Mantras and chants can seem intimidating at first, but they can add depth and focus to your practice. Here are 5 simple yoga mantras that are easy to learn…
If you’re new to yoga, you may not have encountered a mantra or a chant in yoga class just yet, but for many forms of yoga – including Tantra Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, and others, mantras can be a very important part of your practice.
Mantras can seem intimidating or awkward at first, but with practice, they can add depth and focus to your yoga experience. Personally, I now look forward to the mantras at the beginning and end of my Kundalini practice almost much as the actual postures! For me, I find that the familiar mantra almost instantly puts me into the inward-focused meditative state of mind that is so necessary for a fulfilling Kundalini practice.
If you feel shy about chanting a yoga mantra in front of a group of people in a live class, don’t worry – you’ll soon find your stress fading away as the rest of the class chants as one together! However, it can be helpful to familiarize yourself with common mantras that you may hear often in certain types of yoga classes.
Here are 5 simple yoga mantras you may want to learn – especially if you will be taking a Kundalini or Tantra yoga class (don’t worry – most of them are pretty easy – even for beginners!):
Pronunciation: A-U-M
Listen to Yoga Journal co-founder Rama Jyoti Vernon demonstrate Om.
Why chant it:
Om is said to be the first sound heard at the creation of the universe. When each syllable is pronounced fully, you should feel the energy of the sound lifting from your pelvic floor all the way up through the crown of your head. The droning sound of the Om is said to unblock the throat chakra, which can lead to more attuned communication with others.
Pronunciation: Saaaaaaaat* | Nam ||
*Sat is extended eight times longer than Nam. If you really want the mantra to radiate from the base of your spine to the center of your head, make the Sat 35 times longer than the Nam.
Translation:
Truth is my name.
Why chant it:
Used in the Kundalini Yoga practice, Sat Nam can be a way to find your intuition. The Gurmukhi mantra is also part of the Sat Kriya meditation that is said to reinvigorate sexual energy if practiced daily for at least 3 minutes.
Pronunciation: Oong namo | Gurudav namo ||
Translation:
I bow to the creative energy of the infinite.
I bow to the Divine channel of wisdom.
Why chant it:
This Gurmukhi mantra opens the communication channel between the student and the Divine teacher. We like to think that it also opens us to new endeavors and gives the strength to try something new.
Pronunciation: Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung
Translation:
Sun, Moon, Earth, Infinity, All that is in infinity, I am Thee.
Why chant it:
Used as a restorative meditation to send healing energy to ourselves and others. In Kundalini Yoga, the pose for this meditation is as important as the sound. Sit comfortably with elbows bent and tucked in firmly alongside the ribcage, extended forearms out perpendicularly with palms facing up.
Pronunciation: Neti neti
Translation:
Not this, not this.
Why chant it:
The phrase is a way to rebut something—be it harsh words or a situation in your life you would like to change.
