What's with the chanting?

If you've been to my class enough times, you've probably heard me chant/sing Sanskrit mantras at the end of class. This is something I came to through my ISHTA studies. The "full" ISHTA meditation concludes with chanting several mantras. I learned them gradually, first listening in during group class, then chanting quietly while fumbling the words I didn't really know. I eventually learned them all, but even in those early days, just listening was powerful and soothing. And so along with learning to chant for my own practice, I began, timidly at first, sharing that with my students, chanting during the resting period at the end of class.

I generally don't like to sing, but the feeling of chanting is magical. For me, it's not the words (though I choose only mantras with meanings that resonate), it's not the melody (there isn't one), it's the vibration inside. Those of you who are singers probably know well what I'm talking about. But if you're not a singer, maybe chanting --or just humming-- can give your vibration a voice, too.

And if you're not sure why you should bother, well, only you can say for sure, but I can tell you that there is evidence that humming (and chanting) can help to soothe your nervous system -- and contribute to vagal tone when you don't really need soothing. (What is vagal tone? It's basically how easily you can move between being riled up and being calm.) Which means that if you like the humming, chanting, or singing, keep doing it! And invite others along to the party, it's good for all of us 🙂

Want to give it a try?

I shared the full series of meditation chants (called "regrounding mantras" or "samyama") on the Everyday Meditation podcast so that you can! Each mantra has two episodes. On the first, I share what I know about the mantra and break down the Sanskrit so that you can learn to repeat it. (My very loose interpretations of the mantras are based on what I learned in practice from my teachers, not literal translations -- if you want those, google can help!) On the second, I chant the mantra several times as you might in regular practice. You can listen or chant along.

 
Here are the links to the episodes:

Introduction: Intro to the Regrounding Mantras

Om Namah Shivaya: learn the mantra or practice chanting

Om Aim Saraswatiye Namaha: learn the mantra or practice chanting

Om Ram Ramaya Namaha: learn the mantra or practice chanting

Om Namo Narayanaya: learn the mantra or practice chanting

Om Hrid Hram Swaha: learn the mantra or practice chanting

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya: learn the mantra or practice chanting

Om Dum Durgaye Namaha: learn the mantra or practice chanting

Om Lakshmi vam Shree Kamala Darum Swaha: learn the mantra or practice chanting

Om Gam Ganapatiyeh Namaha: learn the mantra or practice chanting

Wrap up: Full Regrounding Series, all the mantras chanted in sequence, and Samyama and the Regrounding Series, my thoughts on the regrounding mantra series as a samyama (meditation) practice.

 
Be moving, be true, be you,

 
 

photo credit rowan heuvel, found on unsplash

Making the sounds of A-U-M kriya can be deeply soothing to your nervous system --all the more so when you think about the role your breathing plays.
 

What’s in this episode?

AUM kriya meditation! In this version, I invite you to imagine your "breath" in different locations in your torso -- lower, middle, and upper thirds. This is so we can imagine the sounds "Ahh" "Ooo" and "Mmm" as originating both from the breath and from these areas of the torso. It's maybe not as weird as it sounds in writing 😉

How can you use this practice?

If making sound is not something you think about, but just do, this practice may help you bring some intention into your chanting. And I find the meditation practice very grounding - good for when you feel less than steady in your body or mind.
 

Give it a try when you're ready

 
Listen to "Ep 483 - Breathing Sound and AUM Meditation".
 
Be moving, be true,

 
 

photo credit artur luckza on unsplash