Wow, great response, Yogani.
Farooq, welcome. If you have a chance, give this a read:
http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=167
and
http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=168
Hi again:
Great topic links, Jim.
Farooq, it can also be mentioned that “allah” is phonetically similar to “namah,” which is in the 2nd and 3rd AYP mantra enhancements. As discussed in lesson #188, “namah” is added “for its syllables (lengthening), and as a traditional transition in mantra repetitions. It resonates ecstatically in the heart, cultivating bhakti, and has a purifying effect throughout the nervous system.”
We do not start with “namah” as a beginning mantra because it is necessary to prepare the nervous system for the additional heart opening it brings, as well as for the additional syllables. From the AYP perspective, perhaps “allah” would fit as a replacement for “namah” at that stage. It is just a possibility – not tested for longevity here. But perhaps a reasonable approach that is in the direction of the AYP style of mantra progression.
It is not recommended to jump straight to mantra enhancements in AYP. Better to follow the guidelines in the lessons. If we go too soon, it can be unsettling, like shifting gears in a manual transmission car prematurely.
Food for thought… 
The guru is in you.
Thank you Yogani and Jim for your Kind and thoughtful reponses.
Since my first post I had a chance to go deep in meditation using Allah both in the evening and daytime. It was very nice.
Still, I deeply respect the work that you have done and shall now focus on IAM as i still regard myself as a novice of all this stuff.
I look to dive deeper
Thank you all
peace and smiles
Farooq,
Osho in Book of Secrets says “Allah” is the best name of God going, and is an amazing mantra.
The way he was discussing it was in the context of a mantra to be used in more of a pranayama context as it entices a very relaxed exhalation to be done vocally or subvocally.
Making a distinction between pranayama and meditation is something I’ve just recently picked up from AYP, and perhaps it could be useful in this case too.
-Yoda
Hi Jim,
I really liked reading your experience with prostrating
There is a very poignant passage in the’Secrets of Wilder’ that reienforces how profound prostrating is:
“He lay heaving in emotion on the floor. Desperate longing swept over
him again and again, and he began to weep. He pulled himself up on his
knees, into a prostrate position with his forehead on the rug. His arms lay
on the rug wrapped around his head. He rocked forward and back.
I AM, I AM, I AM…
He let go … his intention slipped inward.”
very sweet stuff
peace and smiles
Hey Master Yoda, nice to see you here
The book that you mentioned above, was that the same book that ‘awakened’ Michael Winn? I have to check it out one of these days.
Right now I’m giving time to both iam and allah. Since i also pray 5x a day i chant (ziker in Arabic) allah after prayer for a few minutes. iam is done in the morning and evening.
There is definately a different vibration that each has - allah is more ‘heavier’ and iam is ‘lighter’
So far so good
peace and smiles
farook said:
>> Right now I’m giving time to both iam and allah. Since i also pray 5x a day i chant (ziker in Arabic) allah after prayer for a few minutes. iam is done in the morning and evening.
>> There is definately a different vibration that each has - allah is more ‘heavier’ and iam is ‘lighter’
Farooq,
let me offer you some more perspective on choosing your mantra.
>> The iam mantra really resonates with me, but as a muslim, my heart is telling me to substitute it for… al la (In Arabic, Allah means The One).
‘Meditation’ as meant in AYP is not at all the same thing as prayer. By all means, if you are a muslim, it makes sense that your heart is telling you to use the name Allah in prayer.
Mind you, there are many schools and traditions that blur the distinction between meditation and prayer. This means that they are using different language to what we are using when they say ‘meditation’. It is a thing to be very aware of.
If you understand that our meditation is not prayer at all, will your heart still tell you to use the name Allah in it?
