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Benefits of Daily Mantra Meditation (Self-Care through Sound Healing Yoga)
Evidence-Based Benefits of Mantra Chanting
In our fast-paced, high-stress world, ancient practices are making a profound comebackāand for good reason. One such practice, mantra chanting, is emerging as a powerful tool for wellness, backed not only by thousands of years of tradition but also by cutting-edge neuroscience.
Whether youāre a seasoned yogi or just beginning to explore the power of sound, mantra meditation offers a unique, holistic approach to healing and transformation. Hereās a closer look at the evidence-based benefits of chanting:
1. Reduces Anxiety & ...
Shakti Mantra FAQ: What is Iccha Shakti? Are Goddess mantras only for women?
What are Shakti Mantras?
- Åakti Mantras are Sanskrit mantra soundĀ vibrations that stimulate an inner experience of energy
- Shakti mantras tend to have a predominant I sound (sounds like eeee in the word glee, the English word for very very happy!)
- That vowel sound is considered the primal shakti mantra, because when we make that sound in our bodies, we naturally feel what is called "icchÄ Åakti"
What is Iccha Shakti?
- IcchÄ Åakti is a term that describes the power to create.
- It's a trembling sensation, full of lively vibration that is the impulse to act, to ma...
My Story of Assimilation: What it taught me about NÄda Yoga, Mantra Shakti, Tantra, and Patriarchy
A bit of my story...
After almost assimilating to be a āgood Indian girlā studying these traditions since I was 19, I woke up *just in time* to realize that there are 5,000+ years of baked in patriarchal systems of oppression in nearly every aspect of yoga culture. (Not to mention my own American culture!)
I had been baking inside the whole assimilation enchilada for 2 decades:
- wearing full saree every day for years, as comfortable as putting on sweats.
- Studying Hindustanī classical vocal music in New Delhi with my beloved music Guruji.
- Speaking Hindi and servin ...
Vocal Empowerment for All! Transform Your Life through the Power of Sound with Chloe Goodchild
Chloe Goodchild is the founder of The Naked Voice, a pioneering vocal training program founded in 1990 that explores voice as a spiritual practice, sustained by conscious core practices, devotional music, and audiobooks that empower you to embody and express your authentic voice. The Naked Voice Charitable Foundation was established in 2004 to restore ethical, healthy, happy, and harmonious relationshipsāpersonal, global, and universal.
Chloeās seminal book, The Naked Voice ā Transform Your Life through the Power of Sound (North Atlantic Books, 2015), provides a compr...
Is there a Right or Wrong way to Chant OM? (The Most Frequently Asked Questions Mantra Teachers Get)
All About Aum...
This blog post is adapted from aĀ mini masterclass all about Aum. that I taught recently,
Known as the mantra of all mantras, Aum carries immense therapeutic benefits and is a cornerstone of mantra practice, a sound healing practice, most yoga classes, and definitely kīrtans!
This post compiles some of the most frequently asked questions I've received about Aum in my 10 years of teaching teachers (and nearly 30 years of being a mantra nerd!), along with some of my practical insights on chanting.
What Is Aum?
Aum is an audible echo of an inaudible ...
Mantra for Natural Disasters, Fire, Flood, Earthquake, Hurricane
Have you ever wished for a mantra to help you get through a natural calamity, like a forest fire, sudden flood, earthquake, tsunami, hurricane, etc.?
Mantra during a Natural disaster
While it's happening it's SO intense, it's hard to think. I was in Japan during the 2011 earthquakes, tsunami & Fukushima disaster. I lived through forest fires in Montana. I know how overwhelming it can be. And I'm SO grateful that I have a mantra habit to lean in on during natural disasters.
Mantra after a Natural disaster
The aftermath and all of the emotional processing, the traum...
OM Chanting Fail: Top 3 Mistakes Chant Leaders & Yoga Teachers Make When Leading AUM
How to Lead a Sensational OM as a Chant Leader
When youāre leading a chant, particularly one involving Aum, your primary role is to create a safe and resonant space. This post highlights essential practices for chant leaders to help participants feel confident and connected.
Three Keys to Leading Aum Chanting
- Provide a Clear Tone
Establishing a clear, stable tone is essential. Use a harmonium, tuning fork, or your own voice to set a sonic floor. Choose a pitch thatās comfortable for both you and the group. This step ensures everyone feels anchored and secure in the...
Sheela Bringi: A Lifetime of Evolving the Indian Traditions of Mantra, Music & Bhakti
A Heartfelt Exchange on the Power of Sound and Tradition
In this episode of Mantras for Peace: A Widsom Gathering, Anandra joyfully welcomes Sheela Bringi, a musician, teacher, and ālineage keeperā of sacred sound traditions from India. Over the years, Sheela has dedicated herself to preserving the wisdom of these traditions while breathing new life into them in America.
Sheela Bringi, MFA, is a sacred music artist and educator. She is faculty at Naropa University in Boulder, CO, where she teaches courses in Indian Devotional and RÄga Singing. She is a vocalist and ...
The Healing Power of the Medicine Buddha Mantra
I feel in love with Tibetan mantras on my first trip to the HimÄlayas in 1997. I trekked (in plastic sandals, silly 19-year-old me!) to Namche Bazaar then to the Tyangboche monastery. There I was blessed with an audience with the 80+ year old Rinpoche Tyangboche and his gaze, his voice, cut straight through the fuzz in my chaotic mind.
I felt, for the first time, the clear still infinity that is the result of a long-time sound-based meditation practice. It inspired me from then on to make inner knowledge my priority (over other "normal" goals like partnership, parenti...
High on Kirtan? The Good Drugs our Brains Make When we Chant with Dave Stringer
The Neuroscience of Kirtan Chanting
I had a lovely conversation with Dave, who is a Grammy nominated producer, musician, songwriter and Kirtan leader. He explains the good drugs our brains make when we chant, whether we believe in it or not.
Dave Stringer, a Grammy-nominated producer, musician, and songwriter, is widely recognized as a leading voice in the modern Yoga movement, including sound healing, mantra chanting, and nÄda yoga. As both a captivating singer and profound public speaker, he merges the worlds of neuroscience, yoga philosophy, and art into a partici...
