Join IAAM for a conversation with Chris Davies about Shiva and chanting the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra - महामृत्युंजयमंत्र, महामृत्युञ्जयमन्त्र - as a magical remediation strategy during eclipses.
https://astromagia-org.zoom.us/j/88985934303?pwd=azqrWpigI8jAqSQaFsWXxmN2N1vNtU.1
It’s eclipse season… again!
This conversation will continue our exploration of how contemporary astrological magicians can draw upon the Vedic tradition in a respectful manner for magical strategies to cope with the energetic challenges of the eclipses.
In the western astrological magical tradition, the advice is essentially to steer clear of the eclipses. The Nodes are thought to destabilize or exaggerate astrological influences, rendering unpredictable results magically. No day of the week, planetary hour, herb, or gem is linked to the nodes. This creates a challenge for magicians looking to remediate eclipses.
The Indian tradition offers a different framework. It is widely observed that the effects of meditation and mantra japa (chanting) are magnified 10,000-fold during an Eclipse – making this a potent and auspicious time for chanting. Although, some mantras can only be shared with individuals initiated into a particular tradition, there are other mantras in the Vedic tradition that are – for lack of a better term – open source. Any practitioner on any path at any level is welcome to chant it and to build a relationship with its sacred sound and the deity to which it is addressed.
In this conversation, Chris will introduce Shiva as a spiritual ally for eclipse season and the famous Mahamrityunjaya Mantra addressed to Shiva. Shiva is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. In his benevolent aspects, he can be portrayed as an ascetic as well as a householder with his wife and children. In his fierce aspect, he can be portrayed as a demon slayer. Shiva is known as the first Yogi and is the patron god of yoga, meditation, and the arts. Shiva is a natural starting point for beginning a journey with Vedic chanting as eclipse remediation.
The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra is one of the most potent and ancient Sanskrit mantras, which the chanter addresses to Shiva. It is a short set of phrases but must be chanted in Sanskrit, not in a modern translated language. By chanting it, the individual can enhance their mental, emotional, and spiritual health, and begin to achieve emancipation from the desires that are heightened during eclipse season.
Chris will introduce us to how to chant the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra in Sanskrit and to respectfully incorporate it into a magical practice during this upcoming eclipses. After a brief introduction, much of this session will be experiential. Chris will chant the mantra and then share how astral magicians can appropriately pronounce it and fold it into their ritual practice.
Chris Davies has a Masters Degree in Vedic Studies. Has studied Jyotish and Ayurveda under the direct guidance of traditional vedic experts whose families have practiced these traditions for hundreds of years in India. He holds this knowledge as his most precious resource as a jeweler and a student of the vedic tradition. It is his greatest joy to share this tradition with clients.