When I first began to do yoga 11 years ago, I did not really like the chanting bit. I did the 'Om' at the beginning and at the end of class with everyone else, not out of desire, but out of fear that someone might notice that I wasn't doing it. I tried meditation but in a room full of people, I felt uncomfortable and distracted. Nonetheless, I closed my eyes, sat in a comfortable position and mimicked meditation even though it felt more like waiting until everyone else was finished with their genuine meditation.
Somewhere along the way, something in my mind, body and spirit changed. Perhaps it was during my years of single-parenthood or after the death of my father. Or maybe it was during another difficult period in my life that I realised I was using meditation to cope with high levels of stress. Without rolling out my yoga mat or driving over to my local gym for the weekly Hatha class, I began to take a few quiet moments to close my eyes, settle my mind and breathe. Soon, my anxiety levels would lower, the physical weight I felt on my shoulders and neck would lighten and my cluttered mind became orderly and manageable once again.
My love of chanting came later. While in Goa, India completing the 200 Hr YTTC at Ashiyana (www.ashiyana-yoga-goa.com/) we chanted nightly during our Bhakti sessions. At the end of those sessions, I felt happy and uplifted, even if I didn't understand what I was chanting about. It wasn't the words per se, it was the habit of lifting my voice, of blending it with others and looking across the room and seeing my friends smiling and happy. Now when I chant, it fills me with those happy feelings and lovely memories.
This morning I came across a nice article in Yoga Journal (http://www.yogajournal.com) about meditation and chanting. If you've never tried either, this is a nice, easy way to begin. Check out the article. You might find that in this busy, crazy, non-stop world, a bit of meditation & chanting is just what your body, mind and spirit need. http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/504?utm_source=DailyInsight&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=DailyInsight
Somewhere along the way, something in my mind, body and spirit changed. Perhaps it was during my years of single-parenthood or after the death of my father. Or maybe it was during another difficult period in my life that I realised I was using meditation to cope with high levels of stress. Without rolling out my yoga mat or driving over to my local gym for the weekly Hatha class, I began to take a few quiet moments to close my eyes, settle my mind and breathe. Soon, my anxiety levels would lower, the physical weight I felt on my shoulders and neck would lighten and my cluttered mind became orderly and manageable once again.
My love of chanting came later. While in Goa, India completing the 200 Hr YTTC at Ashiyana (www.ashiyana-yoga-goa.com/) we chanted nightly during our Bhakti sessions. At the end of those sessions, I felt happy and uplifted, even if I didn't understand what I was chanting about. It wasn't the words per se, it was the habit of lifting my voice, of blending it with others and looking across the room and seeing my friends smiling and happy. Now when I chant, it fills me with those happy feelings and lovely memories.
This morning I came across a nice article in Yoga Journal (http://www.yogajournal.com) about meditation and chanting. If you've never tried either, this is a nice, easy way to begin. Check out the article. You might find that in this busy, crazy, non-stop world, a bit of meditation & chanting is just what your body, mind and spirit need. http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/504?utm_source=DailyInsight&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=DailyInsight
