T
he first time I heard Sanskrit
mantra, a resounding
familiarity shook something
deep in my heart. After
decades of practice and study, during
which the medicinal power of mantra
healed me on countless personal levels,
the true potential of mantra finally
struck me in quite an unexpected way.
“Oh Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace!”
-Saint Francis of Assisi
I was on a walking pilgrimage to the
high Himālayas, stumbling upon yogī
dwellings under rocks that audibly
hummed with omnipresence when I
heard a repetitive pulse of peace
mantras. I cognized the words as ‘Lokāḥ
Samastāḥ Sukhino Bhavantu,” but in
fact it was the thrust of a wish from the
very core of humanity that was moving,
unbroken, from silence into sound.
As I surrendered my listening more
deeply into the pulsing vibration, I
could sense a web, a subtle network of
highly evolved yogīs serving as
transistors for the “peace channel,” and
I knew that they were calling me, too, to
contribute. My first reaction was a flood
of tears, as I felt desperately unfit to
attempt such an important service, with
my many flaws and unrefined ways!
However, in a clear communication to
my heart these great beings implored
me to add my perfectly imperfect voice
and actively spread the word about this
“peace channel” precisely because they
can’t reach where we can. The network
needs transistors who are in the
trenches of the world, resounding the
words of peace even in the midst of our
often hellish, disconnected, chaotic
modern life. It turns out, by virtue of my
busy, often stressful life I’m perfect for
the job! It’s a relief to know we can each
play our humble part in the divine plan
by chanting mantras for peace.
Together, with the help of many
students and collaborators, at
www.mantrasforpeace.com we have
been promoting the life-changing
practice of chanting mantras for peace
daily for at least 5 minutes.
WHY MANTRA?
If you’ve ever been hurt by
someone’s words or thoughts, you know
the power of sound in both it’s audible
and subtle form. Mantras for peace turn
that power into a force for good.
The sounds of the Sanskrit mantras
actually create the sensation of peace,
thereby connecting our heart’s deep
wish for peace with the mind’s intention
and the tangible sound.
The word “mantra” can be translated as
“tool for the mind.” Our minds are
immensely powerful instruments
because our perspective determines
our perception. Our perception sets the
wheel of response in motion — from
thought, emotion, action, reaction, and
pattern. That wheel can turn towards
judgment, disconnection and violence,
or towards listening, connection and
peace. Mantra practice helps us turn our
mind inward and harmonizes the
subtle, causal levels of our being.
In this article series (to be continued over
the next several issues), we’ll explore the
use of mantras for peace on a deeply
personal level. If you join us in the
practice, you can expect numerous shifts
in awareness that will filter down into
shifts in your thoughts, words, and deeds.
The practice will make a tangible
contribution to peace in the microcosm
of your world, and this in turn will
impact the macrocosm.
Can a mantra actually bestow peace?
In the tradition of mantra chanting,
there is an entire category of mantras
dedicated to creating peace. Let’s look
at the simplest of these śāntipāṭh
mantras, the Sanskrit word for peace.
Śāntiḥ = Peace
What is the sound you naturally make to
calm an agitated child or animal? What
is the sound of the ocean from a
distance, or the sound of leaves in the
forest? Shhhhh…
Dec. 2018 www.yogicherald.com
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