Introduction to Sound Meditation – Shanti meaning ‘Peace’
While Meditation is practiced to calm down the mind, meditation with the help of sound is a technique using sound as an instrument to control the mind. With the help of sound, it is possible to gain concentration by diverting the mind towards the sound or a certain mantra.
Benefits of Sound Or Mantra Meditation:
• Sound of the mantra helps you to increase the concentration.
• The vibration of the mantra meditation is not only affecting the mind, but the body too.
• You will experience an energetic feeling after the practice because the mantra works on the body too.
• It is the best instrument to control an agitated mind by reducing the thoughts arising out of worries and anxiety.
• You get the will power to face those worries and anxieties.
Sound Meditation with Mantras Mantra is a sacred utterance, numinous sound, or a syllable revealed by ancient Hindu tradition. In Sanskrit, mantra means: “man” – mind or to think and “tra”- instrument or means. Mantras are powerful enough to generate vibration across the energetic centers in the body.
One can chant the mantra mentally by repeatedly visualizing the letters in the mantra, chant slowly with lips, or chant in low sound. Mantras function on vibration that occurs inside when the practitioner chants the mantra. When sound meditation is integrated with mantras, it becomes easy for the practitioner to gain the concentration as well as control the mind. Silent mantra meditation is more effective to experience a higher state of mental peace and consciousness. “Bija Akshara” or Seed Mantra is helpful in awakening the chakras or dormant and subtle energy centers that already exist in the body. Another effective mantra meditation is using the syllable “AUM” for chanting. There is no sound in this universe without any one of the letters in “AUM” mantra. According to the yogic science, thoughts are the subtlest form of the sound. When the thoughts are controlled, the mental peace is gained automatically.
That is the reason why the mind is calmed down when the mantra meditation is practiced. Sound Meditation with Chakras We have already seen how sound and mantra meditation works on the body. Both these techniques create an impact on chakras – the energetic centers in the body. Another way of meditation is to activate chakras with the help of sound. This sound is part of the mantras. The ancient yogic tradition says that all the sounds created by the Sanskrit words exist within the chakras in the body. Each chakra has its sound. By repeating this sound, these psychic centers are activated and energized. Through regular practice, it is possible to open these subtle chakras that have a direct impact on the evolution of the mind, which takes the practitioner to experience the higher consciousness. Chakra sound meditation makes it possible to invoke the chakras through chakra sound & chakra bija mantra meditation. There are particular vowel sound & Bija mantras associated with each chakra that is capable of opening that particular chakra and the characteristics associated with that chakra manifests through the mind and the body.