Let me make an analogy. If you heard of an activity called ‘washing our clothes’ in which we add washing powder to the washing machine, you would have no inclination to subsititue the name of Allah for the washing powder. However, if because of ambiguity, this was described as ‘praying’ rather than ‘washing our clothes’, there might be a feeling that the name of Allah should be involved somewhere… It might sound absurd to call ‘washing our clothes’, ‘praying’ but not necessarily so — what if there was an ancient ritual which involved washing the clothes and praying at the same time, and it was called ‘prayer’. We alter this ritual, separating the prayer away, and doing it a different time, and just wash the clothes when they need to be washed… and suppose the ‘washing the clothes’ still has the association of ‘prayer’ for many people, because there are many traditions which still do the clothes-washing and the prayer at the same time…
I think if you understand the spirit and philosophy of this mantra yoga, according to AYP, and understand that it is not prayer, you may take a view that Allah no more ‘wants’ you to subsitute the name of Allah in your mantra yoga than wants you put the name of Allah into your washing machine, rather than the washing powder.
The mantras have a specific organic function, just as the washing powder does. The washing powder is not designed or chosen to be ‘holy’ or godly — neither is the mantra. No more than washing powder, or a spring for your bed, or oil for your car – the good mantras are works of good engineering, not works of piety.
And regarding Rajneesh’s comments about ‘Allah’ as a mantra, I’d take Yogani’s advice here before Rajneesh’s. Ask yourself which of the two of them wrote the best, most-integrated and complete set of yoga practices?
Cheers,
-D
Hi David,
Thank you for your thoughtful advice.
I like your washing powder analogy very much
I agree with you that the AYP meditation is different from my prayer. So as i mentioned earlier, i am now not using allah in the ayp meditation.
What i realized from AYP is that chanting is very powerful, and since i pray anyways, i’ve started putting more emphasis in chanting at the end of my prayer. And by emphasis, i mean that i am being more ‘mindful’ (ie. not thinking about who won last nights hockey game)as i do it.
Ultimately, i think that both prayer and meditation( if done with a true heart) even though they are different techniques or paths; they lead to the same destination: the Source of all that is.
Your point on Rajneesh is well taken 
He was quite the controversial figure wasnt he?
Well, thank you once again for your insight on what i am going through as i get more into AYP.
I must say i feel priviledged to be learning stuff that is so wonderful for my mind body and soul.
All the best David
peace and smiles
Osho’s Book of Secrets is an amazing work, and AYP references it, but it doesn’t hold a candle to AYP itself. It’s free online, and a fun read.
Thanks guys.
Yes, Osho is one hell of a mix of Light and Shadow. He didn’t do either in half-measures!
Yoda, is the full text of The Book of Secrets free online somewhere?
-D
Hi Yogani,[quote]
I have some reservations about trying to peg the pronunciation of the mantra exactly. It is fine to offer some suggestions, written or oral, but you should keep in mind that the mantra is yours and best kept internal to your process of deep meditation. This is part of why traditional mantra initiations are often kept secret. The personal internal aspect of it is pretty important. Otherwise, we can be digging things up too much.
[/quote]I hesitate to ask the question given your above response, but anyway I am seeking clarificatin on the correct pronunciation of OM in the second mantra enhancement …
In the second mantra enhancement ‘SHREE OM SHREE OM I AM I AM NAMAH’ as a starting point when we first move from the first to the second enhancement in our practice how is OM pronounced.
- Is the O in OM pronounced with a long ‘o’ like ‘show’ or
- Is the O in OM pronounced like ‘aw’ in saw.
- or neither, something else ?
Thanks,
Thomas
Hi Thomas:
It can be either, according to your choice. Some go for the ooo…, and others go for the aaww…
It was discussed in some detail beginning here: http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3473&whichpage=2#30249
Pronunciation is less important than the systematic refinement of the mantra to stillness in deep meditation. If pronunciation is focused on too much, the refinement can be disrupted as the mind keeps grasping for the object near the surface. Meditation is the dissolving of the mantra to stillness/samadhi over and over again. So pick your starting point and go. It will be faint and fuzzy soon enough, and that is good.
If I offer a particular starting pronunciation, someone is sure to get overly concerned about this, and no one should. So the advice is to make it your own … it will be very good.
Enjoy!
The guru is in you.
Hi Yogani,
Thanks … that clears things up … much appreciated.
Thomas 