18 Point Mantra Marma Meditation

18 Point Marma- Mantra Meditation What is Marma? Marma points are positions on the body where flesh, veins, arteries, tendon, bones and joints meet. They may also be described as the junctions where Vayu, Pitta and Kapha meet; where Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas meet; or where eternity and relativity meet. These are the points that could be used to heal or harm. While a healer uses these points to heal, for a warrior the very same spots could be used to harm. The word 'marma' was used for the first time in Atharva Veda (ancient Indian scripture). During the Vedic period of India, this martial art was known to kings and warriors and was used in battlefields. It is said that marmas are constituted of six vital elements—soma (sleshma, phlegm), marutha (vata, air), teja (pitta, bile) and the three mental types: rajas, tamas and satva. Marma adi is the science of manipulating marmas or vital points. These are nerve junctures usually close to the skin surface. According to Susruta, author of Susruta Samhita, the ancient treatise on ayurveda, human body contains 107 marma points which, when struck or massaged, produce desired healing or injurious results. Marma Meditation is a process and a therapy that works with 18 subtle and sensitive energy points to open energy channels in the body called strotras. ROLE OF MARMA There are four basic purposes of marma: 1) It removes blocks in energy channels called strotras. 2) It pacifies vata dosha, (air and space elements ), bringing it to its normal path— especially vyana vata, (a sub-dosha which controls the autonomic nervous system.) 3) It creates physical, mental and emotional flexibility. Because of ama (toxins) and because of vata, human beings after 35 or 40 years of age become rigid — and this happens to animals and plants too. As vata increases in our body, we experience degeneration. This rigidity can mean becoming fixed in ideas, emotions and physical movements. 4) This gentle treatment creates an opportunity to experience powerful and dynamic transformation at the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels by building a positive link with the unconscious mind. Many times people are not able to go outside their „comfort zones.‟ They think they have absolute limitations. 5) The main aspect of Yoga practice that actively considers the use of marmas is the practice of Pratyahara, which is the fifth branch of Yoga. Pratyahara mediates between the outer factors of Yoga, which include Asana and Pranayama, and the inner factors of Yoga, which mainly consist of meditation. Pratyahara is the door between the outer and inner factors of Yoga that allows us to turn our energy inward.

18 Point Marma- Mantra Meditation Pratyahara literally means withdrawal like a turtle withdrawing into its shell. It refers to various internalization exercises designed to control the senses and motor organs and introvert the mind. Each marma point has various organs, systems, senses, nadis and chakras that it rules over. Through working on that particular marma, we can control or affect these factors in various therapeutic manners. The great yogic text, Vasishta Samhita, contains an important section explaining the use of specific marmas for the practice of Pratyahara.

Eighteen Yogic Marma Regions and Main Corresponding Marmas 1) 2) 3) 4)

The toes are the starting point. Kshipra marma The ankles: four and a half finger units from the toes. Gulpha (ankle) marma The middle of the calf: Indrabasti marma The root of the knee: eleven finger units from the middle of the calf: Janu Mula Marma 5) The center of the knee: Janu marma 6) The middle of the thigh: Urvi marma 7) The anus: Guda marma 8) The middle of the hip: Kukundara and Nitamba marmas 9) The root of the urethra: Vitapa marma 10) The navel: Nabhi (navel) marma 11) The center of the heart: Hridaya (heart) marma 12) The base of the throat: Nila marma 13) The root of the tongue: Shringataka marma 14) The root of the noseThis marma is not one of the classical 107, but control of it can be related to Phana marma by the nostrils at the base of the nose. 15) The center of the eyes: Apanga marma 16) The middle of the brows: Sthapani marma 17) The center of the forehead. This marma point here is not one of the classical 107 but is still very useful. 18) The top of the head: Adhipati marma These eighteen marma regions include points for seven chakras

Understanding the Seven Chakras: 1. Root Chakra~ Mooldhara Chakra: This is the physical layer with Bija Mantra LUM with the energy of Earth Element. Bring your attention to the perineum, the flat space between the anus and

18 Point Marma- Mantra Meditation the genital area. Take several seconds to allow your attention to find the space, and to get settled into it. Allow the mantra Lam to arise repeatedly in your mind field, silently. Allow it to repeat at its own natural speed. You may find that it comes 5-10 times and wants to pause, or you might find it wants to come continuously. If it pauses, allow it to return in its own time. The mantra may move quickly or slowly. In any case, keep your attention on that space; this is very important. Allow your mind to naturally be aware of earth, solidity, or form.

2. Sacral Chakra: This is the emotional layer with Bija Mantra VUM with the energy of Water Element. When you move your attention upwards towards the second chakra, be mindful of the transition, of the motion of attention and the nature of the shift of energetic, emotional, and mental experience. Allow your attention to naturally find the location of the second chakra. It is important to note that the actual chakra is in the back, along the subtle spine called sushumna, although we usually experience it in the front. Allow the attention to rest where it naturally falls, probably in the front, but be mindful from time to time that the chakra is actually in the back. Allow the mantra Vam to arise and repeat itself, at its own speed, naturally coming and going. Allow the awareness of water to arise, and come to see how this has to do with allow forms of flow or fluidity, whether relating to energy, physical, emotional, or mental.

