Mantras Have Meanings . . . There's Meaning to Mantras

Many classes use mantras and prayers as a means to tune in to our higher selves and "increase our level of energy or prana.  Vibrations create the world we live in.  Many of these mantras were channeled by the ancient sages while they were in deep states of meditation and are a direct link to the divine". You do not have to be Hindu or even religious in any way, to receive the powerful benefits of the vibrations these chants produce. When you say these prayers you can concentrate on your God or guru, the light within you, Mother Nature, the Universe, or simply the sounds and vibrations they produce within your body and the atmosphere around you.

Mantras in meditation and in Kirtan (singing) are repeated over and over such to invoke their intention and cultivate their calling into your reality; putting out to the universe what it is you want to call into your life (gratitude, peace, a new job, balance, health, clarity of a path, just to name a few).  In meditation, repeating mantras will also invoke their intention into your life but simultaneously will give you something to focus your attention AND intention on in the process.

Bhakti Yoga; the yoga practice of love and devotion, uses mantras in the form of song (Kirtan) to cultivate love and divine energy of spirit between self and the universe.  It is a beautiful manner in which to connect to your authentic self and cultivate immense joy.

The first time you attend a Kirtan you may feel a little strange or self conscious; worried that you're not saying the words "right".  It doesn't matter that you and reciting the Sanskrit perfectly; once you just "let go", your spirit will be singing and your heart will be full and you won't care at all exactly what you're saying because you will be connected energetically to all around you.

Have you ever been to a full yoga class where every single body in the room recites OM?  It is powerful and beautiful.  It is a moment where every cell of each person's body is united as one. 

These are some of the prayers and mantras you're likely to hear in classes . . . enjoy some sound clips as well:

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OM: Pronounced Auh, Oooooo, Mmmmmmmm, the supreme seed mantra symbolic of the beginning, the duration and the end. Meditation on Om is said to satisfy every need and leads to liberation. Scientific studies have shown the vibrations of om help to calm the mind, lowering blood pressure and increasing your ability to concentrate. Listening to the mantra om is recommended for insomnia and chronic diseases caused by stress.

On another note,  "the chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra. One of them, sushumna leads to the crown chakra, and is said to be the path to Self-realization.

So anything if repeated 108 times, has a transformational effect. Thats the law of nature. Its like magic.

♡OM Chanting and its vibrations when repeated for 108, becomes significantly more powerful, and can help open the Crown Chakra and thus your path to Self-Realization."

Try this OM meditation:

 The Ganesh Mantra:  Its a meditation mantra dedicated to Lord Ganesha, and we chant it before starting any new venture. We chant it when inner or outer obstacles are holding us back to get to our true self and fully realizing our potential.

OM GAM GANAPATAYE NAMAHA

Meaning:

OM - The Sound, the Vibration of the Universe, The Primordial Sound
GAM - The Seed Sound, or bija sound of Lord Ganesha
GANAPATAYE - Another name of Lord Ganesh, the one who overcomes of obstacles.
NAMAHA - I offer you my salutations, I bow to you.

Try this one:

 

 The Mahamrityunjaya mantra:  For increasing self healing quality of Body and Mind, protecting from negativities of death and pain.

Om tryambakam yajamahe 

sugandhim pushti vardhanam 

Urvar ukamiva bandhanat 

mrityor mukshi ya mamritat 

The Gayatri mantra: For increasing creative energy for Body and Mind, increasing pranic energy.

Om bhur bhuvah swah  

Tat savitur varenyam 

bhargo devasya dhimahi 

Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

Rob and Melissa (Acoustic Kirtan)
https://youtu.be/2De4Q3aIhwA

Hari Om Tat Sat:  For increasing peace, good energy and strength.

Meaning:
The Supreme, Absolute Truth . . . quite literally, All that Is.

Medicine Buddha Mantra: Meant to heal and heal others

Teyate Om
Bekunze Bekunze
Maha Bekunze
Ratza Samu Gade
Sohum 

Meaning: 
Eliminating the pain of true suffering; not just of disease but of all problems.  Eliminating the cause (karma) of the suffering.   

Durga Namavali: For protection from downfall and ensuring constant evolution.

