Mantra
Sacred Sounds
What is a Mantra?
Sound vibrations and consciousness come together in the practice of mantra. The definition of the word gives a brief insight into the true meaning of the chanting technique. The word is split into two – “man” and “trang”. The former means “mind” while the latter means “projection”. Coupled together, the word can be defined as “mind projection”. However, the practice of chanting holds far more significance than these two words.
In practice, the mantra is a chanting session. There are various chants that a student may choose to use within their Kundalini yoga experience. Each of these mantras holds its own power and meaning, which is clear within the teachings. Gaining knowledge about each of the chants and using them correctly is the secret to understanding the sacred sounds.
The mantra has a direct effect on human consciousness and can lead the way toward enlightenment. The underlying premises here is that each thing that exists and every atom that comes to be has a vibration of sound running swiftly through it. Since each object within this universe has its own sound current, we can attempt to control our own.
“The sound current is a Universe. It is there. It is an Infinity. You created it, you are creating it. Then you concentrate on it. It is you who is concentrating on it, and then you become it.”
Yogi Bhajan
Sound vibration and the body
When a student begins to practice mantras, their outcome ought to be clear to them ahead of time. The sound vibrations that we create when we chant can set a motion within the body and start a chemical reaction within us. That transformation – however small it may first seem – starts a change in each student. As you move forward in your mantra practice, you will learn to take charge of these vibrations and ensure that they work for you.
Attract your desires
With each sound vibration, the student sends out a message to the universe. This creates an energy field within and around their physical being that attracts similarities. This is not a simplistic exchange. Instead, it is more like a magnetic process. The student sends out a motion within the vibrations that they choose and that attracts a similar outcome. For instance, the student may wish to be happy and create joy in their life. When they chant the mantra, they ask the universe for these gifts with each sound vibration. The minute movements attract the emotions back to the body.
Vibratory frequency
The frequency of chants is fundamental to practice. One of the most crucial things that we must learn about mantras is that they are weighted in science. There are 84 pressure points in the roof of your mouth. When you start to use mantra chants, you stimulate various points and activate certain parts of your brain. The vibratory frequency is caused by how fast you do so and the rhythm that you choose. Each frequency sends out a different message to the greater universe and attracts a specific desire to the student.
Practicing Mantras
The Benefits
Practicing each mantra is one of the central parts of Kundalini yoga. However, when a student first embarks on their journey, they may not truly acknowledge the importance of this element. The mantra chants each have their own outcome but share common values. Yogi Bhajan delivered a series of lectures on this very topic, explaining how each of them may affect the mind, body, and soul. Let’s take a moment to discover their many benefits.
1. Improves mental performance
Stimulating the mind and engaging the consciousness, the mantra can be used as a way in which to improve your mental performance. Research suggests that using the Gayatri Mantra could enhance an individual’s brain activity allowing them to complete tasks quickly. For that reason, practicing the art form of mantras could allow the student to gain brain power and become more adept when solving problems and completing tasks.
2. Unlock higher consciousness
When a student chants a particular mantra, the sequence and rhythm speak deeply to the brain and body. Through this remarkable vibration, we have the power to unlock a higher level of consciousness within ourselves. It is the way in which we may reach our inner self and begin to understand them. As we chant, we can unlock hidden parts of ourselves and become one with them. Each mantra serves this purpose in a unique way.
3. Recharge your energy
The sound current may be used to recharge your inner energy. When each student chants a mantra, they can tap into the higher vibratory system and use that to give them a fresh lease of energy and life. Mastering this aspect of Kundalini yoga means opening yourself up to the realms of sound current and their undeniable strength. After each session, in which you use a certain mantra, you will feel enlightened and entirely energized.
4. Control your mind
Anxiety, doubts, and stress can blur the mind and make it almost impossible to think correctly. The practice of mantras could allow the student to remedy this problem immediately. With each chant, we have the opportunity to take control and mastery over our minds and begin to guide them. Reciting powerful words and feeling the vibrations of the sound will mean that you can enter into a state of calmness and control. In this state, you have the reigns and are able to determine how your mind reacts.
5. Embody the divine
Yogi Bhajan taught that the mantra is more than a mere sound or vibration – it is a powerful recitation that you may use in your practice. In combining the permutation of sounds and vibrations, the student may come to embody the divine and make themselves so. The teacher said that in order to unleash this level of greatness, the student must be sure to follow the mantra practice exactly and never differ from it. The result is a feeling of truth, beauty, and ecstasy which can’t be denied by anybody who feels it.
6. Develop a meditative mind
Meditation allows us to relax and establish a sense of serenity within the body. Mantra practice is an integral element of this particular technique. When we learn to understand each chant and can recite it from memory, we will be able to develop a keener sense of meditation. It is said that through this practice, we can begin to see our souls. As you chant, you can slip quickly into a highly charged meditative state in each session.
7. Set intentions into motion
We each have intentions inside us. Whether it is to better ourselves, become more intuitive, or find the happiness that lies within, we must not ignore our wishes. Instead, we can use the sound vibrations to set certain outcomes into motion. Understanding the meaning of the chants is not the purpose here. Instead, we should try to become one with the emotion which we are channeling through the vibrations and use them to our advantage.
Different Types of Mantras
The student must be patient and attentive. Learning each mantra will take time and energy but we must undertake this great task. While there are numerous mantra chants out there, it’s important to first learn the basic ones (e.g. Sat Nam, Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo). Now that you have gained an understanding of the importance of this practice, let’s take a look at the core chants you should know.
Now that you understand the importance of pranayama and the role it plays in Kundalini Yoga, it’s worth learning about the most common types of the practice out there. While it may appear to be a lot of information at the start, remember that you only need to master one technique at a time. Here’s what you need to know about each method.
Adi Mantra
MANTRA One of the most crucial aspects of a kundalini yoga session, the Adi mantra translates as “I bow to the Creative Wisdom, I bow
The Kundalini Yoga Mantra for Prosperity
Mantra The modern world can be a tough place. Should you be struggling in some areas of your life, using the power of specific kundalini
Waah Yantee Kar Yantee
Mantra for Intuition – 7 minutes Living in the Aquarian Age means most of us are constantly connected to the outside world, constantly living our
Long Ek Ong Kars
Mantra to raise kundalini energy – 7 minutes We are living in the era of information, also known as the “Aquarian Age”. The Long Ek
“If you have mastered your mantra, the final stage of that will be whether you are sitting, walking, or talking, you are hearing it. All the time you hear your own mantra in the atmosphere.”
Yogi Bhajan
