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The best way to time the breathing, once some little skill has been
acquired, with a watch to bear witness, is by the use of a mantra. The
mantra acts on the thoughts very much as Pranayama does upon the
breath. The thought is bound down to a recurring cycle; any intruding
thoughts are thrown off by the mantra, just as pieces of putty would be
from a fly-wheel; and the swifter the wheel the more difficult would it
be for anything to stick.
This is the proper way to practise a mantra. Utter it as loudly and
slowly as possible ten times, then not quite so loudly and a very little
faster ten times more.
Continue this process until there is nothing but
a rapid movement of the lips ; this movement should be continued with
increased velocity and diminishing intensity until the mental muttering
completelyabsorbs the physical.
The student is by this time absolutely
still, with the mantra racing in his brain; he should, however, continue
to speed it up until he reaches his limit, at which he should continue
for as long as possible, and then cease the practice by reversing the
process above described.
Any sentence may be used as a mantra, and possibly the Hindus are
correct in thinking that there is a particular sentence best suited to any
particular man.
Some men might find the liquid mantras of the Quran
slide too easily, so that it would be possible to continue another train of
thought without disturbing the mantra; one is supposed while saying