The Shanti Mantras - creating a vibration of peace.

 I spoke a little about the joy of chanting in the previous article and wanted to share with you the very profound and important Shanti Mantras found from the Upanishads - the summery's of the ancient Vedas or Hindu scriptures that are so relevant to us all no matter from which culture you are from.  Great wisdom and knowledge of how to direct ourselves through life can be found in these wonderful threads of wisdom that can allow us to be guided to sow together a wonderful life.

The Shanti Mantras help to create a vibration of peace, have been chanted over centuries and centuries and are especially important in our present pandemic climate, where we are all in adversity in some shape or form and now is the time if ever there was one to evoke peace with all physical beings, with the earth, the seas, the plants and animals, with our teachers, with different parts of our body and with the Divine souls or Devas.  

"Everybody wants to have a happy life, however real happiness is not about having money or power, it is about achieving inner peace, if you have peace of mind you will be happy by day and by night.  Happiness is related to our emotions and we all have the potential to experience positive as well as negative emotions.  Which ones we cultivate depends on how we use our intelligence."  His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

So by chanting we are constantly working to purify ourselves, cultivate wisdom and purify our minds which is so important in todays toxic societies.  We can focus the mind and invoke the Guru - the one who brings light, put aside the I, I, I, me, me, me and start to connect to this very special energy that these mantras bring - become a part of it and not feel apart from it.  Chant with Bhava - feeling with sincerity and journey to your inner peace - real peace is happiness: pleasures of the material world do not form happiness - dive inwards and know that everything on the outside is not as it appears and as long as we are caught in the illusion of the world we will find obstacles of some shape or form.  So the Shanti Mantras help us to find the reality of the true self and create positive vibrations for the whole universal energy.

The Sanskrit is difficult - but don't worry just try and have good intention and over time you will find it becomes easier and you can relax and take refuge within the words.  I have shared the link of a youtube clip so you can chant along with it to help you.    Enjoy every sound you make knowing it is making a difference.

Om Sam No Mitrah Sam Varunaha

Sam No Bhavatvaryama

Sam No Indro Brhaspatih

Sam No Visnururukramah

Namo Brahmane Namste Vayo

Tvameva Pratyaksam Bramasi

Tvameva Pratyaksam Brhma Vadisyami

Rtam Vadisyami Satyam Vadisyami

Tanmam Avatu Tadvakaram Avatu

Avatu Mam Avatu Vaktaram OM shanti shanti shanti

Om may the sun be good to us, may the waters be good to us, may the king of Gods and preceptors of Gods be good to us. Prostrations to the supreme. Prostrations to thee - you are indeed the visible Brahman (supreme absolute) I shall call thee just, I shall call thee true, that you may protect me and my teacher. Om peace peace peace.

Om Sahana Vavatu Saha Nau Bhunaktu

Saha Viryam Karavavahai

Tejasvi Navadhitamastu Ma Vidvisavahai OM shanti shanti shanti

Om may that protect us both teacher and student, may that cause both to enjoy the bliss of liberation, may we work with enthusiasm and determination to find the truth, may our learning be brilliant and may we not have any misunderstandings between us.

Om Apyayantu Mamangani

Vakpranascaksuh Srotramatho

Balamindriyani ca Sarvani

Sarvam Brahmaupanisadam

Maham Brahma Nirakuryam

Mama Brahma Nirakarot

Anirakaranamastu Anirakaranam Me Astu

Tadatmani Nirate Ya Upanisatsu Dharmah

Te Mayi Santu Te Mayi Santu OM shanti shanti shanti

Om may my limbs, speech, eyes, strength and life force grow vigorours.  All these are Brahman (supreme absolute) May I never deny Brahman may Brahman never deny me - may there be no rejection. Let all virtues abide in me - delight in the self.

Om Bhadram Karnebhih Srnuyama Devah

Bhadram Pasyema Aksabhir-yajatrah

Sthirairangai Stustuvagm Sastanubhih

Vyasema Devahitam Yadayuh

Svasti Na Indro Vrddhasravah

Svasti Nah Pusa Visvavedah

Svasti Nastarksyo Aristanemih

Svasti No Brhaspatir Dadhatu OM shanti shanti shanti 

Om may we with our ears hear what is auspicious, may we hold with our eyes what is auspicious, may we enjoy the life allotted to us by the Gods - may we offer our praise with our strong body. May we have inner prosperity - may we receive what is good for us - may we all receive what is auspicious.

Wishing Peace Peace and Perfect Peace to all living entities 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENfQpDbmdmY&list=WL&index=14&t=3s

Mangala - Nicky

Transforming emotion to Devotion.

 

The chanting of Mantras and bhajans or devotional songs and verses is an important part of the yogis daily practice.  Now we all love to roll out our mats for our asana practice, for our pranayama and meditation - but chanting is something I have always practiced during my years of Yoginess - but haven't quite connected to so deeply until recently.  It really is a way to transform our emotions into a deep feeling of joy and love - turning away from our negative thoughts and channeling the mind in a positive way - it really is very up-lifting.  Even if you don't fully understand all the Sanskrit or indeed any of it - the true meaning of what we are chanting is in our hearts and it is a sure way to connect to that deep place within and keep purifying ourselves.  It is only the one with a purified mind that can hear the voice of the soul. Through the chanting the heart starts to soften and open and you can indeed reach the real meaning within you.  And this meaning is love.

Divine and unconditional unified love.

We are all looking for love - each and everyone of us is looking for happiness and love - if only we could stop looking in all the wrong places - love for the external things or people is only an unconscious effort and urge to merge with all things into oneness.  Our minds though are constantly tossing entertaining this and that or obsessing about this or that - complaining about this or that - this person isn't how I want them to be, this job isn't what I want it to be, this place isn't what I expected it to be etc etc and the list goes on.  In acceptance of everything for what it is we can become untouched by it, if we can accept then we are transforming ourselves, chanting is a way to channel the mind, focus and reveal the joy and love that we essentially are.  All beings have this capacity to find this love; the love that we all are - if you have a desire to transform your situation - job, partner etc etc you are going to create more problems - but if we can transform ourselves then the obstacles or problems become an opportunity.  Chanting is a tool box of delights to start the transformation.  It is a way to journey within connect to the whole - the universal love that is within us and around us.  It is a powerful practice - maybe even more so than other practices as it is accessible to everyone - it is a way to let go of grasping and let the Sanskrit carry you - like putting yourself on a Divine river and flowing with the water.  I don't think I can put into words the feelings I have experienced  from chanting.  I can only tell you that it is amazing and you don't need or want for anything else.  Years ago in the 1980's and 1990's I was hooked to chemicals to bring these similar feelings - the beats of heavy dancing - it was, in a way a place to unite but I have never experienced such unity as I have through my yogic practices - and recently chanting has enabled me to dissolve completely - this feeling then you can come back to time and time again - or indeed it never leaves - the only true refuge is in the nature of our true self.  Chanting in Sanskrit can and with dedicated practice over time - take you.

Join the journey to the depths of a beautiful beautiful soul that you are - chant with me here on soundcloud the link is below -

https://soundcloud.com/nicola-zammit/devi-devi-devi-jagan-mohini

Sanskrit -       Devi Devi Devi Jagan Mohini 

                       Chandika Devi Chanda Munda Harini

                       Chamundeshwari Ambike Devi.    (chanting to the Divine Mother full of protection and unconditional love.)

Have beautiful days and be inspired in your practice - be safe - be happy - be free

Love to all shanti shanti shanti

Mangala / Nicky