Harry Potter chants & yoga

When my kids were younger they would hear me chanting in the mornings when I was doing my yoga practice. To my surprise they thought it was cool, they said it sounded like the spells in Harry Potter. They would listen while I chanted and found it fun.
 

Getting over the hurdle
The chanting of spells is one of the reasons why I initially felt uncomfortable doing it. It felt weird, I didn't know what it meant, no-one explained why we were doing it or what it was supposed to do. But it seemed to

 be included in lots of classes so I carried on with it, never really enjoying it. 
 
 
Chanting and Breathwork (Pranayama)
There are a few aspects of yoga like that. You do them anyway, even though you might not really get it or see the need. It all seems to come as a package in a class so you do the whole lot.
 
The seated breathing might be thought of in the same way. I breath all day, why would I bother just breathing on its own?
 
In my experience, the effects are somewhat subtle but cumulative over time so are hard to explain and harder to measure progress. But while they might be subtle, they are there and are powerful. Rather than immediate feel-good results the benefits run far deeper when practiced consistently over time. 
 
- your breath improves when you chant,
- the chatter in your mind takes a step back while you focus all your efforts on the alien sounds and try to recite the sounds as exactly and precisely as possible,
- your exhale lengthens,
- you develop stamina,
- you find more steadiness and more skill at controlling it,a bit like singing,
- you develop mental discipline as you learn and follow the strict Sanskrit rules and channel the mind away from distraction. 
- plus like singing, the effect of it in a group is another intangible that just feels great and has such an alive quality to it. 

 
Connection and mystery
Beyond the connection with those you are chanting with, it also connects you to the ancient meanings of the sacred texts that are being repeated. We may not yet have an intellectual understanding of what we are chanting, but we sit alongside and embody the meanings, in a tradition that is thousands of years old and pre-dates written transmission of teachings.
 
Sanskrit is an original language, our modern words have a foundation here in some distant way. There is a connection to our ancestors that is easily overlooked unless brought into a ritual in this way.
 
 
Rules
And did I mention the rules? 
The little dots and dashes on the letter make all the difference to the sound, rhythm and tone of the chant. There is a precision to it that can super charge chanting as your skills develop.I've studied chanting for 25 years been on retreats where we just chant for hours during the course of the weekend and still consider myself quite a beginner. 
 

Chanting on retreat
It was a joy to lead the group through the whole of the Sarva Santi chant at the Devon retreat last month. We got to the end and a wonderful quiet descended on the room while we sat in the stillness that followed. 
 
This is one of the joys of having extended time with our practices. I was so pleased we managed the whole thing. Our immersion in a tranquil, beautiful setting let's us go further into the experiences that we establish in a weekly class but can really flower on retreat. 
 
Transformative opportunities are rare so I would invite you to join me when you can to go further with your yoga both with your understanding and your experience.

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