When I wrote the title, I immediate thought of the witness protection programs, we see on television. If you think about it, our samskaras haunt us, and samskaras are based on our past experiences. We want to be free and it is like running away from a crime. How do we become rid of them?

It is only possible, if they come up to level of the conscious mind during meditation and we relive them with the pain and emotion and then we are rid of them completely.

Our negativity is a major part of our personality. This negativity can erupt because of our insecurity, dislikes and inability to cope with difficult situations in life. It is possible to develop our ability of neutrality and observation and therefore affect our mind. We are now in a position of observer and witness and we can perceive our responses, and can control the symptoms, which manipulate us.

Antar Mouna

Becoming a witness is learnt from the practice of Antar Mouna (Inner Silence). In Antar Mouna, we watch our thoughts and the disturbing past events, which impact us. We are not participants any more, we are neutral monitors.

Mala is the key

What if our fears and insecurities come up, when we are chanting? A mala is the key. It does not allow us to get lost in the chanting. It maintains our awareness on the moving and reversing as one never crosses sumeru. The sumeru is the large bead. We are engaged in counting of the beads, and the turning of the mala. This leads to external awareness being also exercised. When we are chanting with the mala, we are also given a symbol, which tethers us and it pulls us back. With the mala, the fear becomes a tiny splash as we observe it and do not react.

Daily practice of the sadhana leads to strong will power which enables us exhaust our samskaras. We are protected by our awareness and neutrality.

Reference: Swami Satyanananda Saraswati.

Aim Hrim Klim

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