If you want to go deeper into your yoga practice then I really encourage you to use the element of sound. You don’t need to go to a sound bath or have any instruments to hand. Instead using your voice can have a powerful impact creating higher vibrations of peace, joy and love.
Here are three practices I have started incorporating into my yoga practice which are easy to implement.
- Prayer
Open your practice by reciting a prayer. This can be a simple prayer addressing your higher self, God, Goddesses, higher beings, angels, or even ancestors. Call upon their blessings for your practice.
You can also recite the following Sanskrit prayer;
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
This means may all beings everywhere be happy.
I love to recite this before my practice and I often sing it to my kids too as it is a beautiful soothing sound.
2. Beeja and Surya Mantras
With the weather getting warmer now is the time to practice more sun salutations.
You can incorporate Beeja and Surya mantras before each round of the sun salutation.
Here is a great article listing the twelve mantras read now.
Note I often like to combine the beeja and surya mantras together. For example for the first round I recite Om Hram Mitraya Namaha.
This will give greater depth and meaning to the Surya Namaskar sequence.
3. Mantra Meditation
After completing your asana yoga practice I recommend sitting down to meditate. It is at this point where you can incorporate mantra meditation.
Chanting sanskrit mantras continuously for 108 rounds is known as Japa and it can be a deeply peaceful and soothing practice.
You can use a 108 mala bead to help you count your rounds. 108 is a significant number as it is said to be very sacred with many different meanings to its significance.
Here are a few mantras I like to use;
Om Gan Ganapatye Namah
This mantra is used to invoke the deity Lord Ganesha who is the remover of obstacles.
Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah, Tat Savitur Varenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat.
This is the Gayatri mantra which is an extremely powerful mantra where we can find wisdom and understanding through the Divine Goddess Gayatri.
I remember as a child writing this mantra over and over again in Sanskrit which was also just as powerful as reciting the words.
Om Namah Shivaya
This mantra means to bow down to Lord Shiva the God of transformation. This mantra can be deeply powerful and has given me great strength, peace and understanding especially when navigating changes in my life.
There are many many more mantras which you can explore and add into your yoga and spiritual practice.
Please note that everything I have learnt above has either been passed down through my family or learnt from my personal experience and yoga studies.