The Basics of Sanskrit’s Sacred Syllables & How to Choose Yours

Jennie Lee writes, “Mantra is derived from the root words, man, meaning “to think,” and the suffix, tra, meaning “tool” or “instrument.” Classical mantras are considered sacred syllables and are believed to have psychological and spiritual power when repeated audibly or silently. When chanted or sung with devotion and intention, they evoke the quality or energy inherent in the Sanskrit sound. Mantras are often given as an initiation by a master to a devotee and serve as a tool with which the student can move into deeper devotional practice. Of course, any thought churned repetitively in the mind will begin to manifest n kind. So, it is important to assess what you are creating mentally through your mantra.”

“The most well-known Sanskrit mantra is Om (or Aum), which represents the vibrational essence of the universe. Sounding this mantra reunites our individualized consciousness with the universal Consciousness, putting us in harmony with the primordial essence of being.”

FULL STORY by JENNIE LEE, via YOGAPEDIA.COM