*This post was written 2 days ago, after the eclipse. I didn’t get to posting it then. Mercury and I were having tea and lost track of Saturn 😉
This morning on my front step, I completed my meditation by chanting the short form of the heart sutra mantra 9 times.
Om gate
gate paragate
parasamagate
bodhi swaha
Today is an eclipse day and it is said (by who? not sure), but it is said that chanting one mantra during an eclipse is like chanting 1 million mantras.
Even though the eclipse was technically last night (I chanted then too: the Gyatri Mantra), I figured the energy is like that of a full moon…the window opens as you get closer and begins to close as you move away. Giving you time to bask in the blessings.
I had meant to chant 8 times for abundance. I usually do 9 times as I’ve been taught over years of qigong practice. And, as practice would have it, I realized, as I touched my fourth finger to my thumb in counting, I’d passed 8.
I took a moment to reflect on the meaning of 9
Royalty. My teacher said 9 is the number of royalty. And then I wondered, what does it feel like to treat yourself regally, honouring yourself.
Just as I finished the last of the 9 recitations and the thought above, I heard this word: ATMAN
I’d heard it before but had no idea of its meaning. I wanted to dart back inside and google it immediately!
But, I steadied myself and opened further to allow the meaning to unfold for me.
Atman, I repeated several times as it deepened.
Atman. I saw my true self. My shining self. My inner being of light (though this inner being is not contained within and is not small).
Atman. I saw all the shining selves of others. Pinks, whites, blues and green lights. So many beautiful and brilliant true selves! All connected.
Atman. I smiled as I felt the energy of this truth.
I inhaled deeply, still smiling, drawing my hands into prayer at my heart.
Namasté.
The Atman in me bows to the Atman in you.
I leave it to you to google. Or not.
Stephanie Hrehirchuk - Author 