Holy Ground

https://youtu.be/Wx0yDbJbcBQ
 

 

I have found the following Mantra very calming, especially as a tool for redirecting stressful or compulsive negative thoughts. I try to chant this mantra whenever I am in a place likely to produce some sort of impatience or anxiety. It is especially beneficial to chant the entire 108 cycles, which has quite a powerful effect on calmimg the mind, especially for sleeping. At first you might encounter a fair amount of mind chatter that seems to float in and around the chant, but with time this diminishes. Just observe it and return to the chant without judgement. You might want to search out other videoclips by Deva Premal and Miten on Youtube. They are very powerful. * The Gayatri is a universal prayer enshrined in the Vedas. It is addressed to the Immanent and Transcendent Divine which has been given the name 'Savita,' meaning 'that from which all this is born.' The Gayatri may be considered as having three parts - (i) Adoration (ii) Meditation (iii) Prayer. First, the Divine is praised, then It is meditated upon in reverence and finally, an appeal is made to the Divine to awaken and strengthen the intellect, the discriminating faculty of man. * The Gayatri is considered as the essence of the Vedas. Veda means knowledge, and this prayer fosters and sharpens the knowledge-yielding faculty. As a matter of fact, the four core-declarations enshrined in the four Vedas are implied in this Gayatri mantra. * General meaning: We meditate on that most adored Supreme Lord, the creator, whose effulgence (divine light) illumines all realms (physical, mental and spiritual). May this divine light illumine our intellect. * Word meaning: Om: The primeval sound; Bhur: the physical body/physical realm; Bhuvah: the life force/the mental realm Suvah: the soul/spiritual realm; Tat: That (God); Savitur: the Sun, Creator (source of all life); Vareñyam: adore; Bhargo: effulgence (divine light); Devasya: supreme Lord; Dhīmahi: meditate; Dhiyo: the intellect; Yo: May this light; Nah: our; Prachodayāt: illumine/inspire. Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, vol 13.34: June, 20, 1977

Buddhist Chant for Troubled Times (Gyuto Monks of Tibet)

Native American Images (Library of Congress)

Follow the link at the bottom (or click on the title) to the complete collection (more than 700 images) of Edward S. Curtis's photographs of the Native American. These images have for me a special significance since they embody in many ways a different relationship with the natural world, a fundamental connection that we seem to have lost in the modern world. Perhaps these images can help to rekindle some respect for living closer to nature. Click on volume than gallery view when the list of plates comes up. You can move from group to group as you navigate the collection. You can enlarge if you want and save images to your own files as I have done for this blog. I like to listen to the chants while looking at the images.

For 2 powerful native chants follow the links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17JyYno8eP4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbQnxls4ZB8&feature=related

For a related site about Native Americans follow the link:

http://www.franksrealm.com/sivu-indians.html

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/ienhtml/curthome.html