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H

HOLISTIC HEALING

Find your repose in the power of chanting

charms to permeate your wellbeing

with remarkable results

By Raina Talukder

O

m bhùr bhuvah svah tát

savitúr váren(i)yam bhárgo

devás yadhí mahi dhíyo yó nah

prachodáyát. The auspicious

chant of the Gayatri Mantra,

has had fl ickered through the

realms of most Indian households promising

a blessed start to days and endeavours. The

ancient Sanskrit texts of Vedas bear testimony

to the spiritual strength of mantras that

have been known to heal with their effective

reverberations of sound and speech. One

can’t help but desire to unravel the source

and science that attribute to the miraculous

claims that the simple recitation of mantra

can bring about.

The Sanskrit word ‘mantra’ derived from

‘mananaat trayate iti mantra’ literally translates

to ‘instrument of thought’ with far reaching

positives on your overall wellbeing. The history

of these rhythmic metres are believed to date

back to more than 1000 BC, with the sacred

Hindu Vedas developing them into a school of

holy articulation that defi ed conformation to

any structured defi nition, but prevailed with

their spell of spiritual enlightenment.

Words of wonder

Chanting mantras is an alternate branch of

yoga that helps collect consciousness of the

mind, enabling one to reach higher states of

awakening. It purifi es the mind and body, and

allays it from all worries, preparing it for a

state of meditation. The repetitive resonance of

chanting creates vibrations to stir the mind to

not only heal but also empty oneself of traumas

and anxieties that cause unrest, triggering

numerous problems in one’s daily existence.

According to ancient traditions of Hinduism and

Buddhism, chakras, namely six chakras along

the spine and a seventh on top of the head, are

knots in the psycho-spiritual components of the

body that act as energy centres. The simple act

of chanting holds the power to activate those

chakras and promote free fl ow of energy to

instil new found vigour and fortitude.

One for every occasion

The highly revered Gayatri

Mantra, a verse from one of the

oldest texts of Rigveda, believed

to have been bestowed upon

sage Vishwamitra for his years of

penance, is said to inspire benevolence

and wisdom. Mahamrityunjaya mantra,

symbolising victory over death is considered

to be one of the most powerful Hindu

incantations, capable of remedying illness,

emotional traumas and even post surgical

revival. Kirit Thacker, Head of Yoga at Ananda in

the Himalayas, says, “Mantras can be classifi ed

according to the number of letters, gender,

temperature, Vedic, Tantra and Apta Mantra,

Kula Kula Chakra (Kula signifying shakti) and

other Chakras.” He further states, “There are

four stages of chanting mantras, Baikhari or

verbal is when the chanting is audible,

Upanshu or madhyama is when the mantra

is whispered by the practitioner, the practice

of chanting mantra mentally is known as

manasi or pasyanti while para or

transcendental happens on reaching a

sublime stage where the chanting continues

within the mind, without a conscious effort.”

Halo of health

The rising concerns of our wellbeing mostly

originate from those of our minds, such as

depression and anxiety, which regular practice

of meditative mantra can cure. “Psychosomatic

ailments like psoriasis, eczema, migraines,

etc can also be managed by chanting,” says

Kirit. “Neurological change occurs most in

response to sensory stimulus since it implies

that the human brain can change its structure

and function solely on the resources it

receives. Studies show that the largest and

most prominent neural circuits are formed

by repetitive practices such as fi nger tapping,

making music, and the gross repetitive

movement of limbs that occur during physical

therapy explaining the science behind mantra,”

concludes Kirit Thacker.

Healing hegemony: Not

just exclusive to Hinduism,

chanting is practised

by several schools of

Buddhism, believing it to

elicit enlightenment: Om

Mani Padme Hum (from

Tibetan Buddhism) being

the most popular.

Omnipresent Om: One

of the most important

symbols in Hinduism, Om

symbolises the source of

life, Brahmin. Integral to

every Hindu household,

Om marks the beginning

of every prayer and

mantra.

All in the mind: Mantras

are formed from

combinations of sounds of

the 50 Sanskrit alphabet

characters, which when

sounded audibly, vibrate

the appropriate parts of

the physical body, refi ning

your body and spirit.

strengthening

exercises

mantra of

good health

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