If I had to have a favorite mantra –
I think this may be the one. This mantra was handed down to my Guru, ParmahansaYogananda from his teacher. Loosely translated, it means “striving, striving, behold”. The mantra is not meant to be a forceful mantra to encourage the harshness of work and work and then receive, but something more softer and kinder. It is meant to be a lullaby when you really feel you cannot keep going, when you feel all your efforts are unnoticed or that you just cannot keep going. It is a reminder from the Highest Source, that you are moving forward – even if it feels you are not. It is a reassuring whisper from Divinity” I see you, I notice you, you will become”.
“BanokBanok Ban Jai”
holds layers of lessons. The first part is to remind us that most things in life, and especially difficult things, require endurance. There will be times you have to just keep pushing. You will want to sit down and give up – but deep down you know that will do nothing. So instead you must endure. You must keep giving effort, you must stay with your morals, you have to try to keep believing, you have to try tokeep doing. All that is asked is to the best you can. Nothing more, nothing less. Where there is effort – progression is occurring. It may be small effort – with small progression, but something is happening. The second layer of Banok is patience. ERRRR Patience. We must remind ourselves greatness does not appear quickly. It happens after endurance, and to be honest after lots and lots of endurance. Greatness happens after many mistakes. The mistakes were part of the education. Patience is there to teach us faith. True honest faith. We have to keep believing in ourselves, believing that goodness does prevail and the effort does produce. We must plow the fields, pull the weeds, endure the aches and pains and sit with true patience. The type of patience that only comes with faith. BanokBanokBan Jai
There have been so many times in my life I have felt like all my work went un-rewarded, that all my efforts produced nothing. I have felt that I just could not endure one more day of feeling tired, poor or alone. Or times that I felt like life was just plain old unfair. But then I remember the mantra. The mantra whispered like a lullaby, it is going to be OK, effort alwaysbeholds. Hang in there, keep going, keep believing. BanokBanok Ban Jai. Today hear this sweet mantra. It’s meant to feel good, like a caress from the Ancient Mother herself, reminding you to keep going, because you will one day BEHOLD. And then…..you will truly understand endurance, patience and faith. To everyone out there today that needs to hear this…..BanokBanok Ban Jai!!!! I believe in this mantra, I believe that kindness and good character prevails, I believe in dreams and I believe in you. BanokBanok Ban Jai