Monday Mantra: Ek Ong Kar Sat Nam Siri Wha Hey Guru

This Monday my offering is a Kundalini yoga mantra:


Ek Ong Kar Sat Nam Siri Wah Hey Guru


This is an absolute favorite of mine because of its powerful meaning and effect, and because it rolls out of my body in such an easy and joyful way. There is a beautiful cadence and rhythm to it, so much so that I tend to use it not only in seated meditations, but when I am out for a run or working in the garden. Try it out and let your heart light shine!!!


This is an Adi shakti mantra (primal power mantra), designed to awaken the shakti energy coiled at the base of the spine, allowing it to vault upwards opening the higher consciousness chakras leading to deep wisdom and bliss states. It acts as a method of communication between your individual soul and the Universal soul.


To practice with this mantra, take a comfortable seat either cross legged on the floor or in a chair. Make sure your spine is straight (to allow the energy to flow freely) and that your breathing is relaxed and deep. As you say the mantra you may also focus on each of the corresponding chakras listed below. A mala, or prayer beads, is a nice way to keep track. Traditionally, a mantra is repeated 108 times in a seated meditation, but start where you are and let the energy guide you on YOUR journey today.

Ek= One, the essence of all; Oneness. (1^st Chakra)
Ong= The primal vibration from which creativity flows “I bow to the Creator.” (2^nd Chakra)
Kar=  All of Creation. (3^rd Chakra)
Sat= Truth. (4^th Chakra)
Nam= Name/Identity. (5^th Chakra)
Siri= Greatness.  (6^th Chakra)
Wahe Guru=The indescribable joy of going from darkness to light. (7^th Chakra)

All together this mantra may be translated as, "There is one Creator whose name is Truth. Great is the ecstasy of that Supreme Wisdom""...or something like that. Remember that mantras are written in an energetic language base on primal sounds and vibrations –the very building blocks of all Creation– and so don't translate exactly into other languages.

The great sage, Yogi Bhajan, who brought Kundalini yoga to the West says,

“Before sunrise, when the channels of energy are most clear, if this mantra is sung in sweet harmony, you will be one with the Lord. This will open your solar plexus, charging the solar center, connecting it with cosmic energy. You will be liberated from the cycles of karma that bind you to the earth. No tongue can tell how bright the light of cosmic energy is, but when you recite this mantra daily, you will have this light within you.” --Yogi Bhajan.

Here is a beautiful rendition by Snatam Kaur. You can also chant it in an upbeat tempo. Enjoy, and happy chanting!

 http://www.art4spirit.com/Images/Artwork/Kundalini5x7.jpg

A Mantra for Monday

This is a day late, but hey, what's a day in the great expanse of consciousness....

I've talked a little about Mantra, now here is my very favorite. I chant it every day and it brings great peace to my life. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudeva, can be translated: I Bow to That Which Sustains Me. I find it is a beautiful way to bring mindfulness into my life. To stop, and think about what sustains me in my life, and to bow in honor of all those blessings.

Come into a moment of mindfulness, take a deep breath, and try it for yourself...

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudeva
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudeva
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudeva

Here is a video of my favorite chanting of this precious mantra, by the lovely Deva Premal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5-WaEwrXak

May you have peace,

Teal

Monkeys & Mantras

In my last two posts I likened the ever fluctuating nature of Mind to the ever changing movements of ocean waves. "Monkey Mind" is another widely used metaphor for the frantic, sometimes seemingly haphazard trajectories of our thoughts. I like this one because, well, my mind at times really does feel like there is a wild monkey loose in it, and because I get a really awesome mental picture of a wild-eyed, bright orange monkey swinging from limb to limb inside the limitless spaces of my mind, and that in turn makes me laugh, and usually lighten up a bit. Lightening up, I think, is always a great thing.

So, if you imagine this wild little monkey, what would you do to quiet her down, to give her a bit of focus? One answer the sadhus (ancient yogis) discovered, was to give the "monkey" something to play with. Give it something to keep it focused and occupied, so that other states of awareness are allowed to unfold. If we give a real monkey a pile of blocks to put back in a basket she will stay quiet, and focused on the task. If we give Monkey Mind a singular and repetitive task, it too will settle down and create some space for our awareness to expand into.

One of the most effective techniques for doing this is repeating a mantra. A mantra is a word, sound, or phrase that is repeated over and over. The most well known of these is the Hindu syllable Om (sometimes spelled Aum, and also used widely in Buddhism). This syllable is said to be one of the great sounds of the Universe, echoing throughout all eternity. It is easy to remember, to say, and produces a deeply resonant feeling in the body.

Give the Mantra Om a Try...
Lie down on your back, or come to a comfortable seated position with the hands palms up, on top of your knees. Inhale, close your eyes, and begin repeating the sound of Om on each exhale. Begin the sound with your mouth wide in the shape of an "O", feel the sound filling your belly and your chest, then close in around the sound, finally completing it by pressing your lips together and allowing the final "Mmmm" sound to resonate in your sinus cavities. Start by repeating this mantra at least 7 times, and gradually increase until you can sit and chant mantra for many minutes. Let each breath and repetition be as long as possible. Let the mantra linger and savor the delicious vibrations.

Don't worry if you feel silly a first. You may even laugh out loud. Don't resist this! Have fun with it! Laughing is mightily good for your soul.

Om shanti, shanti, shanti (Om, peace, peace, peace),

Teal