Use THIS anytime, anywhere

It’s funny how we remember things. When I sat down to write to you about mantra, my first Kundalini Yoga class came to mind. I had no idea what to expect. Like many, I came into class thinking of yoga as stretching and holding postures. When the class started chanting during the yoga, I nearly burst out laughing. In fact, I did laugh as I thought what is going on? but was able to keep it together. We were chanting a mantra (that I now assume was Har) and all I could think about was the sound my cat made when coughing up a hairball. And guess what? I loved it! Fast forward to the end of class when we sang the Longtime Sun… tears rolled down my face as I joined the class in the closing song. For someone who spent her life stuffing feelings down, to experience this range of emotions (and in a public class!) felt liberating. My regular practice began that day. 

Here’s what I’ve learned about mantra through my practice and my experience as a teacher… It’s an incredibly useful tool that you can use anytime, anywhere:

1. Mentally recite a simple mantra like Sat Nam (truth) or Wahe Guru (darkness to light) to prepare for, or while having a difficult conversation with a friend, an argument with your partner, an intense meeting at work.
2. Play mantra music, or chant your own mantra, when you’re feeling joyful, worried, sad, upset or angry. These sounds have a high frequency, notice how they elevate your mood, help you think more clearly and open you up to new possibilities. 
3. During an activity where you typically have CNN, an audiobook or podcast playing - play mantra instead. Whether you’re cooking, cleaning, walking, working, or running errands, you can effectively turn that experience into a loving mindful meditation through the grounding force of mantra. 
4. Practicing mantra helps you change your thoughts. If the voice of Negative Nellie is running in the background of your mind, use mantra to quiet those thoughts and transform Nellie  into Loving Laurie. You can do this in a direct way by countering your negative thoughts with loving thoughts (i.e. transform I never know the right thing to say to I speak authentically and from my heart), or by reciting a favorite non-English mantra like Wahe Guru. 
5. Pair mantra with your breath to help you be present, bring your nervous system into rest & digest, and connect with your breath in a supportive and meaningful way. To help you with this,  I’ve created an 11 minute practice where you’ll pair calming words with your breath for your own mantra meditation that you can practice on or off your mat. You’ll find this Word Association Meditation in the Bonus section of our 4 Pillars to Good Health Mini-Course (access the free course here). 

What are your favorite ways to bring mantra with you throughout your day?  

With love,
Jodh