So last week I explained how Sanskrit Mantra works with regards to the spiritual tradition of the Sanskrit language and also the creative power behind it as well.
This week, I’d like to go into a more nuts and bolts approach to how Sanskrit Mantra effects our bodies and our spiritual nature.
First, I’d like to say that, I will only be touching this topic in a very general way, as really to go into depth on the subject would look more like a book than a blog -but here you will get the basic ideas behind Sanskrit Mantras effect on the body over the next few weeks. That being said….
…so…
Our bodies are like highly evolved spiritual energy machines. We have the capacity to take in spiritual energy from our surroundings, absorb it and send it out again.
As a culture, we are very well versed in the make-up of our physical body, how it works and so forth, but not much is said about how we process spiritual energy.
A simple way to explain the process is to learn about our Pranic body and how it works.
Not only do we have this physical ‘meat’ body, that we are so familiar with, but we also have a more subtle yet powerful Pranic body – an energy body. This body extends outside our ‘meat’ body and also permeates it. You’ve seen those photographs of people’s auras? Well, it is the Pranic Body that is being photographed there.
Energy, in the form of an electrical current, is moved within this body by small tubes that are like the veins and arteries we have in our physical one. These hollow tubes are called ‘Nadis’ and according to the Vedas, we have 72,000 of them. Of these 72,000, there are 108 that are important. This is why our malas have 108 beads on them – so that we repeat one Mantra for each of these Nadis, to purify them.
Out of these, 108 Nadis, there are 10 that are very important and out of these 10, there are 3 that are supreme. These three are the Ida, the Pingala and the big daddy of them all – the Sushumna.
The Sushumna extends from the base of our spine to the top of our head. The Ida and Pingala snake their way up the Sushumna ending at the Ajna Chakra at the forehead. You have probably seen this picture before as the Caduceus.
The Caduceus is used in the medical field as the symbol for a pharmacy or a doctors office because it is said that when these three Nadis are in balance and fully awakened you have perfect health.
Where these three Nadis intersect as they made there way up the spine, is where we have each of the main chakras in our body. (More will be said about Chakras next week – so check back)
The Ida is the feminine Nadi or moon and it controls mental processes. The Pingala is the masculine Nadi or sun and it controls all the vital processes. The third – the Sushumna is the channel for the Awakening of spiritual consciousness.
One of the ways you can explore this is through becoming more aware of your breath. Do you notice during the day that at most times one of your nostrils is breathing more predominately?
When the left nostril is more open – it is the Ida that is flowing and when the right nostril is more open – it is the Pingala. Different investigations have been done on this and have found that when the Ida is active, the right brain is stimulated and when the Pingala is active – the left brain is stimulated.
So this week – just become more aware of your breathing. Check-in and see which nostril is more predominant and notice how you are feeling – more expansive and introspective (Ida) or more extrovert and into action (Pingala).
This is a Tara Mantra for protection from hindering forces, internally and externally:
OM TARA TUTTARE TURE SARVA VIGHNE-BHYO RAKSHAM KURU SWAHA
SALUTATIONS TO TARA WHO PROTECTS FROM HINDERING FORCES
I give this Mantra this week to help in clearing away obstacles on our spiritual path. Repeat it 108 times in the morning and 108 times in the evening.
Next week we will look more closely into the relationship between the Sanskrit Mantra and the chakras.
With Love,
Aly M. Dunne
