YH JAN-FEB 2019 | Page 26

MANTRAS Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu Simple Word-by- word Meaning: N ow that yoga has spread to every corner of the globe, in one form or another, it’s time to reclaim the purpose of yoga: serving the welfare of all. Getting healthy is simply a prerequisite to serving all with vigor and enthusiasm! We hear a lot these days about the cultural appropriation of the ancient sciences of transformation. One of the best ways to ensure you are using the yogic teachings as they were intended by the sages and seers is to dedicate your mind, heart, and body to serving the welfare of all. Obviously it’s hard to be of service if we're unhealthy and in pain, in either mind or body. Once we’ve used yoga to tune ourselves to our most vital potential, we can become instruments of peace in our communities. Chanting the peace mantra below, alone or in community, is a powerful way to uplift the subtle atmosphere and provide an invitation for Grace to descend where needed. “Only those who truly feel that the whole world is one family can be called Indians. Our scriptures enshrine the truth of“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam!”To pray for the welfare of all beings, everywhere, is our birthright and our duty.” Satya Sai Baba 24 www.yogicherald.com Jan./Feb. 2019 Lokah Worlds Samastah All Sukhino Happy Bhavantu May Become May all the beings in all the worlds be happy! Recommended Practice Method: 1. Chant this mantra (either out loud or silently) for at least 5 minutes per day. 2. Allow your heart to infuse the chant with your sincere wish for peace. 3. Your mind may wander. That’s normal! Gently bring your focus back to the mantra when you notice it has travelled elsewhere. 4. To keep your focus, it may help to visualize your prayer going out in concentric circles, starting with yourself, then moving to your most loved ones, your extended family and friends, your neighborhood or city, your nation, our planet and it’s creatures, etc. (Three slow, love-infused repetitions for each layer of your sphere of influence takes about 5 minutes.) Blissful Pronunciation Tip If you’ve watched the mantra instruction videos at www.mantrasforpeace.com, you are in touch with the super-special strip of skin just behind your upper front teeth! That tiny bit of “blissfront property” is packed with nerve endings. In my opinion, that’s the reason a whole class of Sanskrit letters makes contact there! (More nerve endings = more sensitivity = more bliss!) If we approach Sanskrit from the tantric viewpoint of Kashmiri Shaivism, that position connects us to that state of blissful, perfect balance between inner connection and outer expression. When producing the mantric sounds there with care and accuracy, many people find it ticklish, energizing, or simply a bit more sensitive than other parts of their upper palate.