WHAT IS A MANTRA? WHY WE CHANT MANTRAS IN YOGA PRACTICE?

 

 

Mantra is pure power in sound form. The word mantra comes from the ancient Sanskrit language and has two parts: man, which is the root of the Sanskrit word for mind; and tra, which is the root of the word instrument. A mantra is therefore an instrument of the mind. Mantras, come in all shapes and sizes. They can be composed of sentences, single words, or even single syllables.  Mantras guide and protect the mind. They help to guide your awareness to a place that is quiet and still.

The ancient seers identified all the primordial vibrations or mantras that make up the universe and these were eventually recorded in the Vedas.

Silently repeating a mantra as you meditate is a powerful way to enter the silence of the mind. As you repeat the mantra, it creates a mental vibration that allows the mind to experience deeper levels of awareness

At the beginning of each yoga class, in order to raise the room's energy as well as to relax, focus and uplift our mind, we recite some Sanskrit mantras.  At the end of a yoga class, to keep with us the energy protection and blessings acquired through the practice, we repeat some mantras too. That is a way in which we express our gratitude to our gurus, teachers and the knowledge of yoga.

In my yoga clases I usually repeat with my students the following:

OPENING  MANTRAS

Om Gumganapataje Namaha
Om Gumgurupyo Namaha
Om Ganeshaya Namaha
Om Namah Sivaya Gurave

Sat Chid Ananda Murtaye

Nisprapanchaya Shantaya

Sri Sivanandaya Te Namaha

Sri Vishnu Devanandaya Te Namaha

Om Sarva Mangala Mangalye
Shive Sarvatha Sadhike
Sharanye Tryambake Gauri
Naraayani Namostute
Naraayani Namostute

Om Shantih Shantih Shantih

 CLOSSING MANTRAS

Asato Ma Sat Gamaya

Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya
Mrityor Mamritam Gamaya

Om Purnamadah Purnamidam

Purnat Purnamudachyate

Purnasya Purnamadaya

Purnameva Vashishyate

Om Shantih Shantih Shantih

Om Peace Peace Peace

 

There is a natural fear to the unknown, that´s why we create resistance to what we don´t understand.  Some yoga students are not appealed by the nature and symbolism of mantra chanting.  There are many beginners that come to yoga for “the physical part” and they have an inner rejection for the “spiritual part. They have prejudices and preconceived ideas that associates mantra chanting with religious or mystic rituals, ignoring, mental and physical benefits. Many accept the mantras as an ornament, but they don’t recognize yet the purpose or the importance it could have in their Yoga practice. This is something normal. The new students need some time to allow themselves to put aside the prejudices and the preconceived, and be open to experience mantra chanting from the observance of its effects in the body, mood and mind.

The key to success in any form of mantra practice is repetition. Single-syllable mantras, known as bija (seed) mantras, are the easiest to remember and recite; they’re also the most powerful. It’s believed that, just as a tiny seed contains a majestic tree, each bija contains vast amounts of spiritual wisdom and creative force. One of the oldest and most widely known of these seeds is om.

 

Why do we sing OM?

Om is a mantra, that is chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions. Om is the “primordial seed” of the universe—this whole world, says one ancient text, “is nothing but om.” It is also considered to be the root mantra from which all other mantras emerge.

According to the Vedic tradition, the ancient sages were able to hear the subtle vibrations produced by everything in nature―the sounds of the wind, thunder, butterflies, rushing rivers and all other creations. They recognized that these sounds are the manifestation of spirit into matter. They identified “Om” (or aum) as the most elemental sound, representing the infinite universal consciousness. For thousands of years, people have used this mantra to expand their awareness of the divine.

Aum actually consists of four syllables: A, U, M, and the silent syllable.

 Symbolically the three letters embody the divine energy (Shakti) and it’s 3 main characteristics: (1) creation, (2) preservation and (3) liberation.

Om is a sound symbolizing reality. It represents everything in the universe, past, present, and future. It even represents everything that is outside of those three times.

 Everything in the universe is pulsating and vibrating – nothing is really standing still! The sound Om, when chanted, vibrates at the frequency of 432 Hz, which is the same vibrational frequency found throughout everything in nature.

 As such AUM is the basic sound of the universe; so by chanting it we are symbolically and physically tuning in to that sound and acknowledging our connection to all other living beings, nature and the universe.

 Singing OM on a regular basis has numerous positive physical effects in our bodies mostly due to the internal vibration of the sound in itself. It has been scientifically proved that singing OM has invaluable vibratory effects in our bodies and helps to achieve slow, regular and complete exhalation. It aids to control and relax our breathing system and has several soothing effects in our minds.

The sustained sound makes all the bones of the thoracic cage vibrate, stimulates the pulmonary cells and enables an optimum gaseous exchange in our lungs and in the endocrine glands.  The continuous and smooth sound create a perfect control of progressive relaxation of all the breathing muscles and subsequently a comfortable and ease inhale. OM chanting enables us to learn how to eliminate latent and unconscious contractions in muscles of our body that we do not fully control. Concentration becomes easier and your mind is awaken, while the electromagnetic waves produced by the vibration are spread throughout all the body increasing dynamism and vitality.

In addition the vibrations and rhythmic pronunciation also have a physical effect on the body by slowing down the nervous system and calming the mind similar to meditation. When the mind is relaxed, your blood pressure decreases and ultimately the health of your heart improves.

Om is a nirguna mantra because it has not concrete form but there are saguna mantras.

These are mantras  belong to a particular deity or aspect of the Divine, like Om Namah Sivaya or Om Namoh Narayanaya. The deity and the mantra are one. By repeating the mantra you gradually change your own vibration until it matches the deity aspects. We become one with Good and his/her positive aspects. Each mantra induces specific vibrations in the mind, always high vibrations to bring the best of us out. However, mantras don’t have particular meanings, there is no need to translate them ( if we translate them they lose their ancient vibration). They are simply vibrations of consciousness.

When they’re silently repeated, they help us disconnect from the thoughts filling our mind and slip into the gap between thoughts. Since each mantra induces specific vibrations in the mind.

I hope this information will help you if you are new to yoga or if you wanted to understand why we use mantras in yoga practice. You don’t need to believe in my words. If there is something that resonates in you and that is useful for you take it and make use of it. If there is anything that is not useful or that you feel uncomfortable with, leave it.

With love and kindness

Om Om Om

Amalia Shakti

YOGA VIDA SALUDABLE