MANTRA DATA                                              MANTRA02.TXT
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       Spiritual words or mantras can also be used, if one is inclined, which
       help by their spiritual sound vibrations. (Man means mind and tra means
       to deliver, thus mantra means to deliver the mind.) For instance, ham
       (pronounced hong like song) and sah (pronounced like saw). Ham is
       mentally chanted on the inhalation and sah on the exhalation. Besides
       their intrinsic benefit through their particular sound vibration, ham
       and sah also have meanings. Ham means "I" and sah means "He" or "that",
       the translation being that "I am He", or "I am That", allowing us to
       recognize our union with the spiritual nature. Another meaning of the
       words combined, hamsa, is swan. In the Vedic literature, the swan is a
       symbol of spiritual life, as it is seen peacefully swimming on placid
       lakes. The swan is also said to be able to separate milk from water,
       drinking the milk and leaving the water behind. This is meant to be
       analogous to living in the world enjoying the higher material and
       spiritual things of life, while leaving the lower material elements
       behind.