There Is No Tantra Without Mantra
There is a saying “There is no Tantra without mantra”. Sound has a powerful impact on us, more than we may know and is an important component to tantric massage practices. While we know that words have the power to influence us in many ways, mantras exert a special influence on our physical, emotional and spiritual bodies.
Here’s how mantras work…
Each of the major chakras in the human body matches a certain number of letters in the Sanskrit alphabet, which makes up the language of Hinduism and the Vedas. The letters from this ancient alphabet are associated to some deity or energy in sound form. Tantra in its traditional form includes the worship of many deities (gods and goddesses) and many magical practices seen in pagan rituals. These deities or energies, when tuned into, vibrate deep within us, stimulating specific energy centers in our bodies, which have various functions. When combined into words or phrases they are what are known as mantras.
You might have heard a few yourselves, while dodging donation requests and flowers, from outlandish looking individuals covered in loincloths or colorful robes, dancing and gleefully chanting “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna”.
Yet, there are infinite numbers of mantras out there. The most powerful of these energies is the primordial sound ‘Om’. You hear Buddhist monks and Hindus worldwide chanting this sound. It’s believed to be the God-force energy and allows us to reach the highest state of spiritual enlightenment. Personally, I feel that to really appreciate the impact of the sound Om requires a certain refinement of energy, which only really comes with dedication and practice.
The secret to getting the most out of mantras is the correct pronunciation. I chant silently, because I find that energy escapes when do it out loud. Chanting inside my mind during the day allows me to concentrate more on the sensations that these sounds produce on the chakras of my body. While a lot of mantras can be kind of difficult to pronounce, I recommend listening to a few while laying still and observing one’s thoughts. As you continue to listen to them and begin repeating the words inside your mind, their power begins to grow in intensity. It starts to change you.
I invite you to try out some basic mantras that stimulate the 7 major chakras. Repeat each sound many times inside your mind, while focusing on its matching chakra. You can visualize the color associated with it as well, if that helps.
- Krim (‘kreem’) Root chakra
- Klim (‘kleem’) Sacral Chakra
- Hum (‘hoom’) Solar plexus
- Hrim (‘hreem’) Heart chakra
- Aim (‘eyem’) Throat chakra
- Shrim (‘shreem’)Third eye
- Om (‘aum’) Crown chakra
There are certain mantras that I swear by. The gayatri mantra is considered “the mother of all mantras” in Hinduism. I find this mantra to dominate all others in that it has immense power in opening us up to our infinite intelligence and awaken self-realization. Not only does it heal us on a physical, mental and spiritual level, it purifies the subtle karmas and acts as a divine protective shield. So if you’re looking for a spiritual awakening and gaining wisdom, this is really THE mantra to learn. It may be kind of complex for beginners, but well worth learning.
You can check to this video of the gayatri mantra and learn the words as you go along. It didn’t take me long as I’ve always been very auditory and proficient with languages.
But, lets not overload you with Sanskrit just yet, because before you get to the Gayatri mantra, there are a couple of simple mantras, if you’re just starting out. If you’re not sure how to pronounce them, you may be able to find them on youtube.
That’s it for now. I know this post was a little different from my usual posts, but hey I’m a writer who has many different personalities…Actually, believe it or not, the style in which i write greatly depends on the mantra I’ve been reciting that day.
