Harinam Sankirtan at Princeton downtown!
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Powerful mantra for stress relief
There is a powerful mantra that forms the basis of effective meditation and kirtan. It’s also called the mahamantra or “great mantra” that can penetrate to our inner core or soul… ready for it?
Introducing the Hare Krishna mantra, composed of these 16 words in the specific order listed below (Hare is pronounced as “huh-ray”, Rama as “rah-mah”)
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
The word “Hare” refers to the divine feminine potency of God. “Krishna” means the all-attractive one, and “Rama” is the reservoir of all pleasure. The sound vibration from this mantra is said to penetrate all layers and have a direct positive impact on the soul.
Here’s a clip where you can hear the mantra chanted by Srila Prabhupada — try playing it to experience the effects, especially in the morning.
The Hare Krishna mantra can be chanted on beads in meditation (there are 108 beads in a set). This mediation when done especially in the early morning infuses one with energy for the day and gives the inner strength to deal with stress and daily challenges we face.
Here’s an example of Hare Krishna mantra meditation — click the image to find out details on the program in NYC:
Also, the same powerful mantra forms the basis for kirtans which are sung in a variety of tunes and rhythms. Typically, a harmonium, mridanga (clay drum), and kartals (small cymbals) are used in traditional kirtans. Kirtan Chakra will have resources on kirtans where you can listen and download kirtans.
For more, read about the Thursday night kirtan at the Bhakti Center, in Manhattan. Also, this blog page by Ananda from Washington DC on “Lean into Kirtan” has some deep reflections on kirtan.
Check out this related article on YogaChanti “Meditation via Kirtan“:
Meditation via Kirtan
As you may have heard, meditation helps us to relieve stress and focus clearly on the tasks at hand. There are several ways meditation can be achieved – one very effective medium is Kirtan. Contrary as it may sound – with singing aloud and with others – Kirtan is a direct proven way to focus your energies within.
Prama is a regular at the Thursday night kirtan in Manhattan- she is in business school and visits the Bhakti center often to ground herself. In her words, she believes business and Bhakti can go hand in hand although one may wonder how this is possible.
The books on display here explain more on yoga and meditation. If music can help us meditate and relieve stress, it surely must be good!
Bhakti Center in Manhattan
The Bhakti Center is a spiritual cultural center on New York City’s Lower East Side with a talented staff devoted to sharing the experience of self-transformation through the timeless culture and practices of Bhakti-yoga.