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Thanks for your patience while I got my post together for this topic. Let me say thank you to Francesca for her beautiful post on her practice using a healing mantra of Vajrasattva. WOW-beautiful chant and mandalas! I thought your visualization was especially wonderful- I like the nectar filling up the body visual. There are many different mantras for healing and lots of information out there about healing using visualization and prayer.
The visualization method that I use that has helped me is called Mantra Powered Visualization based on the prayer of the title of Lotus Sutra. the Lotus Sutra is a sacred Buddhist teaching. I have found that it helps me control the severity of my IC pain and helps me deal with other difficult IC syntomns like depression and anxiety. I also believe it is helping me heal my body on a deep emotional/spiritual/ level. When I practice it regularly I feel calm, strong and positive in mind, heart, spirit and body. I was introduced to this method through a book titled- Modern Buddhist Healing by Charles Atkins and also his website www.spiritwell.net
Disclaimer: Though mantra powered visualization is very powerful and effective it is in no way a substitute for proper medical attention. Mantra Powered Visualization used in conjunction with good medical care may result in profound emotional and physical support.
Though Buddhist in origin it is a method that transcends religion in general but does not negate religion in any way. It can be utilized and used in harmony with any religion you practice. You do not need to become Buddhist to derive healing benefits from this practice!
Prayer/meditation can give us strength, hope, increased focus and awareness, as well as peace, pain relief from endorphin release, increased energy and a restored sense of wellbeing. When negative and scary thoughts rise up in my mind when I’m flaring or suffering in some way I use MPV to completely shift my perspective. It works on many levels – it can be quick and also works like a good Chinese medicine formula- slow deep and thorough.
A mantra is a prayer that is usually intoned (chanted aloud) in repetition. This particular prayer is pronounced Nam Mu Myoho Renge Kyo and is also known as the Odaimoku/Daimoku. pronounced (Dye-mo-koo) This prayer is the title of a sacred Buddhist teaching called The Lotus Sutra of the Mystic Law.
A little background:
A Buddhist monk named Nichiren established the widespread chanting of the lotus sutra’s title and essence, Nam Mu Myoho Renge Kyo stating that this was excellent medicine for all illnesses of body mind and spirit. What does Namu Myoho Renge Kyo mean? It is a prayer that expresses the profound inherent beauty/profound depth of life itself and through its invocation each individual may directly tap into the great illumination and unlimited good we all possess inside. Only its invocation can reveal its deeper meaning but the literal meaning is:
devotion, the fusion of one's life with the universal energy (namu); the entity of the universe and its phenomenal manifestations is the mystic law (myoho): the simultaneity of cause and effect( represented in the lotus, (renge) which is the only known flower to seed and bloom at the same time); and all phenomena and activities in life. ( kyo, (teaching). By using this meditation correctly and with faith we can arouse and make manifest the life condition of buddhahood from within. At the root of this mystic universal law is the boundless source of energy, consciousness, and synchronicity we call life. This vast power to heal and elevate consciousness already exists inside us. All we need to do is tap it and bring it out. We need no special skills or abilities to promote this healing "Mantra powered healing encourages us to imagine our bodies producing healing forces within or in some cases attracting healing forces from outside of us and in a process of mind over matter expedite the healing process. Visualize the area of the problem -perhaps first getting a quick education on what a bladder looks like and what its functions are and then using healing imagery to apply it to the health issue. (Remember words have innate power on our psyche.) At our core lives a master physician who can quicken recovery with the help of your doctor/practitioner." Modern Buddhist healing- Charles Atkins
Pronunciation of the mantra: (It is Japanese pronunciation of 5th century Chinese translation of Sanskrit)
Nam-u
Nam- as in tom and “u” rhymes with who
myo-as in mee-oh
ho- as in go
ren- as in the bird- "wren"
ge- as in gay
kyo- as in kee-oh
chanting this mantra activates the mind's focus. The mantra symbolizes the body.
Namu is our higher spiritual consciousness –crown chakra
Myo is our head-
ho is our neck
ren is our breast
ge is our stomach
kyo- is our pelvis, legs and extremities
The sounds are a vibration -a tactile and auditory energetic sensation. The sounds seem to tonify, massage and soothe the system. You can actually feel the sounds resonating in the body as you make them. The sounds of the mantra reverberate in the body each syllable corresponding to a different part of the body head to toe. For those of you familiar with the Indian chakra system – each syllable matches to a chakra center of the body as well.
How does one actually perform mantra powered visualization?
Like this...
