A lot of yoga classes I go to incorporate chants in some way, whether it's just as imple Om at the beginning and end, or something more involved. Some folks I know complain about this aspect of yoga classes -- they'd rather just go for the workout than the spiritual side and think it's silly -- but I've always really enjoyed the chants and the Oms. They've got a nice, peaceful feeling to them, even if I have no idea what they mean.
A popular chant that is often used in classes I go to is this one:
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
I've said it many times in classes -- mumbled, more like it, because I didn't really have any idea of the pronunciation -- without any idea of what it means. It's chanted in a very singsong way; you can hear a recording here. (Uh, ignore when it starts to get all techno-y. That does not happen in class.)
For some reason, this morning I thought of the chant and was moved to look it up to find out what it actually is saying. This is what it means:
May all beings everywhere, be happy and free, and my the thoughts words and actions of my own life, contribute in some way, to that happiness and to that freedom for all.
Isn't that just the nicest thing? Hopefully thinking it or saying it can make a nicer start to your week.
I've had a new person at the gym ask me if there is chanting in the yoga class because it's against her Catholic religion. I grew up Catholic and had never heard that before.
I'm not really into chanting. Fortunately, it's not part of the yoga based class I teach. Although, my husband and I did chant in a meditation class -- http://halfempty4now.com/is-the-half-empty-mind-too-full/
Posted by: Ms. HalfEmpty | July 24, 2012 at 06:09 PM