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Originally Posted by Matt  I believe the manta is typically Hong-Sau (sounds like: hong saw). This should help if you are searching google for more information on this technique, though. There are many different types of meditation, it's hard to say which is "best". |
That is how Yogananda explained it for his American audience, but the actual, traditional Indian pronunciation is "hung (with a silent "g") - saa". The esoteric meaning is "I am She", or I am the Creatrix of the Universe. An alternative is "So Ham", which means "I am He". Both essentially are the same silent mantra that all living beings are connected to with each breath. It is a very simple, yet exceptionally powerful method, especially once you start transcending the actual sound of the mantra and go into deeper layers of vibration.
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It is true that being initiated by an enlightened Master is a very effective way to make a quantum jump in your meditation state, a result of "grace"; it is a shortcut to accelerated progress, as opposed to trudging along by learning meditation from books or websites.