When the mind becomes disturbed, what do we do?

When the mind is disturbed it can be very hard to get those disturbances out, thoughts keep rolling around in our minds, waking us up in the night, making a small problem into a mountain.  When we are angry it is easy to allow the anger to grow and not so easy to dissolve it.  When we are sad that sadness can build and embed itself without us being able to turn ourselves around to being a contented happy person whatever the situation. 

When the mind becomes disturbed it is vital that we don’t agitate it more, we have to handle our system gently and nicely.  Taking some steps back and just observing ourselves is a good way to free our minds from these lower emotions, by this observation you gain the support of the self, when the intellect becomes strong and can ride over the emotions the thoughts will subside.  One way we can support the intellect and help to overcome those emotions is by chanting or singing.  This way we can turn our mind to something positive letting go of the negativities that can eat into you.  I have found many adults to be shy to sing or chant, they are so caught up with entanglements, insecurities and fear of what they may sound like as the ego plays its part.  When we are children we love to sing, so why not when we are older, it doesn’t matter what you sound like, if you are singing from the heart it is bound to be beautiful no matter of the sound.  And it doesn’t matter what you sing, if you have a favourite song then blast it out (of course something uplifting!)  Or simply chanting Om or Maa can be a wonderful way of self-expression and can turn our anxieties, fears and depressions into joy and peace. 

There are so many mantra’s and bhajans that we can look into, but one of my favourites is the sun and moon healing mantra, coming from the Kundalini lineage from Yogi Bhajan. 

The mantra is RAA MAA DAA SAA      SAA SAY SO HUM.

Raa meaning the sun, we are evoking the suns qualities of creation.  Maa is the moon representing all female qualities of compassion and nurturing.  Daa is the earth as we chant daa we are grounding ourselves.  Saa is an uplifting vibration and saa say meaning that vibration is infinite.  So hum meaning I am that, therefore I am that sun, moon, earth, that infinite vibration of consciousness. 

You could make up your own melody or look for Satnam Kaurs version; who truly has the voice of an angel and chant with her. 

When I have been sick I have used this mantra and when you chant with belief and the right intention you can truly feel the vibrations working their way around the physical body but also around the mind, it can be a very powerful and positive thing, turning any negative health into positive health. 

So smile to yourself and chant away, you can also chant silently in your mind if you are on the bus or train you can still do it, and the effect will be just as strong.  So go ahead and enjoy bring the light back into your life.

Om Shanti

I wish all living entities to be happy, free from suffering and peaceful.

Mangala / Nicky.

Chanting class is held for free every Friday at Pranamaya Yoga Studio, Moksh, Patan, Kathmandu from 5-5.30pm, with Nicky.