Ram (rhymes with “mom”) is a classic mantra. Mantra means that which nurtures the mind. Mind, in this context, is the activity of the individual consciousness. When the mind wanders, its tendency is toward negativity and fear. Then the natural, spontaneous flow of conscious energy becomes contracted, and the individual feels himself an isolated being in a vast, external, uncaring universe.
Through mantra repetition, the mind becomes balanced between the opposites of aggression and passivity. Once the balance is achieved, the mind becomes a platform on which the soul can sit, stand, dance, or fly. But the mind must be balanced before any realization of the soul can take place.
Ram is a unique mantra. Its nature is fire. The internal fire of a person radiates the degree of his love, his very life. The Ram mantra causes the internal fire to blaze large and bright.
Upanishad literally means “To sit near.” There are yogic texts classified as Upanishads that are considered to be Vedanta, “The conclusion of wisdom.” The wisdom contained in the texts guides the aspirant to overcome suffering, develop devotion and wisdom, and become liberated from the cycle of birth and death. “Sitting near” refers to the traditional style of teaching, whereby a teacher and student spoke to one another in an intimate manner. Intimacy in a relationship is often a prompt for deep truth to arise.
Ram Ram
Part 1: Dialogue with the Guru
The sincere aspirant approached his guru and the following dialogue took place.
Q. What is Ram?
A. Ram is supreme name of the Supreme Being.
Q. What does Ram mean?
A. Love relishing love.
Q. Is Ram a mantra?
A. Ram is the Universal Self in sound form.
Q. What happens when an aspirant repeats Ram?
A. The Ram vibration overcomes the fear vibration.
Q. When Ram is in my mind, am I repeating or listening?
A. Just Ram, no mind to ask questions.
Q. When Ram being repeated, who is the “I” who is repeating?
A. Then Ram has not yet submerged the “I.”
Q. Should Ram be repeated in chakras?
A. Within every cell.
Q. How should I repeat Ram while meditating?
A. As a dance.
Q. How should I repeat Ram while active in the world?
A. Absorbed in stillness.
Q. Some teachings say focus on silence?
A. Ram is the silencer of what needs to be silenced.
Q. Does one need a guru to realize Ram?
Yes, the jiva (individual soul) needs help. No, Ram is all-powerful.
Q. What prevents the aspirant from enjoying Ram?
A. Hurry, worry, fear, and self-doubt.
Q. Why do we have these obstacles?
A. Due to inhibition.
Q. Why do we have inhibition?
A. Ram’s will.
Q. Why should Ram will this?
A. No cocoon, no butterfly.
Q. How should an aspirant deal with worldly problems?
A. Humor.
Q. Why humor?
A. For Ram, problems aren’t a big deal.
Q. They seem like a big deal?
A. Ram dissolves the seed of all problems.
Q. What is karma?
A. Accept responsibility.
Q. But what is karma?
A. Where there is Ram there is no karma.
Q. What can I do about selfish desires?
A. They are negative patterns of energy.
Q. But what can I do about the pain they produce?
A. Ram reveals it is hopeless.
Q. Hopeless?
A. Yes, hopeless to expect negativity can produce a positive result.
Q. How can I improve the world?
A. Stop imposing on others.
Q. How can I help people who are suffering?
A. Your Ram can heal their pain.
Q. How can I become more spiritual?
A. Repeat Ram without becoming more spiritual.
Q. I do not understand?
A. Play Ram, no other role.
Q. I still don’t understand?
A. Ram does not stand under the mind.
Q. Is Ram related to Aum?
A. Ram is Aum in lila (playful) form.
Q. Is Ram related to Krishna, Jesus, and other religions?
A. Ram is the sound vibration essence of the soul of all beings.
Q. Is Ram also Mother?
A. Mother, father, wealth, and knowledge
Q. How should an aspirant repeat Ram?
A. As per guru’s instruction, with no deviations. As per one’s personal intuition and experience.
Q. Who is Hanuman (God’s servant)?
A. One’s true Self.
Q. You said Ram is the Self?
A. Ram is ocean, Hanuman is wave.
Q. Is Ram the same or different for different beings?
A. Ram is eternally Ram, yet eternally changing.
Q. Is Ram the imminent God?
A. Ram is creator, preserver, and destroyer. Ram does everything.
Q. Is Ram the transcendent God?
Ram is beyond. Ram does nothing.
Q. What form should I worship God?
Ram is all forms and no forms.
Q. Why should I believe all this?
A. Go beyond all attempts at security.
Q. Will I ever become enlightened?
A. When the one who wants to become enlightened is replaced with Ram.
Part 2: Dialogue with Death
The sincere aspirant approached Death and the following dialogue took place.
Q. Who are you?
A. The great devourer.
Q. The devourer of what?
A. Of everything within time and space.
Q. Does this include me?
A. Only your posessions, relationships, body and mind.
Q. Is this impending loss why I feel depressed?
A. No.
Q. Then why am I depressed?
A. Because you have not found that which transcends time and space.
Q. What is transcendent?
A. Divine love.
Q. What is divine love?
A. Unconditional upliftment.
Q. Who knows such a love?
A. The yogis.
Q. What do the yogis do with this love?
A. They squander it on the unaware and the unappreciative.
Q. How can I find this love?
A. By finding that which I cannot devour.
Q. If I find this love, what will you do?
A. Transform.
Q. Transform into what?
A. Into your teacher and healer.
Q. Why must you exist?
A. To answer your questions.
Q. Can’t my questions be answered by someone more pleasant?
A. Impossible.
Q. Why is this impossible?
A. Because you want pleasant answers, and I deal with truth.
Q. What is the truth?
A. That only by listening to me you can find eternal life.
Q. What if I really don’t want eternal life, if I want the pleasant in this life?
A. Then you’ll find someone else to ask your questions.
Q. If I decide I want eternal life, how should I proceed?
A. Use your life to develop wisdom and devotion.
Q. What is wisdom?
A. Recognizing that nothing in time and space is forever yours.
Q. What is forever mine?
A. Eliminate whatever has a beginning, as it will have an end. Find what remains.
Q.What is devotion?
A. Recognizing the obstructions to love.
Q. What are these obstructions?
A. Eliminate whatever seems to provide security. Find what remains.
Q. Why am I afraid of you?
A. Because you don’t understand we have the same will.
Q. What is this will?
A. That you become free of me.
The Great Trinity
The contemporary Zen Master, John Daido Lori, has said that for an aspirant to progress on the spiritual path he or she will need Great
