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Chants
Chanting is a natural way to tune in to the frequency of love.
Chanting combines singing and music with mantras -- words and sounds
that vibrate at the highest level of awareness. The vibrations emanating
from chanting sacred Sanskrit texts have a tangible effect on our own
inner being. The sweetness of chanting stills the mind, dissolves worries,
and opens the heart. The saints describe chanting as a way of becoming
connected with universal love.
Chanting gives us direct access to the spiritual world. It balances
our subtle energy system, allowing for deeper meditation.
Depending
on the type of hatha yoga class you attend, you may find some chanting
occurring as part of class. In traditional yoga chanting is simply singing
to invoke the higher states of consciousness. Most traditional chants
are in the ancient and sacred Sanskrit language.
The teacher says a few verses of prayer in Sanskrit before or at the
end of class. People in the class who are familiar with the chant may
respond or follow along. If you attend class regularly at a place that
incorporates chanting into practice, you will soon become familiar with
the sounds and may or may not choose to add your voice.
Here
are a few chants:
OM
is a way of deepening the concentration of the mind, which leads to
realization of the divine. The mantra om may be sounded aloud, whispered,
or repeated mentally. In TheYoga Book, author Steven Sturgess
offers a technique for chanting om. He suggests beginning meditation
by chanting om aloud for ten minutes, then chant om in a whisper for
the next ten minutes, and then mentally chant om for ten minutes. Finally,
be still and meditate on the spiritual eye (the point between your eyebrows).
Surrender into the vibrations of om. “Feel your awareness expanding
still further into the field of pure consciousness, become one with
om,” Sturgess says
Opening
chant in Ashtanga yoga
At the beginning of every ashtanga yoga class, the teacher will take
a moment to lead the students in chanting a few lines of Sanskrit. As
you chant, you close your eyes and focus your attention inward to prepare
yourself for the rigors of the class.Literally, the chant refers to
the tradition of honoring the wisdom of the teachers who passed down
the ancient yoga traditions. In a practical sense,the chant helps you
mark a division between your everyday activities and the Ahstanga class
that is about to begin.
The chant is as follows:
OM
vande gurunam caranaravinde
sandarsita svatma-sukhava bodhe
nihsre-yase jangalikayamane
samsara ha-la-hala moha-santyai
abahu purusakaram
sankha-cakra-asi dharinam
sahasra sirasam svetam
pranamami patanjalim
OM
End
Chant
OM
Swasthi - Praja Bhyah Pari Pala Yantam
Nya - Yena Margena Mahi-Mahishaha
Go - Brahmanebhyaha - Shubhamastu - Nityam
Lokaa - Samastha Sukhino - Bhavanthu
OM
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