What's the big deal about chanting, and why is it part of yoga?
For those who were interested in attending the Snatum Kaur concert in Atlanta last weekend, or for those of us who love her music when played during yoga, it's obvious what the big deal is. Sacred chanting in concert form - also called kirtan (keert-on) - brings you to an inner state of peace, joy, and sometimes even euphoric bliss. In fact, it's not uncommon for the glow of kirtan to last for several days afterwards.
Chanting is movement of the breath in audible form. When a group chants together long enough, voices start blending together and even their breathing patterns start syncing.
Sounds, words, or phrases are typically held long enough that you are forced to take deep inhales into your belly so you can complete the chant without running out of air.
Those of you who've done belly breathing in your Soul
Flow classes know what a great effect this technique has
on calming your nervous system.
The same holds for chanting: If you chant long enough,
you'll find yourself in a very relaxing and meditative state. Chanting not only soothes your body, it also quiets your mental chatter... All those pesky thoughts that shoot like firecrackers through your brain all day long - "I think I forgot to turn off the iron this morning - I hate folding clothes - I'd like to get that pretty red dress I saw the other day when
it's on sale - I wonder if I'll ever finish writing that report - Maybe I'll win the lottery, and then I'd never have to worry about reports again - Hey, what's that noise outside, blah, blah, blah..."
"Om," the single-syllable mantra I was telling you about in last month's newsletter, is one of yoga's elemental chants, and one you're most likely to encounter at the beginning or ending of a yoga class. This chant is used to reset your internal thermostat, so-to-speak, and pull you out of the cares of your day and into the present moment - just you, and your breath, harmonizing, and resonating with the
other voices in class.
Robert Gass, author of Discovering Spirit in Sound: Chanting, says "Chant affects our physiology and our mind through [the] capacity of vocal tones to vibrate in our body with massage-like effects." So don't be shy... Take advantage of the opportunity to use your voice in class if your teacher leads you in a yogic chant, and discover physical and mental benefits.
Try the following exercise, if you'd like to explore the
effects of chanting:
According to yoga tradition, "Yam," "Ham" and "Om" are three "seed sounds" associated with energetic centers in your body. There are many others as well, but for the purpose of this exercise, we'll focus on these three.
Come into a comfortable seated position. At your own pace, play with the following one-syllable chants and their vibratory effects in your body:
1. YAM: Inhale slowly and deeply to expand your belly. On the exhale, say "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmm," (rhymes with Tom). Where do you feel the vibration of this sound in your body? Repeat, and this time on the exhale, feel the sound resonating in the area of your heart.
2. HAM: Inhale slowly and deeply to expand your belly. On the exhale, say "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmm," (rhymes with Tom). Where do you feel the vibration in your body this time? Repeat, and this time on the exhale, feel the sound resonating in your throat.
3. OM: Inhale slowly and deeply to expand your belly.
On the exhale, say "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmm,"
(ah-uu-mm). Again, where do you feel the vibration of this sound in your body?
Repeat, and this time, on the exhale, feel the sound resonating in the center of your forehead.
Note: You may need to simply visualize the corresponding part of the body when you chant the sound. Ultimately, you will sense the differences as you play with these.
