Like most yoga teachers I always ask my students to set an intention as the first step in a yoga class.  An intention or SANKALP (Sanskrit for intention) may act as a focal point throughout a yoga practice.  In case you get distracted, intention can bring you back to your yoga mat.

So what are intentions?

Intentions are short yet powerful statements resonating with your physical or mental status. A befitting tool to increase your manifestation power, focus, and mental clarity. In yoga, setting an intention is synonymous with taking an oath to cultivate some values like honesty, gratitude, compassion, truthfulness, etc. in your life or working towards getting into a daunting yoga posture like camel pose on your mat.  Intentions can be a word, a sentence or a mantra. Whilst a word or a plain English sentence are easy to comprehend and set as an intention, mantras are somewhat different...

What are mantras and how can we use them in our yoga practice?

In simple words, Mantras are commonly used by yogis to magnify yogic energies and set intentions for their yoga practice. These mantras could be chakra affirmation, which anyone can learn and remember because they are mostly one-liners in common man language. On the other hand, Sanskrit mantras may take some time to get used to. But with little devotion and consistency, you’re good to go exactly the way you do in your daily yoga workout.

To be precise “Mantras are yoga tools you can use to calm your mind whenever you’re feeling stressed, lonely, anxious, or excited”. 

Mantras, yoga, meditation and seven chakras

Chakras, the energy centres of our bodies are the core defining factors of our personalities. Each chakra, situated along the spinal column vibrates with the frequency of a certain colour. Any misbalance in this chakra system can manifest as a misbalance in one’s life too. Yoga, Meditation, and Mantras are the best tools to sync and harmonise your chakra system. For the reason that each chakra has a particular vibration and certain mantras can resonate and harmonise that energy, inculcating mantras in a yoga flow can be ultra-rewarding.

How to chant mantras to set an intention for your yoga practice

Choose your mantra and breathe deeply to ground yourself as a precursor of chanting your mantra.

You can set your intention either standing or sitting at just the beginning of the practice.

You can keep repeating the mantra throughout the practice or whenever you feel you need to recenter.

Just remember to breathe deeply while imagining your mantra or affirmation touching every cell, tissue, and organ in your body.

You may whisper gently, chant it out loud, or repeat it silently.

Whatever the method you choose, do it sincerely.

Benefits of chanting mantras in your yoga practice

There is scientific evidence that incorporating mantras in your yoga practice can help you in many ways.

Maintaining focus and mental clarity

Defining the life purpose

Increasing confidence, creativity, and connectivity to the higher self

Creating inner peace and developing compassion

Here are some examples and some of my favourite of powerful Sanskrit mantras to set the intention for your yoga practice:

* Namaste: I bow to the divine in you 

Namaste directly translates to “the divine in me bows to the divine in you.” We hear it as we exit yoga class. And yes, Namaste is more than just saying “hello or goodbye”.

* Aham Brahmasmi: I am divine

This mantra affirms that the true nature of your self is the wholeness of the universe. Your Being resonates as the truth of cosmic existence. It reflects the ultimate goal of yoga – union with the higher self since yoga itself means Yuj “union”.

* Om Shanti Shanti Shanti: Complete state of peacefulness

When you chant, “Om Shanti Shanti Shanti,” it’s an invocation of peace. In Buddhist and Hindu traditions you chant Shanti three times to represent peace in body, speech, and mind.

* Aham Prema: I am love

This mantra reveals your true nature as pure love. Prema means love, the flowing energy that connects us all.  When we see the world with the eyes of love, our hearts are filled with gratitude and grace.

If you would like to know more of them, simply contact me. I am confident we will be able to find one that resonates with your body, mind and soul.

I hope you found this blog useful. Please leave me some feedback when you have time to do so.

Namaste

Christel