Invocation Mantras and Your Yoga Practice

Invocation Mantras and Your Yoga Practice

Setting an intention to begin our Yoga practice is a powerful and useful way to start our inward journey of self-healing, and Self-Awakening.  Using the same mantra or method each time we sit down helps us instantly shift from our extroverted state to enjoying the process of Yoga.  Using the same mantra creates a healthy habit. The mantra we choose to start our practice with becomes like a phone number.  We simply dial the number or chant that mantra and we quickly come into communication with that which we are seeking. In various Yoga traditions and schools, we see different invocation mantras used. These mantas often tell us a lot about the Yoga school’s underlying philosophy or approach to Yoga. While the mantras vary, the basic tenant of shifting from our ordinary activities to Yoga practice is shared. Centering and coming back to our Infinite Self or invoking the Divine are two of the main purposes of chanting mantras at the beginning of our practice. 

In various traditions, we see the use of different languages. Vedic and Yoga Darshana use Sanskrit. Tibetan Buddhists use the Tibetan language.  Other Buddhist schools use Pali, Sanskrit, and other languages depending on their location's native tongue.  Sikh's have a whole practice of chanting based out of there scared text. Mantra has taken on different meanings in the modern Western world, often simply referring to positive affirmations.  All of these approaches are valid as spiritual vehicles.  Even Christain prayer has similar methods as Eastern Mantra.  In regards to the word mantra Sanskrit has the greatest antiquity.  Antiquity does not equal superiority, yet understanding the origins is crucial for a larger understanding. 

Some Yoga and meditation schools do not use Sanskrit or a sacred language when the practice is begun. Simply offering a prayer, or beginning to watch the breath is a common approach as well.  In some cases, a bell or chime is sounded to formally begin practice.  Each culture, subculture, and tradition has its own unique way to mark the beginning and end of practice. Below I will outline some of the mantras used at the beginning of Yoga practice. 

Om

Om is considered to be the essence of all other Sanskrit mantras. It is considered to be the primal sound of all others sounds, beyond language (see Mandukya Upanishad). The Yoga Sutras recommend chanting Om as a method to attain Self Realization (1.27-29).  It is a complete mantra and also adds potency to any mantra chanted after it. It can be viewed in from a nonsectarian perspective.  In this case, people translate it as the sound of the universe. This a nice way to make the soothing vibrations of Om accessible to the masses. From the light of Non Dual teachings (Advaita Vedanta), Om is considered everything.  Om is the essence of ekam advitîyam translated as "One without a Second" from the Chandogya Upanishad section 2 verse 1.  

Om is the power of all things. Using it in our sadhana brings us to the realization of Tat tvam asi, you are that, i.e. thou art that. (Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7)

Om is considered the sound of God in the Yoga Sutras and the only mantra specifically suggested for sadhana (1.27-29).  Om is highly Sattvic and excellent for bringing calmness and peace of mind. For those of us whose Yoga practice is guided by the Yoga Sutras Om is indispensable.

Many of you may be wondering about the Mantra Ong and its relationship to Om. I have written a 15 page e-book on the topic.  You can learn more and get the e-book for free by following this link.  

Ganesha Mantras

Various Ganesha mantras are used before all types of Yoga practices. We find the invocation of Ganesha more common in Bhakti based traditions, yet some tune into Ganesha before Hatha Yoga and meditation as well. 

Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati who is the personifications of Pure Consciousness and Manifest Creation. Shiva and Shakti can also be explained as Spirit and Nature. Ganesha is the remover of obstacles. When we chant to Ganesha, we are tuning into his power (Shakti) of clearing the way.  Invoking Ganesha is used to purify practice and chase away dark energies that could interfere with having success in Yoga. 

There are plenty of Ganesha mantras to choose from.  The one I personally use is:

Om Shreem, Hreem, Kleem, Glaum, Gang Ganapataya Namaha

Another popular Ganesha mantra is:

Om Gam Ganapataya Namo Namaha 

 Both of those mantras have extensions and variations. We see powerful seed mantras are used to invoke Ganesha’s energies into our bodies in both of these mantras.  Ganesha mantras not only purify our bodies but also the environment where we are chanting. 

