Mantras and Me

If you had engaged me in a conversation about mantras or anything spiritual or religious twenty years ago then I would most likely have taken the mickey out of you unless I thought that it would offend.

That perspective changed for me when I encountered illness during my late twenties and it wasn't because I needed a prop or a structure it was more of an unexpected "awakening" which I struggled to control and harness for an extended period of a few years. 

Fortunately I am surrounded by earthy and tolerant people who reminded me when I was venturing a bit too far "off into the woods".  The result was that I kept my feet on the ground, learned a lot and developed substantially a person.  During this period I chose largely to articulate my thoughts through established media.  The practice of DJing and some of the poetry I wrote in my thirties are examples of how I applied myself in harnessing my thoughts

It isn't the purpose of this blog to relate my beliefs, especially as I like to grow and change them as I see fit. Rather it is my intention to relate my experience as I journey through illness.

It is inevitable though that the way I write about my illness is affected by the way that I think about things and I think it worth writing a little on an aspect of my spiritual behaviour that has had practical and useful application for me over the last few months.  It is especially relevant because I am starting to apply it again after a period where my focus has really been on just getting through each day with the minimum of discomfort.

Whether it has a beneficial affect on my illness is difficult to quantify but what it has done, thus far, is to help to keep me centred and focused on what is on my plate right now.
The methods I use are self-propagated though they have influences from lots of different philosophies.  That isn't important.  What is relevant is that the fact that having method and structure can be of good service when dealing with an illness that runs for a length of time.  I feel this to be true regardless of an individual's beliefs.  It may not even be a philosophy or belief it may just be a passion that helps a person to rise above the grinding presence of illness.

Over the next few posts I am going to focus on my use of my personal mantra, which I designed about 13 to 14 years ago without really understanding it.  The process of understanding it has been part of my recent experience.  I have aleady published it on these pages as a poem.