The Definition Of Mantras

Mantras are becoming ever more popular in Western cultures, where they have been introduced to our vocabulary and daily life mainly due to their associations with Yoga and Meditation.

But exactly what are Mantras, a Mantra is a sacred utterance of word, sound or short phrase which has psychological and spiritual influence. Continuously repeated either aloud or silently while meditating, a Mantra penetrates the depths of the unconscious mind and helps in attaining a spiritual connection and can also assist the body in healing itself. One of the Mantras that has gained a great amount of attention recently is a fundamental kundalini kırtan kriya, which is a type of meditation, by the name of Sa ta na ma. It is one of the most important meditations in Kundalini yoga and it was popularised in the West by Yogi Bhajan. Also sometimes simply called kirtan kriya, sa ta na ma is said to help reorient the mind and prepare it for transformational change. Using the meditation is also believed to bring profound physical, mental and spiritual benefits.Kirtan Kriya is Sanskrit, a classical language of India. Kirtan means “song” or “praise” and Kriya means “to do” or “action.”

The Amazing Findings Of Practicing Mantra In The West

Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation is becoming scientifically recognised as a powerful tool for preventing or stopping Alzheimer’s disease, increasing all aspects of cognitive function, (Improved perception, thinking, reasoning and memory) and reducing stress levels while improving short term memory.
See if you can spot the differences in the images below

There are three separate studies that have been published that prove the Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation benefits. Two of the studies were done at the University of Pennsylvania and one continuing studying is being done at UCLA University of California. The University of Pennsylvania study was published in 2010 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Their second study was published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine in 2010. The Canadian Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation is recommending the meditation as a daily practice to slow down the effects of Alzheimer’s.

The meditation is a combination of chanting a mantra while moving the hands through mudras. Mantra and mudra are also Sanskrit words. Mantra means “an often repeated word or phrase” and mudra means “a motion of the hands” or “a dance of the hands.” To fully experience the benefits of the meditation, a combination of singing, whispering and silently repeating the mantra are used. A key visualization of concentration is used to cap off the meditation.

Let’s start first with understanding the Mantra Sa Ta Na Ma. The sounds come from one of the oldest mantras Sat Nam which means “my true essence” or “true identity” and are designed to be uplifting. There are many interpretations for each of the sounds, one being that there is no meaning to the sounds at all, but simply a vibration, and a stimulation of 84 acupressure points in the palate of the mouth which occurs when singing and whispering the words.

The Defenitions of the Sa Ta Na Ma Mantra

SA is birth, the beginning, infinity, the totality of everything that ever was, is, or will be.

TA is life, existence, and creativity which manifests from infinity.

NA is death, change, and the transformation of consciousness.

MA is rebirth, regeneration, and resurrection which allows us to consciously experience the joy of the infinite.

The Three Voices of the Sa Ta Na Ma Chant

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When using the mantra in the meditation there are three “voices”. The singing voice, which represents the voice of action. The whispered voice, which represents the voice of the inner mind or the voice of your romantic nature. Finally, the silence where you repeat the mantra mentally to yourself, representing your spiritual voice. When singing the notes recommended for the mantra are A, G, F, G.

There are different lengths to the Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation. The Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation recommends the 12 minute version, but there is also the option of a 6 minutes or 30 minutes. The timing for Sa Ta Na Ma voices are listed below.

The 6-minute practice
1 minute out loud
1 minute whisper
2 minutes silently
1 minute whisper
1 minute out loud
The 12-minute practice
2 minutes out loud
2 minutes whisper
4 minutes silently
2 minutes whisper
2 minutes out loud
The 30-minute practice
5 minutes out loud
5 minutes whisper
10 minutes silently
5 minutes whisper
5 minutes loud

Understanding the purpose of the four sequentially repeated hand Mudras.

Guyan Mudra – (Vaayu Vardhak)
SA Mudra
The connection of the tip of the thumb and the tip of the index finger (the Jupiter finger), held while chanting SA. It is believed that the connection of the thumb and first finger brings us knowledge, expands our field possibilities and releases us from limitations. The connection of the two is said to increase the air element within the body creating positive effects on the emotions, empowering the nervous system, stimulating the pituitary gland and the entire endocrine gland system.

Shuni Mudra – (Akaash Vardhak)
TA Mudra
The connection of the tip of the thumb and the tip of the middle finger (the Saturn finger), held while chanting TA. It is believed that the connection of the thumb and middle finger give us patience, wisdom and purity. The connection of the two is said to increase the ether or space element within the body, creating positive effects on our thoughts and intuition. It is also believed to detoxify the body through elimination and relieve a variety of congestions.

Surya Mudra – (Ravi Mudra & Prithvi Vardahk)
NA Mudra
The connection of the tip of the thumb and the tip of the ring finger (the Uranus or Sun finger), held while chanting NA. It is believed that the connection between the thumb and ring finger brings us vitality and animation. The connection of the two is said to increase the earth element within the body while at the same time decreasing the fire element. This creates positive effects on our bodily tissues such as bones, muscles, tendons and inner organs. It is said to increase endurance, strength and vitality.

Buddhi Mudra – (Jal Vardhak)
MA Mudra
The connection of the tip of the thumb and the tip of the pinky finger (the Mercury finger), held while chanting MA. It is believed that the connection between the thumb and pinky finger aids clear communication. The connection of the two is said to reduce the water element within the body. This helps to reduce challenges of excessive hormones, and water retention. It decreases watery eyes, runny noses and loose bowels. Research also shows that by using the Hand mudras in conjunction with the sounds improves blood flow to areas in the brain that control motor sensory and memory.

Next, we come to the visualization aspect. An important part of the meditation is with each L-Shaped Visualizations sound to visualize the energy coming in the crown of the head, and out of the centre of the brow (the region often referred to as the third eye). This helps with the cleansing of thoughts and the reduction of headaches. T While chanting at the various tones and alternating mudras, imagine the vibration of each syllable dropping into the sahasrara chakra (crown chakra which is located at the top of the head) and feel the energy flowing out through the ajna chakra (third eye point located above and in between the eyebrows). It helps to visualize this energy moving in the shape of an L. The pineal and pituitary glands are directly associated with the crown chakra and third eye point, which are our centers for intuition, spiritual connection and enlightenment.