When we chant in yoga we use Sanskrit primarily because there is a vibration that is given when you use Sanskrit that you do not have if the chant is in say English. It is the same on the CD with the chants being true to the language that it were first written I, so the vibration and sound frequencies remain the same as if Mikao Usui were doing the chanting himself.
We, in Cincinnati, have a group that meets once a month to deepen our connection and to learn from one another about the system of reiki. In these monthly gatherings we almost always chant together. I personally chant often alone in my house. When we meet as a group the chanting always feels deeper and I leave with a feeling of touching the energies of the mantras much more than when I do it alone. After chanting with the CD at home I get that same feeling afterward. It is like chanting with my reiki sangha. It is like having Frans sitting next to you during chanting. I am certain we will make use of this CD in our monthly meeting.
One of the eight limbs of yoga is Pranayama or breathing exercises, chanting with this CD gives me a good pranayama workout. Pranayama is about moving the Prana (energy) which is the same thing as Ki through the body by means of the breath. Energy is said to travel with the breath. By chanting we are moving the energy down to the hara or power area, and then throughout the body. What is nice is that by learning to chant from the hara I have improved on my Sanskrit chanting. I have since taught my students to chant from the hara when doing traditional yoga chanting, and they have reported that the chanting is deeper and more meaningful.
I have studied Buddhism for many years; there is a tradition in especially Tibetan Buddhism called oral transmission. The Dali Lama has talked about when he was young, having monks reading to him early buddhist text for hours a day. This is done I believe, so that the listener could hear with the inner ear and subconsciously have a better understanding of the concepts that are being taught. Listening to the heart sutra for me is like that. It is placed wonderfully after the reiki chanting to allow all those vibrations to settle.
This CD was such a wonderful surprise for me and will be one of my most useful tools that I have to deepen my reiki practice and my spiritual path. The sound quality is great, and the mix is great, and having the simple chanting going on without any additional music make it ring true and have a more organic sound. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is serious about where they want to go within the system of reiki.
Jeff Emerson Reiki/Yoga Teacher
Certified Thai Yoga Massage
Web: reikiease.com
Comments 14
I couldn’t agree more our last session was awesome.
I want to share a observation I have made in last few months. I work an Occupational therapist and work 50% of population I work is anywhere between the age group of 80-100 and several of them are severely hearing impaired. My voice in general is naturally amplified ( not loud like scream) and in general people can hear me in past have been told to keep my voice down 🙂 I have started to notice since I have started to practice Chanting regularly ( I am doing grounding chant right now) patinets who have even severe hearing deficits can hear me clearer even without hearing aid ! even though they had great difficulty to hear even with their family members. I was reading about hearing in hearing impaired and found that people who have hearing difficulties with hearing aids they can “amplify ” the sound they do not make sound “clearer” and the severity of a person’s hearing loss could be different at various frequencies and ability to hear different voices will vary depending on a number of factors, including the pitch of the voice. Also, it is important to note that a person’s ability to hear a voice is different than the ability to discriminate between sounds and to understand speech. Any way what I am trying to say here is wander if chanting and breathing from hara can actually make ones voice so “clear” that it can be audible to hearing impaired. I am noticing this much more now and 50% of the population I see have hearing deficits , people at work and families have commented on my voice . ( And mind it I have accent :). wander if anyone has the same experience ? I think I would keep that in mind.
Hi Seema,
The clearer our energy becomes the clearer our voice will be.
There are stories that some yogi’s have such a clear voice that, even if they speak to someone who doesn’t speak their language can hear what they are saying.
The system of Reiki helps us to clear all our senses.
True Frans , Like you have said before true learning and wisdom comes from your experience and practice and when you learn from a teacher not by reading what some one has written. Some thing to learn all the time 🙂
Hey Frans! Any update about when your chanting CD will actually be available on CD for those of us who can’t do downloads? Hearing about how wonderful it is, and not being able to have a copy, is torture. Many thanks!
This is so wonderful, Frans! Thank you for making this cd of chants available to all of us. I love it!
Susan
Hi Elly,
Still working on it, will let you know when it is done. Have been a bit busy of late.
Thanks, Frans! And yes, I’ve noticed that you’ve been a “bit” busy! Too bad I couldn’t get to Baltimore to meet you, or to my birth state, Tennessee, especially since I’ve been rocketing back and forth to Nashville for months on family business. But someday, someday…
Hi Elly
have checked Frans interview here http://ihreiki.com/blog/article/reiki_and_mindfulness_interview_with_frans_stiene
it has a good 10 min. of chanting of symbol 1 , starts around 35 min. or so.
I have the CD but I listen to this as well , I like this one too when I practice chanting.
Hi Elly,
I am enjoying the southern accents 🙂
Beautiful weather here.
Bless you, Seema! But sadly, my laptop is so ancient it doesn’t get sound, which is why I have to wait for a CD I can play on a “boom box.” Hopefully, that day will be coming!
oh , I missed that.
yes that day is coming soon , I am also waiting for the CDs for a class .
I used to hear this growing up a lot from my parents-
it means some thing like this –
Patience gives sweet rewards 🙂
Thank you Jeff for this wonderful insight and also you sharing your experience on Ki campus on working with kids in detention center with sensory and behavioral issues. I can see how Yoga and these primordial chants blend together , the chants slows your breathing as you focus on them , decreases your blood pressure which in medical terms reduce your stress level/hormones. You experience inner calmness . As yoga also brings progressive inner calmness by settling your mind which is often over shadowed by our “muddy mind” , how wonderful the fusion of yoga and primordial sounds are. Looks like I missed that last time , after I read your reply on Ki campus I came back to read your aricle again , thank you so much for sharing .
Hi Elly,
The CD is now also available on iTunes, not sure if that helps you or not?
Have a great weekend
Love
Frans