Mantra Yoga

His first experience of awareness was his breath – he felt it descend into his lungs before moving slowly out of his nose into the pillow. He lay still, feeling his breath as he brought his attention to his body.

It felt stiff; he’d been asleep in the same position all night long. He wiggled his toes gently and stretched out his fingers as breath continued to move in and out of his lungs.

After a minute or so, he turned over onto his back. Keeping his torso in place, he stretched his arms and legs taut, releasing the stiffness and sending blood to every extremity. Bringing his knees to his chest, he rocked from side to side a few times. He then gently held his knees and rocked up and down three times before using the motion to sit up.

Releasing his knees, he stood up and stretched one more time before heading to the washroom.

He emerged twenty minutes later, freshly showered. Opening his cupboard, he pulled out a white kurta and loose white pants – his standard attire. Quietly pulling them on, he ran a comb over his thick black hair. Opening the cupboard once more, he put the comb back in place and opened the little box on the right with the carving of an elephant.

He dipped his little finger into the box and gently smeared the red powder, in a circle, between his brows.

Clicking the box shut, he put it back in place and closed the cupboard door.

The digital clock blinking beside his bed read 3:57 AM.

The only other light was the soft golden glow of his bedside lamp which he preferred to have on through the night.

Moving to the other side of the bed, he knelt in front of a small table. A single photo of a woman with long, wild, curly hair kneeling and bending over backwards was placed right in the center. From her breasts emerged a long wide flickering flame.

On one side of the photo was a tiny golden bell and on the other, a drawstring purse.

Touching his forehead to the ground, he paid obeisance. He then settled down on the cushion in front of the altar, crossing his legs, taking a meditative posture. Reaching for his drawstring purse, he pulled out a rudraskh bead mala.

As the digital clock emitted four beeps, he closed his eyes.

4:00 AM.

This was the fourth year of his sadhana - mantra meditation was something he had rebelled against, cried about and raged at when his guru had given him the instruction.

But he saw the results now. And he understood why.

Sadhana: meaning so little at one time, it was the axis around which his life revolved now.

One taste of God had been enough to drop everything and surrender.

The digital clock emitted six beeps.

He opened his eyes.

6:00 AM.

Another day had begun.