Mantra in Yoga

There are two ideas here: mantra practice and yoga practice. One may include the other, for example, OM is actually considered a mantra and you’ll frequently hear the sound of OM at the beginning and end of a yoga class. Perhaps you’ve also heard of or participated in chanting the Lakshmi mantra or Siva mantra.

Mantra is a sacred Sanskrit sound, most often of several syllables. The combination of these specific sounds produces a certain energy, which can be understood on a sound vibration level.

The power of a mantra is most often “activated” by a guru – sometimes called a mantra initiation which consists of hearing and repeating the exact syllabic cadence and pronunciation (since most of us are not familiar with the intricacies of Sanskrit combinations).

A yoga practitioner may work with her mantra throughout her practice. Although most often used during puja rituals or meditation sessions, a mantra may be chanted out loud or silently whenever needed.

-Margaret “Saraswati”