Sound & Silence

One of the positive impacts that lockdown created was to open the world up to online teaching, we could now join courses that were on the other side of the world! I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Lucy Crisfield at ‘Original Wisdom,’ and join her teachings and courses of the sacred language of ‘Sanskrit’. Lucy’s ability to channel the scared sounds of mantra are a true example of following your Dharma! Her teachings are now reflected in my own delivery of mantra both from the Devanagari and Japanese Koto dharma.

Mantra

As I am a very auditory learner, I like to experience life through sound and vibration. When I began to study mantra and opened up to the direct sensations of Sanskrit, I began to hear ‘nada’. Quite indescribable really, its like you can hear the whole universe inside of you, a feeling of being held and supported. It’s never left me and is always there with reassurance.

I like to bring Mantra into all of my classes and workshops. You don’t need to have a good singing voice but an openness to receive the many blessings from a receptive heart.

Sound & Silence

Music has a very visceral experience upon our complete physiology, we may find ourselves becoming almost lost in its vibration and deep connection within and without, this sense of our whole being in an expansive and boundless expression of being.

Sound has the ability to lift our mood, to comfort and soothe our nervous system, reduce anxiety. It can also create and enhance depressive moods and melancholy. It can stimulate and motivate our physical activities and goals.

Sanskrit.

The sacred language of Sanskrit spoken in Hindi amongst others, reveals to us the truth of our being. When we meditate upon the Sanskrit sound OM, the expansive qualities arise within us, revealing a sense of no separation or non duality, a ‘Wholeness’. Mantra can also shine a light on where we want to go, when using specific mantras, such as Goddess Lakshmi reciting the mantra

Om Shrim Shrive Namah and evoking your sacred intention (Sankalpa).

Inviting abundance and prosperity into all or specific aspect of your life.

Jumon

Within the system of Reiki we have Jumon, the Japanese word for mantra. Its literal translation is ‘sound which invokes a very specific vibration’.

You can already see the parallels between Sanskrit and Jumon. A number of kanjis' (logographic writing system)in Japanese language are similar to the sanskrit alphabet.

When I began to learn the Mahesvara sutras in Sanskrit, I also find the Mahesvara in Buddhism, when I began learing the system of Reiki. The founder of Reiki ‘Usui Mikao’ was a practicing buddhist.

In some Japanese traditions Jumon is also known as ‘Kotodama’ and its translation being ‘words carrying spirit’.

These mantras were ancient Shinto practices. They would use the vibrational qualities to interact with their natural environment, to bring themselves closer to a deeper connection to the self and the universe.

By meditating in nature it also brings us closer to ourselves remembering that we reside in nature and nature resides within us.