Karmic Seeds Body Mind & Spirit

Don’t you wonder why ancient mantras have become remarkably popular these days? There is something profound and mystical about these mantras. On the look of it, they are mere words and sounds, but there is no denying of the fact that these  mantras  play a significant role in rejuvenating the soul and our subconscious mind. Mantra: According to Deepak Chopra, the New Age Wellness Guru, the word ‘mantra’ consists of two parts. The first part, ‘man’ means mind in Sanskrit, whereas the second part ‘tra’ means instrument. Therefore, he interprets mantra as ‘the instrument of mind’. These are powerful words, sound or vibrations that can be used for meditation. Meditation is referred to as a practice to train the mind or induce a mode of consciousness. It promotes  relaxation of mind  and body, develops compassion, patience, love, concentration and generosity.  Meditation  many a times involves repeating a mantra with closed eyes. Mantras for meditation are chose...

The number 108 is significant for so many reasons. Some believe there are 108 stages on the journey of the human soul, while others associate the possibility of enlightenment with taking only 108 breaths a day, while in deep meditation. No matter who you ask, the answer will most likely be different each time. The truth is — the significance of 108 beads on your mala is open to interpretation. As mala beads were traditionally created to be used as a tool in meditation, we like to associate it with the ideals of meditation. Chakras One of our favourite explanations for having 108 beads on a mala is related to the chakras (the seven energy points in our body). It has been said there there are 108 energy lines connecting to the heart, with one of them believed to be the path to self realization. Mantras When using your mala beads in meditation and chanting your mantra, some have said you are complete once you have done it 100 times. The 8 extra beads are to account for errors. Or even mor...

It’s been a tradition in some yoga circles to practice 108 Sun Salutations, often times to signify something special like kicking off the start of a new year, letting go of the old one or celebrating the solstice. Whether you’ve got blisters on your toes from 108 Salutes or are just curious, here are a few fun facts and interesting reasons why 108 has significance. Significance of 108:  M eaning of 108 beads on a mala  by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati  On a mala, or set of mantra counting beads, there are generally 108 beads, or some fraction of that number. The question often arises: Why are there 108 beads on a mala? Below are some of the many reasons that have been given for having 108 beads on a mala, as well as a few other points of interest. None of these reasons are being promoted here as more or less true than the others. However, you may notice that 108 appears to be somewhat like a road map of reality in general, and the human in particular. Re...

How chanting OM affects your physiology BY OLGA KABEL Why do we chant in yoga anyway? What is the purpose? Chanting OM promotes limbic deactivation, which is a fancy way of saying that it takes the edge off our basic emotions (fear, pleasure, anger) and drives (hunger, sex, dominance, care of offspring). In this study the researchers compared chanting Om with making “ssss” sound while the subjects were getting an MRI. They found that during Om chanting the regions of the brain that became deactivated (amygdala, anterior cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, insula, orbitofrontal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus and thalamus) were the same regions that became deactivated during electrical vagus nerve stimulation for treatments of epilepsy and depression. Since effective ‘OM’ chanting is associated with the experience of vibration sensation around the ears, the scientists suggested that this sensation is transmitted through the auricular branch of the vagus nerve. Saying “sss” sound didn’t...