Techniques

Meditation

Meditation can be a very helpful part of any yoga practice but also be a chance to take time for ourselves. Although any meditation is beneficial, having a consistent practice can help you maintain balance and calm day in and day out.

• Find the right space. Choose a place that is quiet and comfortable, where you can remain undistracted.
• Create a meditative atmosphere. You can play relaxing music or remain in silence, and feel free to light candles or place objects to create a devotional mood.
• Set your time. Choose a time that you can keep consistently, either first thing in the morning or last in the evening is best. Use a timer and choose your length of time. Longer is not necessarily better - as little as 5 minutes daily is better than one hour once-a-week. When you are just starting, I recommend meditation for 5 minutes a day and keeping it consistent at least one month without skipping. After that, feel free to increase to 10 minutes, and over time you can keep increasing the length up to a time that you feel comfortable with.
• Choose a posture. Most common are Easy Pose, Half Lotus, or Full Lotus. Once you find a position, do not move. Any scratching, adjusting, or shifting will not help strengthen and calm your mind. Remain still - with practice, you will be able to gain mastery over your mind.
• Focus. Choose a point of focus, I usually focus on the breath by watching a point just below the solar plexus. You can focus on any chakra; I’ve found the second chakra (lower abdomen) is quite helpful to bring peace to the mind.
• Once you have found the focus, keep the concentration on what you have chosen. It is natural to have thoughts; do not mind them too much, do not judge them as “good” or “bad,” but keep going deeper and deeper into the place you have chosen. Also I have found one should not try to have an “experience” on purpose. More important is to “let go,” “be open,” and receive what comes from your deepest self.

Keep in mind that the practice (meditation) is only a step toward the goal (self-realization/union with the Supreme Self). Be receptive - may you find true peace and joy through your practice.

Mantra

A mantra is a phrase, sound, or saying that is repeated. In yoga, Japa Yoga refers to yoga practiced through mantra. In a typical yoga class, there may be some consistent mantras that are chanted, other times the mantra may vary according to the style. Below are some typical mantras:

• Om (consisting of the syllables a-u-m). This is the sacred sound of Hindu philosophy, said to be the origin of other sounds. When produced, the sound moves from the back to the front of the mouth in a long, continuous syllable. Chanting this sound brings one into direct contact with God, the source of all creation. It is traditionally repeated three times or can be chanted as a chorus, creating a continuous, rolling sound.
• Om Namah Shivaya - this is translated as praise to the Lord Shiva, it is said to bring wisdom and purification of the mind, bringing one into harmony with the Supreme Self.
• Hare Krishna - this is also known as the Maha Mantra or Great Mantra. This mantra is to connect with Krishna, a supreme divine form who is source of all attraction and unconditional love.
• Jai Ganesha - praising Ganesha, a Hindu deity with the head of an elephant. His role is to place and remove obstacles, so chanting of this mantra is an aid to removing both physical and spiritual obstacles to the path of self-realization.
• Om Shanti: means peace. This can be said or chanted at the end of a yoga class, for example, Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.