We often begin our Full Moon Kirtan Michigan events with mantras to Ganesha.  The power of the Ganesha energy blows my mind every time. Below are two recordings you can check out  

 And here is a short one from Yoga Fest at Song of the Morning Yoga Retreat. 

Guru Mantra 

Many Yoga paths lean heavily on Guru Bhakti or faith and devotion to the Guru. My teacher Dr. Raju said:

“Guru Bhakti has been used (positive framing), and it has also been misused.”

We must be very careful in the case of Guru Bhakti. If we begin to give devotion to a Guru that isn’t living up to right ethics and morality for someone in the role of Sat Guru, it can be very difficult to reframe when we find that we have been looking up to a scammer. 

That being said there are plenty of cases of Divine and loving Gurus. Their peaceful lives tend not to make the headlines, yet they are out there. 

The teaching of the Guru is ultimately beyond human form.  It is the state of God as a timeless teacher.  A Sat Guru or True Guru is said to have a direct connection with the infinite Guru. When we chant to the Guru, we may or may not be thinking of a person.  This is up to each individual when they chant Guru mantras. 

The most popular Guru Mantra from the Guru Gita:

Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara

Guru Sakshat, Param Brahma, Tasmai Shri Guravay Namah 

The Divine teacher is (Brahma) The Creator. The Divine teacher is (Vishnu) the Sustainer of all life force and Preservation. The Divine teacher is Shiva, (Maheshwara) the Cosmi Recycler and force of Transformation of life energies. The Guru is the nearest of near (Guru Sakshat). The Guru is beyond the beyond (Param Brahma). I give offerings (tasmai) to the beautiful and great (Shri) all-pervading Divine Teacher (Guru). I bow to you with deep respect and reverence (Namah).

Another popular Guru Mantra is the Guru Gayatri Mantra:

Om Gurudevaya Vidmahe, Parabrahmaya Dheemahi, Tanno Guruh Prachodayat

Om Namah Shivaya Gurvaye 

This longer invocation Mantra is often chanted, in you guessed it, Yoga Schools that relate to Shiva.  It is a stunning and beautiful mantra glorifying the non-dual nature of reality and Shiva as the supreme teacher of Yoga.  It is the mantra that we chant with our teacher training students for a long list of reasons.  If you want to learn more about this mantra, follow this link where you can read my free ebook on the topic. I also have a basic introductory e-course on this mantra you can get here. 

Om Namah Shivaya Gurave 

Satchidananda Murtaye

Nishprapanchaya Shantaya 

Niralambaya Tejase

Asato Ma Sad Gamaya 

My teacher, Swami Atamavidyana, once referred to this mantra as being an explanation of the process of Yoga.  

Asato Ma Sadgamaya

Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya

Mrtyor Amritam Gamaya

“Lead me from the unreal to the real. From darkness to light. From death to the nectar-filled knowledge of timeless consciousness.” 

Asato Ma Sad Gamaya comes from the Upanishads and is a very ancient mantra. It is considered one of the Shanti Mantra or peace mantas. I have seen it mostly used to conclude practice, as a powerful closing prayer.  The Amrit Yoga Institute uses it as an invocation to begin practice with a unique melody.  

Om Sahana Vavatu 

This beautiful Vedic Mantra is also used in various Upanishads. It is usually chanted before study begins. It holds a potent message of collaboration amongst students and teacher, which is as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago.    

Om sahana vavatu

May God protect us both student and teacher

Saha nau bhunaktu 

May He nourish us

Saha viiryam karavaavahai

May our work together be filled with great energy 

Tejasvi nau-adhiitam-astu

May our studies be effective

Maa vidvissaavahai 

May there be no quarreling or hatred between student and teacher.

Closing Thoughts

These are just a few examples that came to my mind this evening. There are countless ways to start our Yoga practice!  In formal Puja practices, there is a long list of invocation mantras preparing for inviting the deity into the room. These mantras vary greatly from tradition to tradition. The Ashtanga Vinyasa system has a unique mantra that is chanted to Sage Patanjali.  Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan uses the mantra Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo to begin practice.  Ong is not a well-known mantra in other yoga schools. Does this make it an invalid mantra?  I don’t think so, and wrote a free e-book (get it here) on Ong’s method of construction from Sanskrit and its relevance to Tantric mantras and other topics.  This theory is based on ideas around Om precedented in Sanskrit grammar and Tantric seed mantras.   

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