Most of the music that I play in class is mantra — ancient
Sanskrit chants or hymns — set to soft, melodious music. I also listen to
mantras accompanied by rousing drum beats or cool, funky rhythms. And if you’ve
never attended a live kirtan, you should: The energy raised by the call and
response of mantra must be felt to be believed. I once attended a puja where we
chanted the 1,000 names of God. By the end, the energy in the air and in our
bodies was electric. We were awake all night, extremely alert but happy and
relaxed. The conversations ran deep. The power of mantra had left its mark.
According to yogic scholar, Georg Feuerstein, a mantra is
“a sacred sound charged with psychospiritual power used as a vehicle of meditative
transformation.” Some form of chanting has been used in rituals and ceremonies
since the Stone Age. The universe is in a perpetual state of vibration; sound
is a form of vibration; and the ancient Sanskrit language has a special
vibrational quality. All of this vibration makes mantra yoga an effective
practice in itself. It replaces “busy thoughts” with sacred sounds, and the
vibrational and energetic qualities embedded in the words can help clear out
old gunk in the mind and bring you to a new state of consciousness.
About a year ago I was taking one of Vandita’s classes at
Kripalu, and she played a mantra CD by Shivanand Thomas Amelio. I was instantly
struck — almost shocked — by its power. There were no instruments other than
Amelio’s deep, amazingly resonant voice. These mantras are so pure and
authentic that they can seep into all of the nooks and crannies and crevices of
your being and work their magic. There is no need for a catchy hook to distract
you.
If you’d like to hear a sample or order his cd, “Mantra
Darshan,” click here: https://www.klaritymusic.com/Albumview.cfm?AlbumId=513
Remember that this is music with a purpose: Mantra
is used for transformation. In the cd insert, Amelio says that those
who’ve had little success with other forms of meditation can become deeply
absorbed while listening to this cd or chanting along with it. I’ve used this
cd as a meditation, and also play it during my yoga practice, while cooking or
washing dishes, and lately with all the construction on the Beltway, I’ve been
listening to it while sitting in traffic. I feel that soaking up all this
spiritual energy helps to keep me in my higher self.
After listening to the cd a few times, you might find
yourself drawn to a specific mantra that you want to hear over and over again. Go
with it – working with a single mantra can lead to a powerful experience. You
can benefit from listening, singing out loud, or singing mentally.
Sometimes students are wary of chanting mantras because
they don’t know what they’re saying and they are concerned that they would be
worshipping another God. But the
idea is that there is one God who goes by many names. The various deities, such
as Shiva or Rama, represent individual energetic qualities or facets of God.
Intention is everything – where you send it is where it goes. Even if you don’t
believe in God, if you are sending your intention to your higher self, you will
receive the benefits.
I asked Shivanand if he had any tips to pass on to you
regarding the singing of mantras, and he emphasized trying to pronounce the
words correctly to get the optimum vibration and resulting effect. “While intention is indeed paramount in the
practice of mantra, I feel that good (not perfect!) pronunciation of the
Sanskrit optimizes and expands one's good intentions, as the specific
sounds touch certain energy centers in the body -- just as drinking peppermint
tea will have a different effect from drinking chamomile. That said, purity of
intention reigns supreme.”
To read more about Shivanand Thomas Amelio, click here: http://www.shivananda.net/content/view/17/27/
I encourage you to give mantra a try and see if it makes a
difference in your life. Give it some time, and let me know what happens.
Namaste!
Sandy Pradas