Durga  Durgartishamani  DurgaPadminivarani 

Durgamachhedini  Durgasadhani  Durganashini 

Durgatoddharini  Durganihantri  Durgamapahaa 

Durgamadnyanada  DurgadaityaLokaDavanala  

Durgama  Durgamaloka  Durgamatmaswaroopini 

Durgamargaprada  Durgamavidya  Durgamashrita 

DurgamaDnyanaSansthana  Durgamadhyanabhasini 

Durgamoho  Durgamaga  Durgamarthaswaroopini 

DurgamaSuraSanhantri  DurgamaYudhdharini 

Durgamangi  Durgamatha  Durgamya  Durgameshwari 

DurgaBhima  DurgaBhama  Durgabha  Durgadarini 

Shanti Mantra - Asatoma Ma Sadgamaya: Peace Mantra

asato ma sadgamaya

tamaso ma jyotirgamaya

mrtyorma amrtam gamaya

Meaning:

Lead me from the asat to the sat. 

Lead me from darkness to light. 

Lead me from death to immortality.

Watch Freya from Kranti Yoga in Goa India where I did my Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training perform a melody of the Shanti Mantra she created . . .

Sarveshaam Mantra : Peace Mantra

OM sarveshaam svastir bhavatu

sarveshaam shaantir bhavatu

sarveshaam poornam bhavatu 

sarveshaam mangalam bhavatu

sarve bhavantu sukhinah

sarve santu niraamayaah

sarve bhadraani pashyantu

maa kashchidh dukh bhaag-bhavet

Meaning:

Let it be so ordained (-bhavatu), that all the people (-sarveshaam), experience well-being (-svastir) ; let all the people experience peace or tranquility (-shaantir). Let all the people experience wholeness and completeness (-poornam) ; let them experience prosperity and auspiciousness (-mangalam).

Loka Samasta Sukino Bhavantu: Peace Mantra

Loka Samasta Sukino Bhavantu

Loka Samasta Sukino Bhavantu

Loka Samasta Sukino Bhavantu

OM Shan'ti Shan'ti Shan'ti

Meaning:

May the Lord bless the whole world with eternal peace and goodwill.

May the Lord bless the whole world with eternal peace and goodwill.

May the Lord bless the whole world with eternal peace and goodwill.

Peace peace peace

In short: May all beings be happy and free :)

Guru Brahmaa Guru Vishnu: For invoking the inner teacher & honoring the inner light

Guru Brahmaa Guru Vishnu 

Guru Devo Maheswara

Guru Saaksaat Param Brahma

Tasmai Shri Guruve Namaha

Meaning:

Guru Is Brahmaa (Who plants the qualities of goodness)

Guru Is Vishnu (Who nurtures and fosters the qualities of goodness)

Guru Is Maheswara (Who weeds out the bad quality)

Guru Is Supreme Brahman Itself

Prostration Unto That Guru

Om Namo Bhagavate:

Om namo bhagavate vasu devaya

Meaning:

The twelve lettered mantra - Oh infinite Lord, indweller in the heart of all beings, unto you I turn my consciousness to see the God within everyone and everything. 

Surya Namaskara Mantras:

OM Ram Mitraya Namaha

OM Rhim Ravaye Namaha

OM Rhum Suryaya Namaha

OM Raim Bhanave Namaha

OM Rhaum Kagaya Namah

OM Rhap Pushne Namaha

OM Ram Hiranya Garbhaya Namaha

OM Rhim Marichaye Namaha

OM Rhum Aditaya Namaha

OM Raim Savitre Namaha

OM Rhaum Arkaya Namah

OM Rhap Baskaraeya Namaha

OM Ram Rhim Rhum Raim Rhaum Rhap Mitra Ravye Surya Bhanu Kaga Pushne Hiranya Garbhaya Mariche Aditya Savitre Arkaya Baskarayo Namo Namaha

Ram (inh), Rhim (FF), Rhum (R foot back), Raim (DD) Rhaum (plank) Raha (chataranga) Ram (up dog)  Rhim (DD) Rhum (R foot fwd) Raim (gaze fwd) Rhaum (rise) Raha (hands to heart center)

OM Shanti:

OM Shanti Shanti Shanti

OM Shanti Shanti Shanti

OM Shanti Shanti Shanti

Meaning:

Peace of the Lord be with you