The Vedic Era

 

Mantra, Mystery, and the Sound of the Sacred

After the mists of prehistory, the next great milestone in the story of meditation arises in ancient India, with the Vedic civilization, dating from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE. The Vedas, among the oldest sacred texts in the world, offer us the first written records of meditative practice … although it’s likely these teachings were passed down orally long before being actually transcribed.

The Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas, and it’s a collection of hymns, mantras, and invocations to the divine. Far from mere ritual chanting, these sonic offerings were designed to bring the practitioner closer to Brahman – the infinite, formless reality that underlies all existence.

Meditation during this era wasn’t about silence or stillness alone; it was about attuning oneself to the frequency of the cosmos, using sound as a bridge between the human and the divine.

These early practices gave rise to what we now call Mantra Meditation, where repetition of sacred syllables (such as Omor So Hum) guides the mind inward. The emphasis was on shruti – “that which is heard.” In the Vedic worldview, sacred sound was not composed but received, echoing the belief that all wisdom exists in the universe, waiting to be heard by those who listen deeply.

Through sound, breath, fire, and stillness, the sages of the Vedic period cultivated inner alignment with universal truth. And while the elaborate fire rituals of the Vedic priests (yajnas) may no longer be practiced in modern households, you will still find them in ashrams around the world, and the meditative use of mantra continues to ripple through time.

Meditation Practice: Vedic Mantra Repetition

One of the simplest and most profound practices to emerge from the Vedic era is Japa – the meditative repetition of a mantra.

“Let a man meditate on the syllable Om, called the Udgitha. For the Udgitha is sung beginning with Om.” – Chandogya Upanishad, c. 800 BCE

This practice involves silently or audibly repeating a mantra, often with the aid of a mala (a string of 108 beads). The repetition is not mechanical, but deeply intentional … each syllable a vibration intended to purify the mind and open the heart to divine presence.

You might begin by choosing a simple mantra such as:

• Om – the primordial sound of creation
• So Hum – “I am That”
• Om Shanti – “Peace”

Find a comfortable seat. Soften your gaze or close your eyes. Begin to repeat the mantra softly, then silently. Let the sound draw your awareness inward, gently dissolving the edges of thought. Allow the vibration to become the breath, the body, the space between.

This is not concentration, but surrender.

The mantra holds you.

You return to it each time the mind wanders – like returning to the thread of a song.

“When the sound is absorbed into silence, the mind finds its source.”
— Swami Sivananda

“I began my mantra practice early in my meditation journey, inspired by the Buddhist community that shaped much of my practice in my twenties. My first mantra was a very traditional Buddhist one. Some years later, in a more contemporary meditation setting, my then-teacher offered me two personal mantras … each suited to a different style of practice.

Today, my morning meditation is guided by a traditional Hindu mantra that, over the years, has become a warm and familiar companion. It always seems to confidently take my hand and gently lead me into deeper stillness. I love my mantra practice! “- Sarah, Quiet Mind Meditation

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Type of Meditation: Mantra / Vedic Meditation
Root Tradition: Vedic Hinduism
Key Region: India
Rough Timeframe: 1500 BCE – Present