Idol Worship
In ancient times before the birth of other major religions; seers, saints and hermits assisted god by using their divine powers to guide mankind. It was a time when people were less intelligent compared now. For those who ask the question why? You must understand that like the fate of humans; time section of this world too has its fate.
People were unable to accept anything easily without seeing it. To make matters easy, great divine ones meditate to visualise the various powers of god in forms that resulted in "idol worship". As part of nature, there is an invisible link to the powers in our body with the external. This is the first step in self-realization.
We know that our thoughts are always running wild like a horse or swinging here and there like a monkey. Worshipping the power of god in the form of an idol in one way helped to steady the mind. Simultaneously the power in our body becomes energized during that process.A steady improvement in this simplified worship made way for the growth of love (god) and kindness. It increased the feeling for unity, social service and motivated us more to serve god with the sense of belonging. It discouraged bad thoughts and false acts due to the feeling of guilty consciousness.
Howeve,r as time goes by, some people used 'idol' worship to make a good income. Some used it to control others and some invented new "idols" to become important and popular. Innocent people were mostly affected in believing anything used in the name of God. Malpractice by some had given a very bad impression about our rituals and believes.
Mantra
Mantras recited in the form of sound expressions are the next step in self-realisation. "OHM" is the first sound for the beginning of creation and as such "ohm" is pronounced first before continuing with other mantras. Example "Ohm Namasivaya" "Ohm Sakthi"etc. If you have a closer look at the baby in the womb, you can see that the baby is in the positioned of "Ohm".
Like the radio station transmission, the reciting of mantras travels in air internally (breath) and externally. How it works? Well, at times it is like feeling hungry by the smell of good food even without seeing it. Mantras are like tools that can be used for protection, good and bad purposes. Individuals are responsible for their own action.
The blessings (power) from the guru are transmitted to his disciples in this method. Some mantras are used to arouse the activation points in our body. Mantras are recited basically in 3 ways. One way is to recite loudly for others to hear. Another way is to recite softly for the person himself to hear and one way is to recite by heart. The last method is vital for self-purification. A person must have faith and commitment while reciting any mantras for it to become active.
The mantra of our soul is "Ahmmsa". It is linked to the breath inhaled and exhaled. If you concentrate on the sound of the breath you can hear yourself. One can recite this mantra by heart to control the breath. It has been proved that the proper control of breath will extend our life span. Similarly it helps in meditation practices too.
Yoga
YOU AND YOUR BODY
The first two stages above concentrates more to external type of worship. Yoga emphasises in exploring the powers in our body.
It teaches one to see god within as the soul.
At times when you try to convince someone to upgrade themselves to higher stages of prayers they will feel that it is not the right way for them.
This is because their mind is not ready for salvation on that life. It makes such people feel out of place as they feel comfortable in their materialistic life. Their sins in past life will obstruct them till they have reached the right time or life.
There are many types of yoga. Breathing practices should be done before yoga and meditation. It cleans the lungs and clears bad air. It improves blood circulation, cures stress and nervousness. Much oxygen reaches the brain and other parts of the body in this process.
LAYA YOGA
The speech, mind and the sound of the "Ohm" will be blended together in meditation. This stage reveals the union of jeevathma (soul) and paramathma (supreme soul).
MANTRA YOGA
Reciting the mantra meant for salvation by heart and mind. It means that you will recite the mantra within you all the time amidst daily duties.
HATHA YOGA
This is the process of cleaning the body, nerves and veins. The breathing practices are used to bring up the "kundalini" power from the tip of the backbone to the crown of the head. Health problems and laziness in us can be cleared.
RAJA YOGA
Controlling the thoughts with divine knowledge. Bringing the "kundalini" power up to the head. For this process, eight steps of rules are to be practiced.
a. To accept the right thoughts
b. To ignore the wrong thoughts
c. Proper sitting position to practice yoga
d. Breathing practices
e. Able to centralize the powers
f. Charging the internal powers within the body to increase
g. Meditation to control the thoughts
h. "Samathi" a coma stage when you become motionless with the mind united with God.
KUNDALINI YOGA
Awakening of kundalini power is Kundalini yoga. It reveals the capability and power of an individual person. It gives the feeling of everlasting joy during the union with supreme god or cosmic power. This is a stage when one can win over death as experienced by divine ones. All the yoga practices have a part for Kundalini yoga as it is achieved by proper breathing practices.
THE 7 CHAKRAS
The 1st is called Mulatharam found near the tip of the backbone tail. The ruling deity is Ganesha.
The 2nd is called Suvaathistaanam found near the private area. The ruling deity is Brahma. The element earth is centralised in this part.
The 3rd is called Manipuragam found near the navel area. The ruling deity is Vishnu. The element water is centralised in this part.
The 4th is called Ahnahatha found in the heart area. The ruling deity is Ruthiran. The element fire is centralised is this part.
The 5th is called Visuthi found in the area above the rib cage below the throat end. The ruling deity is Maheswaran. The element air is centralised in this part.
The 6th is called Anchana found in between the eyebrows.The ruling deity is Iswaran.The element sky is centralised in this part.
The 7th is called Sagesraram found in the kaabalam area, the top part of the head. The ruling deity is Paramathma.
A person has to go through all this stages to be proclaimed as human god.
It has been said that there are still another three stages above Sagesraram to be proclaimed as an incarnation of god.
When the kundalini power reaches each centralised point, a person can hear sounds inside their ears like thunder, roar of sea, jingling bells, running water, buzzing bees, flute and veenai.
