Once I began practicing yoga, I got used to chanting the sound of OM at the beginning and end of the sessions.
‘Om’, also spelled ‘Ohm’, or ‘Aum’ is a sacred sound known as the sound of the universe. Om is all-encompassing, embodying the essence of ultimate reality and unifying everything in the cosmos. The vibrations of the Om sound are believed to energize the chakras throughout the body, particularly the third eye and crown chakras, which facilitate our connection to our Divine selves. If you would like to learn more about each chakra, read my post about chakras.
The Om sound is a compact, 'seed' mantra chanted to connect with and energize the chakras. The Om symbol visually represents this sound and carries profound meaning. Om is one of the most significant spiritual symbols, appearing in many ancient Hindu texts, prayers, and ceremonies.
When I started practicing yoga at Integral Yoga Institute in New York City, I learned a mantra that has stayed with me since I moved to Europe. Practicing yoga at Yoga.Gent with others has inspired me to introduce it during my sessions. This mantra, a chant from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the oldest Sanskrit texts, is a call for peace. Curious? I will share it here:
Pronunciation
asato ma sad gamaya |
tamaso ma jyotir gamaya |
mrityor ma amritam gamaya ||
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Translation
Lead me from the unreal to the real.
Lead me from darkness to light.
Lead me from death to immortality.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Translation by Zoë Slatoff-Ponté
Why I chant it?
This mantra represents peace and freedom. As we all know, freedom can mean different things to different people, but even a glimpse of it can offer an incredible sense of levity.
May you carry an endless summer in your heart!
Peace to all of you!
Comments