SHANTI MANTRA 

OM ASATO MA SAD GAMAYA

Sound has healing powers. Sound carries certain vibration, and since our body is largely made up of water, sounds also affect the vibration of our body. Mantras are syllables or sentences that have the power to change the frequency at which our cells, tissues, organs vibrate, and thereby change our energy, harmonise us. Repeating the mantra can be a tool for concentration and liberation of the mind (“man” means “mind” and “tra” is a “tool, liberation”) and thus be the precursor of emptying the mind, the state of meditation, or we can use its vibration to harmonise the body, transform energy, heal the tissues. Ideally, both. Mantras have the greatest effect when they are sung aloud. Singing is one of the surest paths to life’s enjoyment and most securely opens our hearts. So, let’s sing, sing often, sing anything, sing with joy and open heart. Our vocal cords will be cleansed over time. If the mantra cannot be sung aloud, we can repeat it in silence. 

ASATO MA SADGAMAYA is a Shanti Mantra (Mantra of peace), it is taken from Brihadaranyaka Upanishads (1.3.28). It is used as a prayer in Indian schools, during spiritual/ religious gatherings , social events and other times; it is believed that the recitation of these verses bring peace. 

 असतोमा सद्गमय । 

 तमसोमा ज्योतिर् गमय । 

 मृत्योर्मामृतं गमय ॥ 

 ॐ शान्ति शान्ति शान्तिः ।। 

 Asato mā sadgamaya 

 Tamasomā jyotir gamaya 

 Mrityormāamritam gamaya 

 Oṁ śhānti śhānti śhāntiḥ 

 From ignorance, lead me to truth; 

 From darkness, lead me to light; 

 From death, lead me to immortality 

 Om peace, peace, peace 

 Words and their meanings:

 Asat - Unreal, non-existence, untruth, ignorance 

Ma Sat (sad) - Reality, truth, 

 Gamaya gam - means movement, gamaya means move or lead 

 Tam (tamas) - darkness, ignorance, apathy, passivity 

Jyoti (jyotir)- Light, clarity, purity 

Mrityu (mrityor) - Death 

Amrita (amritam)- Deathlessness, ambrosia 

Om - word/sound of creation, holy vibration, god, holy ghost, holy word 

Shanti - peace