I wrote earlier about the effect that chanting mantras can have on the pitch of our voice. The special thing about chanting is finding your own unique tone. The key here is to chant as low as possible from our body, not from the throat, but from the lower abdomen. It may very well happen that you run into blockages in your voice. If you sing from your throat, you can put a lot of expression in the voice by singing falsetto, for instance.
A blockage in the throat can indicate an inability to express yourself properly. It is the site of our throat chakra Where we express our feelings. Lower down in our body, we come to our heart chakra, this too can be a place of blockages. Try to sink even further into your body to the point of your navel, to the solar plexus. We aim to chant from this point.
Chanting, pronouncing or chanting from mattress
When you start chanting, it may feel weird and uncomfortable at first. This mostly has to do with conditioning. In the past I never dared to sing, I even found talking scary because I was always very insecure and this expressed itself in my voice. To a greater or lesser extent, you may encounter these kinds of blockages in your search for your own unique tone. The freer you feel to express your own ‘being’, the easier it will be to find your own tone while chanting.
Chanting in your own tone does not mean that you cannot or should not chant at different pitches, it has more to do with relaxation. When you are more relaxed, the tone will resonate deeper in your body whereby the healing effects associated with chanting mantras can occur.
Holistic healing
When I talk about healing or healing effects, it does not have to be physical. The effect has a holistic nature which means that more balance occurs on a physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual level. Science too now has sufficient evidence that matter follows thought; without an observer, nothing exists. This is groundbreaking evidence for what has long been known in the mystical world. When our thoughts are balanced, we feel better and our bodies will respond accordingly.
The right rhythm
Besides finding your own tone, it is also important to find the right rhythm. Breathing is an important tool for this. All mantras can usually be chanted with one breath. If this does not work, it may be due to physical condition or stress. If you are short of breath or stressed then you can always use only the OM when chanting mantras. Keep it simple.
Inhale deeply and while exhaling chant only O-M where the Oooo sound as long as you have breath and close the mouth with the M. You will find when you find your peace in this that you manage to keep the O on for longer.
Harmony between rhythm, tone and meaning
The advantage of more elaborate mantras is the rhythm in the words and sounds. Its recitative aspect causes the brain to enter a calmer state of consciousness. See also the information on Brainwave Entrainment. The continuous repetition of a mantra creates a rhythm that enraptures and calms you, so to speak. Herein also lies the secret of the power of mantras. On the one hand, they energetically ensure that the energy pathways in your body are released. On the other hand, the repetitive nature ensures that your brain waves become calmer so that you achieve a deeper mystical experience in your meditation.
Please note; chanting mantras are a way to focus and give the mind something to do. Eventually you also let go of this and find peace and quiet in the peace of mind.
