Mantras for Peace and Healing Through Ayurveda with Laura Plumb

Bridging Ayurveda and Jyotish into the modern life, she speaks about the connection of mantra to the elements and tissues in the body.

“There are a lot of people who aren’t sure how to handle the world as it is today. So look, there is a possibility that we can awaken spontaneous peace in the world but at the very least we can create peace within and that peace will resonate out. That peace will bring more peace to more people. At least in your family and in your neighborhood. I think all of us can use that. I think the world needs that.”- Laura Plumb

As a graduate of the Kerala Ayurveda Academy, the American Institute of Vedic Studies, and with decades of study into yoga, meditation, Vedanta, Jyotish, herbal medicine, nutrition, health and healing, Laura Plumb is an international educator on the power of the Vedic sciences to promote vibrant health and sacred living. Founder and Director of VedaWise, Laura Plumb leads workshops, trainings and teaches worldwide. She is widely recognized for understanding and sharing the deeper principles of Ayurveda while making them accessible and relevant to modern life.

Anandra had the great privilege to have talked with Laura Plumb. The interview video below was for our Mantras for Peace: A Wisdom Gathering project.*

Conversation from the interview:

Anandra: I’m here with my dear sister, Laura Plum. Laura is an Ayurvedic practitioner, a teacher of nourishment through the Ayurvedic lens, and also a devoted student and practitioner of Jyotish, the Vedic science of the stars. Today, we’re talking about mantras for peace.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, what is the effect of chanting mantra—particularly peace mantras that embrace all—on our bodies, our doshas, our whole being?

Laura: That’s such an important question. Ayurveda, as a Vedic science, is deeply interlinked with yoga. It doesn’t define health as the absence of disease. Instead, health is strong ojas (vital essence), a resilient immune system, radiance, sharp senses, and a calm, contented mind.

So how do we cultivate that radiance and calm mind? Certainly through food, lifestyle, and environment—but also through mantra.

Anandra: Because mantra is portable—it goes anywhere. It’s independent of external circumstances.

Laura: Exactly. It doesn’t require a belief system, though it can be part of one. Mantra works on the brain and nervous system, and in Ayurveda, we see its effects on the dhatus, or tissues.

There are seven tissues: plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, marrow (maja—which includes nerve tissue), and reproductive tissue. From these, ojas arises—the subtle “eighth tissue,” described as drops of golden nectar at the heart.

Mantra nourishes even the deepest layers—the marrow and nerve tissue. That’s why it can calm anxiety, support neurological balance, strengthen immunity, and even influence reproductive health. Ultimately, mantra cultivates ojas—your glow.

Anandra: I’ve experienced that. My grandmother would always remark on how much I was glowing, even though my lifestyle was full of travel and stress. I really believe mantra was what sustained that inner radiance.

Laura: Yes. When ojas is strong, you glow. Mantra builds ojas. It nourishes the invisible harmony of the whole system.

Anandra: So, a regular mantra practice is not just calming—it’s an immune-strengthening medicine, a rasayana.

Laura: Exactly. In Ayurveda, we begin study with mantra, we see clients after reciting mantra, and we use it to focus the mind, open intuition, and create a healing field. Even a simple phrase like, “I am whole. I am the harmony of the whole,” can remind the body of its innate intelligence. The body listens.

Mantra and the Cosmos

Anandra: In our Mantras for Peace project, we invite people to chant Lokāḥ Samastāḥ Sukhino Bhavantu—“May all beings in all worlds be happy.” From an Ayurvedic and Jyotish perspective, what are your thoughts on this?

Laura: I love the saying yatha pinde tatha brahmande—“As is the atom, so is the cosmos. As is the individual, so is the universe.” Each of us is the coming alive of a unique pattern of planets and stars. When we chant, we align with that cosmic pattern and radiate it outward.

When one person awakens, it resonates into the field around them. And when groups of people chant together, that resonance magnifies—like an electric current of light moving across the planet.

There’s research on morphic resonance: when one person heals, others nearby spontaneously begin making healthier choices. Energy entrains. A lower vibration lifts to meet the higher one.

