Mantra yoga
What is mantra yoga?
Mantra yoga is a form of yoga that is totally related to the spiritual realm. A mantra also known as a sloka, is a single word or a group of words chanted repeatedly with utmost attention and concentration. Practitioners of this form of yoga believe they have the ability to have divine intervention leading to a state of bliss and enlightenment.
It is believed that this yoga opens up the various spiritual elements of the mind and the soul and helps the individual to attain inner peace and tranquillity. Mantra yoga stresses on attaining unison between the body and the universe. It is believed that the 5 senses within the human body align with the senses of the universe. The chanting of the slokas helps an individual to focus on the essentials of life and detaches them from the material world.
Mantra yoga
Different people use different mantras for chanting. The mantras could be a particular sentence or a group of sentences related to a particular spiritual meaning. The most commonly used word for chanting is ‘Om’ which according to Sanskrit means spirit and according to hindu mythology it means emptiness. The combination of the two derives the purpose of the mantra yoga – A calm spirit detached from the anxieties and worries of a regular life.
Kevin Pederson quotes, “it is a place to find all about yoga, history of yoga, styles and importance of yoga and meditation technique through mantra yoga”.
Benefits of mantra yoga
- Mantra yoga works a great deal on people suffering from anxiety, stress , nervousness, panic attacks and fear,
- Regular chanting of the mantras creates a sense of tranquillity.
- It also helps achieve inner peace
- The advantage of mantra yoga, as it is believed, is that it turns an unhappy person into a happy and serene individual.
- Since the most commonly chanted word is the word ‘Om’, the repetition of this word creates a physical vibration along with the mental one. This leads the practitioner to lead levels of sub and super consciousness.
- Helps focus on your inner self.
- It has positive effects on the nervous system.
- This yoga relaxes the mind, body and the soul.
- Mantra yoga when practiced to extreme levels, helps attain intense points of concentration that can cure any physical or mental disorders.
- A person practicing mantra yoga benefits from regulated breath and clarity of mind.
- The spiritual benefits of this yoga are psychic intervention, control of ones own mind and thoughts. The relaxation of the mind enhances knowledge and the pressures of life are controlled by the thought control process.
- The most important and ultimate benefit of mantra yoga is self realization and leads an individual on the road to enlightenment.
Poses and positions in mantra yoga
There is no specific physical pose followed in mantra yoga. This is a form of yoga as mentioned before, a yoga of chanting and words. The individual performing the chants sits in a full lotus or half lotus position and continues a series of chants. The chant always begins with the word ‘Om’. However, there are practitioners who tend to use other slokas and mantras as per convenience and as per their aim in performing this yoga.
This yoga is best suited to individuals who are after spiritual enlightenment and who want to discover their inner selves. It is also suited to individuals who wish to attain a relaxed mind after a tired and stressful day. In order to attain great results, it is important to practice this yoga at either sunrise or sunset.
After a relaxed body, mind and soul?
This is it – Mantra yoga.
