A chant or mantra. A mantra is a powerful phrase that is said with a certain concentration or intent. A mantra has meaning in and of itself, but the intention or concentration of the person who says it can make a big difference in the effect of the chant.
For example: Have you ever dated someone for a while and you were pretty sure that he or she loved you, and you loved that person too, but you hadn't told each other yet? You know that feeling? When you say, "I love you," it has the power to change your life in ways you probably can't imagine.
A mantra is like that. When you say it, it can fundamentally change your life.
Some people use "love" very casually. They say "I love this," or "I love it," or "Love ya." It doesn't have the same weight as when a person considers his or her feelings very seriously before saying "I love you."
Usually, the chant is said over and over again. Maybe it would sound kind of crazy to chant "I love you I love you I love you" a thousand times a day. It's not so crazy -- actually it's pretty common these days -- to hear cuss words out of someone's mouth a thousand times a day. Sometimes, people repeat insults and complaints as if they are mantras. So, "chants" of one type or another are a part of everyday life.
Have you ever noticed that if when we hang out with people who cuss a lot or use a certain phrase, after a while we end up using the same language? Sometimes it's really hard to break ourself of the habit. This is an unfortunate example of how a phrase can be engraved on a person's consciousness.
Chanters repeat the mantra because, as mentioned, repetition engraves it in their consciousness (and their unconscious too.)
If you can say "I AM LOVE" one time, but say it with profound faith, intention, concentration -- whatever you want to call it -- that one utterance packs a mighty wallop. But most of us are not at a place in our "spiritual development" where we can summon up such profound faith at any given moment.
When we chant, with each repetition we are rooting ourselves deeper in faith and deeper in the spiritual tradition. Understand sound is creating the physical energy from within us. As we can see, sound affects us. We hear a certain song, that invokes pleasent memories, it makes us feel good. Some sounds will makes tap our feet, or bop our heads to the tune, to want to get up and dance. Some sounds also affects in being sad. There are certain sounds we all connect to. Our bodies also react to certain sounds. For some intense music can make us feel rigid and intense, while soft ambient music can relax the body. So, the energy of Sounds vibrates around us. Chanting is learning to create vibrations that are good and healthy.
The vibration we create when we chant, triggers vibration not only in the depths of our life, but in our surroundings. As we re-tune ourselves more and more to the vibrations of the Universal energy, we will resonate with the vibe that is around us and in our environment. The vibration of chanting awakens innate Spiritual qualities everywhere, it is a sort of chain reaction.
People have been chanting for centuries and there are lots of ways to explain it. While not everyone agrees on why it works, most chanters agree that it is a worthwhile devotional practice.
Chant with your heart open, and mind alert! Chant with gleeful Spirit. Feel the vibration throughout your body. Notice how it transforms your state of being.
The best way to understand it is to chant and see for yourself...............
Happy Chanting!!
Sojourner
This chant is great for raising physical energy and connecting with the universe energy .
Earth my body
(bending at the knee with palms facing the Earth)
Water my blood
(making a circular motion with hands at stomach level)
Air my breath
(In-hale Air as Hands reaching up)
And fire my spirit!
(passing hands above the head and stretch to touch the sky or stars if nitetyme)
Repeat over and over as energy builds. Once you feel the energy flowing thru you........sit or lay down and meditate. On a higher conscious, if needed, allow healing thoughts to be invoked, either for physically, mentally, emotionally, or even spiritually. see in your mynd's eye where you need to direct this energy. When done stand and face North, and upward with hands out and give the Creator thanks. Leave something of yours behynd, ie, tobacco, cornmeal, a piece of hair or a nail. This is returning energy of you back.
TO BE CONTINUED.........
Why chant the same phrase over and over?
CHANT -GROUND EXCERISE