In mid-April, I reached an important 1000 day milestone in my mantra-yoga practice.
When I started that long sadhana in July 2011, I didn’t think beyond the 40-day Kirtan Kriya sadhana, or practice period, I’d been invited to do.
Several years and many mantras later, I can say that I feel more calm and centered, even in the face of some fairly intense challenges along the way — like staring-down and moving on from an abusive relationship pattern, among other things.
Thanks in part to the mantra-yoga practice I adopted then (along with several other practices), I’ve found that I’m more easily able to ‘just say no’ to participation in old, unhealthy patterns that were part of my conditioning; as well as stay more centered (or be less thrown-off by and recover more quickly from!) interactions with ‘difficult personalities’, and the usual challenges of life, too.
I’ve experienced other benefits from these practices, too.
For my fellow science-meets-mysticism (or spirituality) geeks, the growing research shows what mystics and yogis and sacred teachings have been trying to tell us for millennia – that practices like mantra, meditation, and certain types of prayer have real effects on your brain, thinking, anxiety and stress levels, and so on.
Right now, Spirit Voyage’s current 40-Day Global Sadhana features the Divinely Feminine Adi-Shakti mantra. Consider tuning in!
Here’s one description of this beautiful mantra (which you can listen to or add the mudra and do):
“This mantra invokes the [Creativity] that is in each of us and that is the power of creative manifestation throughout the Universe. As you open your self to this constant creative becoming and movement of the Universe, you move naturally to drop insecurity, and move beyond blocks that come from a more limited perspective. In this meditation you sit with and embody the primal, constant creative power of the Universe.” ~Gurucharan Singh
My ongoing mantra yoga practice started with a 40-Day Sadhana like this one — I had no initial intention of doing more than that! But after starting, and noticing the effects and enjoying the practice, I’m still at it several years later.
Over this past 1000-plus days, I’ve done a variety of mudras and mantras.
I learned through experience as well as research that each mantra and mudra has its unique purpose and effect — its own vibrational quality and physiological effect. I’ve found that it’s more powerful to do the mudra than it is just to listen, but I listen to mantra tunes throughout the day, too.
Either way, it’s easier than you’d think to get into the groove and zone with it, and experience the joys and positive effects of this ancient, powerful vibrational practice.
You can download Nirinjan Kaur’s beautiful Adi Shakti tune and just listen as you do other things, or you can join many others around the world with the mudra and sitting practice.
As you like – experiment, and notice what unfolds.
Learn more (and see the youtube link for the beautiful mantra tune).
Big Love,
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