June 2003

Chanting Mantras

by co-director Steve Condit

The tapes "Mantra" by Thomas Ashley-Farrand (Sounds True) contain lectures which provide an introduction to Sanskrit mantras and chanting, personal examples of the use of mantra and relevant tales from the Hindu Scriptures, and demonstrations of many mantras.

Ashley-Farrand says that Sanskrit is a language of energy, seed sounds, rather than a language of meaning. This explains the different translations of the same Sanskrit mantras. The Sanskrit seed syllables have no absolute meaning, but can create an experience within the person who is chanting. Each seed sound invokes a specific primordial energy or archetype, that is related to a specific area where one might desire change, or healing.

Mantras can be chanted aloud or silently, usually in sets of 108. The counting is done with a mala (Hindu) which is a "necklace" with 108 beads or a Rosary with 54. Doing 108 repetitions is not difficult as it might sound and takes 10 or 15 minutes for a short mantra.

My current favorite is a healing mantra to Rama who is the 7th Avatar of Vishnu, the protector of the universe. "Apadamapa Hataram Dataram Sarva Sampadam. Loka Bhi Ramam Sri Rama Bhujo Bhujo Namamyaham." ("Om, Oh most compassionate Rama please send your healing energy right here to the earth, to the earth.)" Half an hour is barely enough time to spend with these sacred sounds.

There are many opportunities for chanting in the Seattle area. Check out the SHOW website, the East-West Bookshop calendar as well as websites of individual artists and teachers. Many of them have give sample of their sound so you can hear different styles of chanting . One can also attend SHOW co-director Gina Sala's Thursday evening chanting, or one of the Summer workshops at Hollyhock. Chanting and mantra may not be part of your path, but if they are, we are in a place and time rich with opportunities for exploration.