The first time I heard Krishna Das chant, I was in love. When I first started practicing yoga, chanting was a huge part of the practice. Before moving to Charlotte, I lived in Atlanta and I only practiced Ashtanga. The opening mantra was a beautiful part of the practice that I looked forward too. It was a prayer, an intention, an opening signal,an energy resetter and it was powerful.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which is the foremost text on yoga, speaks of the power of mantra. Specifically, it talks about how just chanting "om" alone can bring enlightenment. No one denies that music has the power to change our moods. Chanting works to bring us closer to self realization by striking the heart. The vibrations, the tones, the words and the beauty of the music works through us and removes barriers that keep us from seeing who we really are.
I dream of one day leading a kirtan (chanting session) or starting and ending my classes with a rousing chant.
So when I was contacted by Kim Corbin of New World Libary regarding reviewing Alanna Kaivalya's, Sacred Sound, I jumped on it.
This book provides the chants, the mythos, correct times to use the chants and if you go to this link, you learn pronunciation and how to say them. The book is easy to understand and the chants and stories are applicable to even the most skeptical yoga student.
Am I ready to lead a Kirtan? No, but I am much more informed and comforatable wich is a step in the right direction.
For more information and to purchase the book, go to alannak.com
Great post! Thanks for your help getting the word out about Alanna's work. Om on! :-)
Posted by: NewWorldLibrary | May 14, 2014 at 11:46 AM