"If you can sit up do your chanting seated in a comfy chair. If you are bedridden then lay in whatever position is most comfortable to you. Place your hands before you in front of your heart in a prayer position with all fingers/palms touching or if you are lying down place the hands one upon the other. Begin repeating namu- myo- ho- ren- ge- kyo over and over and out loud if possible. If you will disturb others or you cannot audibly speak -it is fine to inwardly silently say the mantra. To begin, concentrate on getting the pronunciation and rhythm correct. Begin chanting with identical emphasis on each word as if you were a steam engine starting out- chug...( nam-u)... chug (myo)... chug (ho)... chug (ren)...chug... (ge)... chug (kyo). Your speed will naturally increase, just like a train gathering momentum. With experience, you will decide upon the pace that is most comfortable for you. Quietly visualize the inside of your body. Thank your body and its components. The purpose of this is to help you become more in tune with your own body and facilitate the concept that the body and mind work together and your spiritual nature to restore health.
Say the first part of the mantra, Nam-u. Nam-u is the beginning word and the vibration that motivates incredibly powerful forces. Chant the word Namu imagining your body surrounded by golden light.
Moving from Nam, strongly chant the word- Myo, holding the sound for one beat. The light you imagined in Nam now moves to Myo, which corresponds to the head. Everything associated with the head is included in the word Myo. The sound, vibration, and light of Myo resound inside and about your head.
5. After holding and intoning the word Myo for one beat, you move to Ho, holding that for one beat. Ho governs the throat. Imagine the sound vibrating there. As your visualization skills improve, you might imagine light radiating inside your throat, ready to stream down throughout the rest of your body.
6. After saying Ho take a new breath and say Ren. Allowing the sound of Ren to expand in the area of the chest, hold that sound for a beat, imagining the sound and light growing in strength. Inhale.
7. Exhaling say the word Ge. Ge is the stomach and abdomen/pelvic area. hold that sound for a beat, imagining the light that has been moving down from your head and chest is now resting in your abdomen, glowing radiantly. Inhale.
8. After exhaling again, inhale and say the word Kyo with strength and vitality. Kyo is the legs, feet, arms, and hands. Allow the light to move through your body. Once again, go to the top and say the word Nam and start the process all over.
At first repeating the mantra and visualizing a healing scenario might be a little awkward and you might need to put forth some considerable effort to maintain a vision for any length of time but with practice it becomes easier to call up your imagery and sustain it. At first try just 10 minutes but as you build up stamina it is beneficial to do two 20 minute sessions a day in the morning and evening or whenever distractions are minimal. At first just master the pronunciation and then work up to simultaneously chanting and visualizing a healing scenario for the body. MVP is like vivid daydreaming. Be creative- make it fun! There are no rules and no wrong way to do it!
Allow your imagination to be the inspiration for whatever imagery you use in conjunction with chanting but know that the results are not contingent on how great or complex your visualization might be. It’s about what speaks to you. Create your mental imagery and then let go of it allowing the healing to happen. Sincerity, effort and inquisitive mind are the basis for derived benefits. There are endless scenarios that can be applied:
For me personally I have been experimenting with the right imagery for an IC condition. Lately I am visualizing a waterfall of cooling/soothing energy that runs through the top of my head down along my spine and right through my bladder- soothing and washing away the pain and toxins and healing the tissue that is inflamed. I also visualize golden light glowing inside and radiating out from my pelvis harmonizing my body systems and hormones and bowels and everything. I thank my body for all the hard work it does to support me and I pray very sincerely for complete vibrant health and visualize my body radiantly healthy in every way. I also pray sincerely for others who are in pain especially IC folks. I pray for their suffering to end and for their vibrant return to good health. I send out the healing energy of Namu myo ho ren ge kyo to anyone who needs it.
For those interested in learning more about Mantra Powered Visualization and the origins of this mantra or more about Buddhism -there is a wealth of resources out there online and lots of great books, sanghas- (Buddhist communities of practice) and teachers. Please email me if you have any questions I am still a fledging student of this practice but I will be happy to answer any question to the best of my ability or direct you to more resources and education. Peace be with you always! Thank you!
Gassho-( Hands together in respect)
Mary
Vajrasattva healing practice
http://www.euterpejones.com/video/vmsv.html. You can find a picture of Vajrasattva on Goodle images to support the practice. Beautiful Mantra of Vajrasattva sung by Dechen Shak-Dagsay on youtube.
