I'm looking for some books or other resources that talk specifically on why and how Mantras and Mudras work. Like, specifically why a particular set of mantra, mudra, and metal imaging brings about a particular certain effect.
This might be a vague question, and the exact information I'm looking for might not exists as I need it.
Please offer anything up that you think may help set me on the path of learning more about these subjects.
I've got recommended this book a while ago, but I've not gotten it yet.
Mudras basically work because we have nerves in our hands and these nerves are connected to other nerve-centers in our body, so by stimulating certain part of your fingers you can stimulate your entire body.
Or, if that is to new age for you.
It works by association. What does "thumbs up" really means and where does it come from? ..... It doesn't mater.
It works because you recognize it. Someone shows you a specific hand-gesture and tells you that this symbolizes 'good work'. Then a couple of weeks later when somebody asks you how your work is going, you show him " " and he understands it.
Symbols are small item that packs a larger meaning.
Or, if you want a more occult reasoning. Everything vibrates, everything that moves vibrates in some sort of frequency, words vibrate too, certain words causes good vibrations. Or even deep and holy vibrations that allows you to harmonize with the universe/god/partner/what ever floats your boat.
Desecrated wrote: I've got recommended this book a while ago, but I've not gotten it yet.
I'm not looking for a basic list of mantras and what they do (as that book appears to be).
The first reasoning you gave is the most probable, but I need more specific information.
I don't really see how that sounds "new-age", when you're using logical science.
"Why, when you press your thumb and index together, do those particular nerves have that particular effect?"
Seriously, every answer you gave *except* the first one sounds new age as hell.
There are reasons *why* they work, and specific ones. Otherwise they wouldn't still be passed down as though they were so effective.
I'm of the mindset that all things work for a reason, and not simply because people throw in the argument: "what works, works."
If anything worked because we simply thought it did, then there would be so fewer limits as to what the mundane man could do.
While I'm not denying the power of association, nor the power of symbols over-all, mudras are not either of those things.
Almost every traditional mudra is assigned with a mantra (which has its own associations) and visualization practice, and only work properly when all three things are done in tandem. I want to know why.
Something about mantras is here.
It is important to use mantra correctly.
Translating, "mantra" is an incantation. A "mudra" is a talisman.
Bardon talks about Mudras in the IIH when he discusses Gestures, and he talks about Mantras in his Kabbalah book.
Bardon's interpretation of a Mudra is pretty different from the mainstream understanding though, and from what I remember he doesn't go into the mechanics of either interpretation in much depth.
To clarify a few things for some people trying to help me. Mantra = Sound, Mudra = Motion.
For a proper meditation ritual (by my research) you require three things: Mantra, Mudra, and Mind.
Mind is the associated visualizations, and the contemplation on the mantra and mudra.
Certain mudra *belong* with certain mantra, and are not to be used except for their designated purpose. Some mudra are more universal.
I'm particularly interested in this subject because I would like to develop my own unique mantra and mudra and empower it for a purpose (over time, of course).
I have a strong feeling understanding Chinese medicine and acupuncture are very good topics to get me headed off.
If you're going to stick with the Mantra and Mudra terminology, Ayurveda will do you more good than TCM.
It's true that certain mudras and mantras are important, but I think you're over complicating it a little. You're not initiated into those, and I'm not sure you're even initiated into those paradigms. So, if you want to create your own mantras and mudras, you can just make your own gestures and incantations and establish in your mind what those represent.
As an example, I've charged the gesture of snapping my fingers to "release" a charge of energy, so that it is easy for me to simply focus on a particular spell, inhale a charge of life force, and then snap my fingers to release the spell to fulfill the purpose that I want. This isn't something I learned from another paradigm or was instructed on by a teacher, I took a gesture that has meaning to me, created a metaphysical association between the physical gesture and a metaphysical action, and thus a psychological trigger was created.
Mantras can be done the same way. They are Incantations, and although Formulas have very notable power and I use them plenty, you can also just use simple plain old English. Yesterday I was having some issues meditating, so I decided to meditate with a mantra instead. So I said "I am Love, I am Light, I am Peace" slowly, repeatedly, and with intent. The result of that meditation has me still feeling good, even a day later.
Magick is simple. Ayurveda can explain to you the way Prana flows through the body and how you can change that flow with hand positions, but you don't need that knowledge to do stuff that works, especially if your goal is to create your own gestures.
Shinichi wrote: As an example, I've charged the gesture of snapping my fingers to "release" a charge of energy, so that it is easy for me to simply focus on a particular spell, inhale a charge of life force, and then snap my fingers to release the spell to fulfill the purpose that I want. This isn't something I learned from another paradigm or was instructed on by a teacher, I took a gesture that has meaning to me, created a metaphysical association between the physical gesture and a metaphysical action, and thus a psychological trigger was created.
that's funny - i'm using the snapping of the fingers to get me back in my body, here and now, completely... it was a purely pragmatical decision, to programme myself to this, and i find it to be quite effective.
...as to creating "mudras": i just started to add some kind of hand-weaving-dance to my daily practise of overtone-chanting.
Shinichi wrote: If you're going to stick with the Mantra and Mudra terminology, Ayurveda will do you more good than TCM.
Over-complicating things is my specialty.
Please keep in mind, this information is just as much for knowledge of theory as it is for practice, if not more so.
I have made a couple mudras of my own without using any knowledge of how they work, but there's a clear difference between the power of my own empowered gesture and the power of those which have been used so repeatedly over the ages.
For instance, I use a simple combination of three gestures to charge my hands with vital energy instantly, for use in whatever I might need that for. However, there is a particular Ayurvedic mudra (I cannot remember the name of it) that can be used for practically the same thing, and even when I perform the mudra on accident I get it's effects.
I know that I *can* do things in a more simple way, but why bother, when I can learn the knowledge to do it proper, and in an advanced format?
It's always a better spell when there is more force than your simple belief that it works going into play. Not that I discredit the power of placebo, but nonetheless, proper is better.