3. Manipur Chakra / Navel/ Solar Plexus: This is the mental or intellectual layer with Bija Mantra RUM with the energy of Fire Element. Be aware of the transition as you move to the third chakra, at the navel center, which is also actually along the sushumna channel. Allow the mantra Ram to arise and repeat itself, at its natural speed. Keep attention in the space, whatever size at which it is experienced. Be aware of the element of fire, and the many ways in which it operates throughout the gross and subtle body from this center. 4. Anahata Chakra/Heart/ Cardiac Plexus:

This is the astral layer with Bija Mantra

YUM with the energy of Air Element. Observe the transition as you move your attention to the

fourth chakra, the space between the breasts. Allow attention to become well seated there, and then remember the vibration of the mantra Yam, allowing it to repeat at its own speed, while being mindful of the feeling it generates. Be aware of the element of air, and notice how that feels with the mantra. Notice how the element of air relates to the karmendriya of holding or grasping, whether physically, energetically, mentally, or emotionally.

5. Vishuddha Chakra/ Throat or Pharyngeal Plexus:

This is the etheric layer with

Bija Mantra HUM with the energy of Ether Element. Bring your attention to the space at the

throat, the fifth chakra, which is the point of emergence of space (which allows air, fire, water, and earth to then emerge). In that space, be aware of the nature of space itself, allowing the mantra Ham to arise and repeat itself, reverberating many times through the seemingly empty space in the inner world. Awareness of the karmendriya of speech (actually, communication of any subtle form) is allowed to be there, experiencing how that vibrates through space.

18 Point Marma- Mantra Meditation 6. Ajna Chakra/ Cavernous Plexus/Third Eye: The "Third Eye" is the celestial layer with Bija Mantra AUM and is beyond elements. The regions/ Marmas of the eyes, the root of

the nose and the root of the tongue, as well as the middle of the brows relate to the third eye or Ajna chakra. Gently, with full awareness, transition awareness to the seat of mind at the space between the eyebrows, Ajna chakra. Allow the mantra OM to arise and repeat itself, over and over, as slow waves of mantra, or as vibrations repeating so fast that the many OMs merge into a continuous vibration. Be aware of how mind has no elements, but is the source out of which space, air, fire, water, and earth emerge. 7. Sahasrara Chakra/ Crown Chakra: This is the ketheric layer with the Bija of silence and is beyond elements. The point on the forehead relates to the crown chakra. The point at the root of the tongue is an important meditation place and gives control over Soma or amrit. These marma regions also relate to the fourteen nadis or channels of yogic thought. Allow attention to move to the crown chakra, which has no element (bhutas), no cognitive sense (jnanendriyas), no active means of expression (karmendriyas), as it is the doorway to pure consciousness itself. Experience how this is the source out of which mind emerges, after which emerge the five elements, the five cognitive senses, and the five means of expression. The “mantra” (in its subtler, silent form) is that silence (not mere quiet) out of which the rest have emerged. It is experienced as the silence after a single OM, merging into objectless, sense-less awareness. Allow attention to rest in that pure stillness, the emptiness that is not empty, which contains, and is, the pure potential for manifestation, which has not manifested.

Marma and the Element regions The body can be divided into five regions relative to the five elements. We can treat the elements in the body according to the marmas in the portion that relates to them. 1) MARMAS IN THE REGION FROM THE FEET BELONG TO THE EARTH ELEMENT. Key marma: Talahridaya on the feet. 2) MARMAS IN THE REGION FROM THE KNEES TO THE ANUS BELONG TO THE WATER ELEMENT Key marma: Urvi marma on the middle of the thighs. 3) MARMAS IN THE REGION FROM THE ANUS TO THE HEART BELONG TO THE FIRE ELEMENT. Key marma: Nabhi (navel) marma on the navel. 4) MARMAS IN THE REGION FROM THE HEART TO THE MIDDLE OF THE EYEBROWS BELONG TO THE AIR ELEMENT. Key marma: Phana marma on the nostrils. 5) MARMAS IN THE REGION FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE BROWS TO THE TOP OF THE HEAD BELONG TO THE ETHER ELEMENT. Key marma: Adhipati marma on the head.

18 Point Marma- Mantra Meditation Marma Mantra Meditation technique As per Vasishta Samhita One should practice concentration by drawing one‟s Prana by the power of attention from each of these marma regions. To do this practice the following method carefully, using inhalation and exhalation at each marma region, much like flexing and relaxing of the muscles. 1. Direct your attention to your toes. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 2. Move your attention to your ankles. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 3. Move your attention to the middle of your calves. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 4. Move your attention to the base of your knees. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 5. Move your attention to the middle of your knees. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 6. Move your energy to the middle of your thighs. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 7. Move your energy to the root of your anus. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 8. Move your energy to the middle of your hips. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 9. Move your energy to the root of your urethra. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 10.Move your energy to your navel. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 11.Move your energy to your heart. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 12.Move your energy to the root of your throat. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed.

18 Point Marma- Mantra Meditation 13.Move your attention to the root of your tongue. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 14.Move your attention to the root of your nose. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 15.Move your attention to your eyes. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 16.Move your attention to the point between your brows. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 17.Move your attention to the middle of your forehead. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. 18.Move your attention to the top of the head. On inhalation, gather your energy there. On exhalation, release it. Feel this region of your body energized, healed and relaxed. In this practice one concentrates both mind and Prana in each of these regions starting with the feet. Gather your attention from one marma region to another like climbing a series of steps from the bottom of the body to the top of the body. Finally, you can hold your awareness at the top of the head in the space of the Supreme Self beyond birth and death and all suffering. However, you can also direct your breath and attention to any of these marma sites to heal that area or for specific therapeutic purposes.

OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI