Shanti Mantra Tutorial: All About Śāntiḥ, the Sanskrit word for Peace
A detailed look at Śāntiḥ and the sound of peace.
What is the sound you naturally make to calm an agitated child or animal? What is the sound of the ocean from a distance, or the sound of leaves in the forest? Shhhhh…
What is the sound you make when you slip into a warm bathtub at the end of the day?
What is the sound you make when you arrive home after a long journey? Aaaaaah…
This hissing sound, followed by a long Ā sound, is the root sound of peace in Sanskrit. It’s a special language for mantra because the sound of the word is it’s meaning. We’ll explore that in much more nerdy detail later; it has many deep implications!
For now, the word Śāntiḥ is a perfect example of the harmony between sound, experience, and meaning.
Let’s take the next combination the N + T in Śāntiḥ… When you say it, touch the tip of your tongue to the back of your upper front teeth. This stimulates a more sensitive part of your palate than you’d normally touch on an N or a T. From that sensitivity, a different sensation of connection (and maybe pleasure?) might arise for you. This heightened sensation is a key to opening your heart to a greater sense of aliveness, from which you can add passion to your practice.
Now, for the I sound. The I sound in Śāntiḥ is short and sweet.
Lastly, let’s explore the Ḥ sound. When you say Śāntiḥ, let all of your breath out at the end. (It doesn't have to be loud, just expel the air with a little push from your belly.) Give your all, give your life’s breath without reservation to the prayer. How does it feel to leave nothing behind?
Peace is worth it! Auṁ Śāntiḥ!
A little nerdy note:
When that breathy Ḥ is at the end of a sentence, it's typically pronounced with a short little echo of the previous vowel.
ATTN: Yoga teachers and practitioners:
If you'd like, please try a little experiment. Say a long Ī sound as in the English “see.” Continue for a minute or two. How do you feel? If you practice the stretchy kind of yoga, have you ever heard the chant “Shantihiiiiiiiiiiiii at the end of a class? Does that long Ī sound leave you feeling peaceful, or agitated?
This word gives a lot of clues about the importance of pronunciation in mantra… The sound of Sanskrit mantra perfectly matches the meaning. When the sound is not as intended, neither is the effect, and we can end up chanting something that invokes the opposite of our intention (like the common practice of extending the iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii at the end of Śāntiḥ!)
Practice Tip:
Isolate each sound of the word Śāntiḥ and notice how you feel. Can you connect the feeling, or wish, for peace, with the sound?
Saturating in the Sound
When you chant, put your focus again on the sound itself. Let it start in the depth of your heart, and produce the Aum slowly, deliberately, and sensually. Give yourself permission, time, and spaciousness to enjoy the sensation of each part of the sound.
If we rush through it, or chant like a mechanical robot, we rob ourselves of the chance to actually become the vibration of peace we’re invoking.
Once again, that is the inherent magic of the Sanskrit. Unlike many other languages, where the word is connected to an external meaning, in Sanskrit the sound of the word creates a subtle vibrational form that is the inner meaning.
Please give yourself permission to linger, to savor, to pause and enjoy. The simple practice of Auṁ Śāntiḥ Auṁ, done with deep awareness just a few times, can be project a living vibration of love into the environment around you more powerful than thousands of more complicated mantras and prayer ceremonies done by rote, mechanical, lifeless repetition.
The key is to invite yourself to truly enjoy the sound itself.
All About Auṁ Mini Masterclasses
A juicy chant exploration of the sound therapeutic benefits of 🕉 ...
After 27 years of mantra study and 15 years of training teachers you can imagine Anandra has heard learned a few things about Auṁ chanting, and how to lead a therapeutic (not right or wrong!) chant session!
Both of our All About Aum mini masterclasses got such good response, we are featuring both as replays (by donation)
#1 covers all the FAQ about AUM vs. OM, how to isolate the therapeutic benefits of the 5 sub-sounds, and chant leader essentials: how to avoid a total OM FAIL!
#2 centers on the direct experience of the sound therapeutic benefits of Auṁ... we had rivers of communion flowing inside of us that flowed out as sweet tears.
No dogma guaranteed, just direct experience & observing effects of different techniques of chanting the most popular mantra of all time!
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