Om! Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

You may have been invited at the end of a yoga class to chant "om shanti shanti shanti". If you have been unsure about what this chant means or whether to join in, this week's blog provides some background in relation to what chanting means so next time you can make an informed choice about whether you would like to join the chanting.

What is a chant?

A chant is a phrase which is rhythmically repeated usually in unison by a group of people. Football fans at matches often chant together to build energy and show support "come on you Magpies" (yes I support Newcastle United!) In yoga and meditation, it is a mantra that is chanted.

What is a mantra?

A mantra can be anything and can often be very personal to whomever is chanting it.

For example, if you are someone who suffers with low self esteem a helpful mantra can be "I am confident, I am loved and I believe in myself".

It is only now that the physiological and psychological benefits of chanting such mantras are being accepted; scientific studies have found that chanting can decrease stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Entomology of Om

It is hard to put a finger on the exact meaning of Om. Interestingly it originated as a sound. In Vedic Sanskrit texts Om! (notice the apostrophe linking it to a sound) it is said that "this syllable is the whole world". The following definition demonstrates the power of Om!:

Om is nothing and everything, the beginning and the end, the original and the illusion, the good and the bad, the storm and the peace, the happiness and the sorrow. Not only is Om the original universal sound, but also the original sound of the universe.

Entomology of shanti

Simply put shanti means peace. It is the kind of peace which envelops our body and mind and everything around us. In Buddhism shanti means the peace one finds in their soul, not outside their body. This happens when our thought processes and emotions are in harmony with each other and we are in control of our responses. The reason shanti is repeated three times is because the number three signifies the effect this mantra has on our body, mind and speech.

Final thoughts

Words and sounds are powerful and we should use them wisely. So next time you're invited to chant (and if you choose to join in) you can perhaps feel more of a connection to these sounds and words and begin your journey to inner peace. Over the past few weeks I have very much been chanting shanti from a world peace perspective and I would invite you to do the same.

Om! Shanti, Shanti Shanti

Kim