Chanting Bija Mantras – Sound meditation
Sound Meditation – Bija Mantras to balance your chakras
Let’s experiment with sound vibrations. When you speak, the sounds you create, are resonating in your body. It means you already have a built in well-being tool inside of you. Have a try:
- Put one palm on your chest and whisper: “I can do this.”
- Then repeat it out loud.
Can you feel the vibrations in your chest? This is what you are going to work with today.
The sound energy that you create vibrates through your entire field/ your energy body. When it is used the right way, sound can move energy blockages in your body, caused by stress, emotional overwhelm, etc. some kind of imbalance in your body.
The short words, mantras that you see on the picture below, come from ancient yoga practices. Each one of them designed for a certain chakra. On the left hand side you see the chakra names and a brief description of what they do. On the right hand side there are examples of imbalance that you can correct with that sound. That means you do not need to use all the sounds, all the time. You can simply pick the one(s) you need. Sometimes you wish to balance all the chakras, in that case you go through them all, as I have done in the recording.
How to do the meditation?
Take a comfortable position. You can sit down or stand up, it’s entirely up to you.
These are easy to make sounds, but to achieve results, try forming them the way they are described.
- The mantras start at the bottom, the Root/Base Chakra.
- There will be a little bell sound separating the sounds/chakras, so you know you are moving up a chakra each time. Try to focus your attention on the chakra you are working with and resonate the sound as loud as it feels comfortable.
- You must feel the vibration in your body.
- The tone of the mantras is entirely up to you. I have done it the way it felt comfortable for me at the time, but it is not always the same.
- You can experiment with the same sound at different tones, and feel how they change the sensation in your body. Stick with the one(s) you like.
- You can also change the length of the sound, and the number of repetitions. I chose to do long-short-long-short-long in most cases. That’s how I like it.
- To pronounce the sounds the right way, please refer to the description below.
- You do not need to do this exercise with me, but listen to it at least once, so you get an idea on how to do it.
How to pronounce the sounds?
They are easy-to-make sounds, but to achieve results, try forming them the way they are described.
I quoted below the ACCURATE PRONUNCIATION of BIJA MANTRAS / CHAKRAS by National group for studying and practising of Yoga
Lam – “Curve the tip of your tongue up and back, and place it on the rear section of the upper palate to pronounce a sound like the word alum without the initial a.
Vam – Place the upper set of teeth on the inner section of your lower lip and begin with a breathy consonant to imitate the sound of a fast car. Pronounce the mantra like “fvam.”
Ram – Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of the front section of the upper palate, roll the r as in Spanish, and pronounce the mantra like the first part of the word rumble.
Yam – Inhale noiselessly through your mouth, and pronounce the sound like the word yum (as in yummy); allow the sound along with your breath to fill your mouth and throat cavity.
Ham – Inhale audibly through your mouth, and pronounce the word hum (as in humming); allow the breath to extend beyond the resolution of the consonant.
Om – Inhale audibly through your nostrils, and direct the stream of air to the point between your eyebrows. Pronounce the sound along with your exhalation as a subtly audible whisper, allowing the sound and breath to resonate in the cranial area.”
Please note that the Crown Chakra usually has no sound attached to it. It is silence that helps opening and balancing it. However some people find it easier to work with sounds. In this case choose between OM or AH. Om is a very powerful sound that you already use for your 3rd eye chakra. Ah is the sound of release, letting go. When you sigh, you make this kind of sound. Try it with all three options for your Crown, and see what works for you. You may find that it varies from time to time.