Hi everyone. Wanted to share this practice with you in the sincere hope it may be of benefit. I go to a Tibetan Buddhist centre in London. As part of our practice we do a healing mantra which I do daily (at least 10 minutes) and have found VERY helpful in those trying times with IC. It might be a bit strange if you're not used to it but why not try it anyway? It is also fantastic for emotional trauma, like broken heart/grief. I managed to find a short explanation of it and a chant from a wonderful master above. Basically I just listened to it and read it til I learned it. First I pray that everyone may be happy and free from suffering, then I pray to Vajrasattva to purify me. I sit spaciously in meditation posture with eyes open, watching a candle and visualise Vajrasattva above my head, sending the healing nectar through the top of my head, working its way through the channels down to my bladder, purifying me, my negative emotions and restoring my energy through the four main chakra points (head, throat, heart, navel). I imagine all the illness and negativity coming out if me as black soot. Once that is complete I imagine all my body filled with the nectar like a vase, and then Vajrasattva dissolves into me and I rest in meditation. Then I dedicate the practice to the benefit of all sentient beings. It has such a powerful transformative effect the more you do it (even on the train I have it on my ipod) and when I am too tired or in pain I just listen to it and imagine Vajrasattva healing me. If you can’t visualise, just focus on the mantra and trust it’s working. It took time for me to get into the practice and I can’t always concentrate or I’m not in the mood but I do it anyway as the strength of it builds up. Also at several points in the day I imagine breathing in healing white light and breathe out negativity/illness (imagined as black smoke). Finally when I am in pain I pray that this pain may be sufficient for everybody in the world and breathe out white light to anybody suffering. This really helps to take the focus off myself. This is a simpler version of a deeper practice. Since I have had IC studying and practising Buddhism has really helped me to cope mentally with pain in general, and helped me to change my own thought patterns and reactions to it.
Thank You Francesca
I am willing to try anything. I have started doing yoga recently for my back pain. I have found a DVD that I really like. At the end of the workout the yoga instructor guides you through relaxation and meditation. He says feel a smile on your face and then he progresses through the body with visualizing a smile. I always add a smile to my bladder. Sounds a little strange but I think that this disease can bring you to a place of being willing to try a lot of unique things. If anyone is interested the DVD is Yoga for Longevity with Rod Stryker. The company that makes it is Gaiam. I bought it at one of our drugstores in Canada.
Kristeen
MPV
This sounds really powerful. Thanks for sharing and the rec for the book - I've ordered it and am expecting it tomorrow. Has great reviews on Amazon as well - always a good sign.How long have you been doing it and how long was it before you felt it was making a difference?
MPV
JaneJones,I have been chanting the mantra /studying/practicing buddhism as a spiritual practice since 2005. there was a alot of stress and upheaval in my life at the time and chanting gave me a feeling of peace,strength and the ability to see my life from a wiser view and helped me cope with the stress/chaos and changes. A friend introduced me to the practice and I saw that she was sucessfully managing her own challenges in life in a positive transformative way. Her behavior and example was encouraging to me. She told me that it was appropriate and fine to chant to improve my health and for happiness and wellbeing of myself and others. At that time I had some health issues but- my ic was still fairly managable and seemed to affect me only about a 5 days a month. I think my IC was slowly developing in me since in 2002 - (really before that too)but in these 6-7 years my IC waxed and waned randomly. In 2005, after a particularly terrible visit to the urologist both physically and emotionally painful experience I remember using my chanting/imagination to heal my inflamed urethra. I had gone to massage school and learned a bit about reiki/energy healing. After an hour? half hour? of doing this I felt better. About a month later I discovered Bomamed online. I knew it was the answer to everything but I was not ready to commit to the program and dietary restrictions. for a long time I used the mantra to help me through the bad times/challenges of shifting gears, careers and all kinds of ways. In the fall of 2007 I saw a naturapath and he and I worked on clearing out layers and layers of yeast, bacteria, virues and fungus. I truly wish I had just gone to Matia first because the naturapath did not have any experience with treating IC and was maybe giving me herbs that set off some major inflammation or maybe he just brought me to a point of cleansing that my body could not handle - or maybe it was the kick in the pants I needed to committ to Matia's program? Either way ulitmately I found my way to the right path. I also found Charles Atkins website- Spiritwell- and his book back in January 2008. In any event by May 2008 I started with Matia and it was the right thing to do. I'm still technically in the early stages but right beside those bad daysI have been recently feeling some lovely days where my pain level is jsut about blessedly absent! Sooo to answer your question I have been using the specific MPV-intense visualization since treatment with Matia and I have been doing it consistently (meaning everyday at least once but going for twice a day for at least 10-20 minutes) for about 2 months. I think the consistent element and the making it a fun, nourishing , reverent & loving to my being and enjoyable experience is key! With practice you get better! I always notice a difference afterwards in my pain levels coming down and I think it contributes overall to helping me feel better. This has been my experience. I do not wish to impose upon anyone elses or say that this way is the only way. there are many ways to heal and this one happens to work beautifully for me! follow your bliss and may you all experience the tremendous myriad healing powers of the universe and your heart. Thank you. Mary