Anandra: So if even 10–12% of us were consciously radiating peace, that critical mass could shift the whole.

Laura: Exactly. Imagine if we committed to daily practices that increased the resonance of aliveness—whether through chanting, meditation, or simply living with love. The possibilities are extraordinary.

Mantra as Medicine for a Troubled World

Anandra: The world feels so discordant right now—so much anxiety, depression, and disconnection. I often feel that depression and anxiety are natural responses to the Earth’s suffering. From an Ayurvedic perspective, what’s the medicine for that?

Laura: When we practice yoga or Ayurveda, we don’t become numb to suffering. We actually become more awake and sensitive to it. That’s why mantras are so important—they give us something to do with that sensitivity. Instead of being weighed down, we can offer sound, presence, and upliftment.In today’s world, even in business, they describe life as VUCA—volatile, uncertain, chaotic, unpredictable. If corporations are struggling to adapt, imagine the stress on individuals!But whenever I sit in circle with friends, chanting and meditating, we reconnect instantly. Not that the world’s problems disappear, but the heart feels steady. That steadiness is the medicine.

Anandra: And self-care isn’t selfish—it’s essential. Without my practices, I lose connection and can’t show up for anyone else.

Laura: Exactly. Ayurveda teaches us to be in right relationship—with ourselves, with nature, with Mother Earth. Depression and anxiety are signals that our relationship is out of balance. We need to tend to that relationship: walking in nature, breathing deeply, chanting, giving gratitude.Mother Earth is powerful. She’ll survive. The question is—how do we want to live in relationship with her, and with each other?If we dedicate ourselves—if even a fraction of humanity aligns daily with peace—the spontaneous eruption of creativity, healing, and solutions will surprise us all.

Anandra: A spontaneous eruption of creativity—I love that. It feels like a blooming of new life. And it starts with peace. From peace, the right solutions arise.

Laura: Yes. Without peace, we keep creating from the same problems. With peace, new possibilities emerge.

Anandra: Thank you so much, Laura. What a beautiful conversation.

 

 

Learn more about Laura Plumb awesome work at: https://lauraplumb.com/

Our Germany Heart of Sound retreat we were inspired to sing this beautiful composition by Christina Sangita one afternoon! It was a spontaneous, fun-filled moment. We hope you enjoy! Filmed and edited by Tobias Stubbe, and the Heart of Sound all stars choir was Suguna OM’s idea! Thanks to everyone involved! Join us for a Mantras for Peace Global Chant Circle on September 21st, the International Day of Peace. Let’s amplify peace vibes in ourselves, in our communities, and around the world!

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Mantras for Peace: A Wisdom Gathering Online

Many of the world’s indigenous wisdom cultures acknowledge that the unseen sound of prayers keep the delicate fabric of life in harmony.

Learn about ancient and innovative subtle activism practices from thought leaders, teachers, and artists from 6 continents in Mantras for Peace: A Wisdom Gathering Online

👂🏽 From labels to listening

🤝 From divisiveness to deescalation

🤗 From extremism to empathy

💞 From disassociation to deep connection

Featuring radically inspiring and thought-provoking conversations with global thought leaders dedicated to a vibrant future through ancient and innovative subtle activism practices, Mantras for Peace: Wisdom Gathering is an all-volunteer project dedicated to empowering people with peacemaking skills. (Originally aired 2019 & 2021)

Hosted by Anandra George, a pioneer in the transformational personal practice of sound and mantra and founder of the Heart of Sound.

45 profound, provocative, inspiring conversations with a diverse panel of global thought leaders.

Together, let's explore ancient and innovative subtle activism practices for a vibrant future!

Featuring radically inspiring and thought-provoking conversations with

• Neuroscience Educator Dr. Sarah Peyton
• Trauma Informed NVC Facilitator Meenadchi
• Biologist Bruce Lipton, Arhuaco
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• Futurist Christine Mason
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• Devotional Musician Punnu Singh Wasu
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