms an equation of magic. Something like this:
mantra * (will of the person chanting) = some magical or divine outcome
Does the mantra alone contain the power? Can someone recite a mantra without even knowing the meaning and feel the effect? According to my Hindu and Buddhist teachers, yes, to some degree.
I know that in Tibetan Buddhism we are taught that merely chanting the mantra Om Ah Hung Vajra Guru Pema Siddhi Hung 100 times a day, the person will come by wealth and food easily. However, if one chants this mantra devoutly then one may attain enlightenment within this lifetime.
If you know anything at all about the spans of time taught in Hinduism and Buddhism then you will be shocked, because any declaration of attainment of the rainbow body in one lifetime is almost unheard of.
Alright, I know that I rambled on a bit here, but this is mostly just stream of consciousness for me… more later.
Om Namah Shivaya,
Matt
I love this post. I’ve been working with a teacher for some years and she calls them empowered mantras and describes them much as you have, that being used with strong intent for many years empowers them. Yes, I can call it magic. I also tell my skeptical Christian friends that they are doing the same when they send out a prayer with strong intent. I write about a modern day shaman who does not use the typical incantations but has been taught in part by ‘teachers from the East’ and accomplishes amazing things. My way of writing about spirituality and making it interesting. Readers learn things but don’t even know they do.
I intend to continue exploring your work. Blessings, Sherry
I love that you quote Pink Floyd.
Sherry, thank you so much for your kind words and sharing your story. I look forward to learning by reading your words, too.
Namaste.