Welcome to Part Two of the Subtle Body Series, where we explore mantra, sound, and meditation as powerful tools for energetic alignment. These subtle body practices serve as anchors at the beginning and end of a yoga session, helping to create focus, clarity, and deep integration beyond physical movement.
In this session, you will:
Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or new to subtle body techniques, this guide will help you unlock the transformative power of sound and breath in your practice.
Mantra is an Instrument for the Mind
The word mantra comes from Sanskrit:
Sound Creates a Vibrational Shift
Just as music can uplift or calm the nervous system, Sanskrit mantras are designed to influence energy at a cellular level. Listening, whispering, or chanting aloud all create subtle shifts in awareness.
Ganesha Mantra Clears Obstacles
The mantra Om Gan Ganapataye Namaha calls upon Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Practicing it 54 or 108 times can help clear mental, emotional, or energetic blocks, bringing ease and focus.
Call-and-Response Chanting Deepens Connection
Engaging in Kirtan-style mantra chanting, such as Ganesha Sharanam, fosters a sense of community, joy, and energetic upliftment through rhythm and repetition.
Asato Ma Sat Gamaya Mantra Guides Transformation
This ancient mantra from the Upanishads translates to:
Mantra practice is more than sound—it’s a bridge between the physical and the subtle, leading to deep transformation. Whether you chant for focus, healing, or energy alignment, these practices create lasting shifts in awareness and well-being.
Take a moment to journal your experience—what shifted for you? What mantra resonated most? Carry this awareness into your day.
Next up: Moving meditations and closing practices in Part Three of the Subtle Body Series. Stay tuned!
Welcome to Part Two of the Subtle Body Series. In this segment, we’ll explore subtle body practices that I like to incorporate at the beginning and end of yoga sessions. While these practices can be done anytime, I will share my reasoning for placing them at these points in a class or personal practice.
As with Part One, we will:
Grab a pen and paper to note your observations and insights if you haven’t already.
Subtle body practices—such as mantra, pranayama, and meditation—complement the physical asana. They help students and practitioners:
At the beginning of class, these practices help us center ourselves and align with our session’s purpose. Ultimately, they help us integrate the practice’s effects and transition back into daily life with mindfulness and clarity.
We begin with mantra, a practice deeply rooted in sound yoga, or Nada Yoga. The word “mantra” comes from Sanskrit:
Thus, the mantra is an instrument for the mind, helping to direct and focus our awareness.
Sound has a profound effect on our bodies and emotions. Consider how music influences your mood—certain songs bring joy, while others evoke sadness or nostalgia. Sanskrit mantras are intentionally designed to create vibrational shifts in our bodies at a cellular level.
Today, we will focus on Bija (seed) and short mantras, followed by a longer invocation.
This is a mantra to Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. It translates as:
Ganesha is associated with clearing obstacles on our paths, whether physical, mental, or energetic. Chanting this mantra can help cultivate a sense of ease and focus in our journey.
Call and Response:
(Begin chanting: Om Gan Ganapataye Namaha…)
Take a moment to observe how you feel after chanting. Does your mind feel clearer? Has your breath slowed? Jot down any sensations or insights.
This mantra carries a different energy—playful and uplifting. It means:
This mantra involves a rhythmic, call-and-response style, often accompanied by hand-clapping. Unlike the previous mantra, this raises energy and creates a sense of celebration and community.
(Begin chanting: Ganesha Sharanam, Sharanam Ganesha…)
This mantra from the Upanishads is a call to move from illusion to truth, darkness to light, and mortality to the eternal:
(Begin chanting: Asato Ma Sat Gamaya…)
Take time to journal your experience:
Subtle body practices like mantras offer powerful ways to center ourselves, clear obstacles, and deepen awareness. While today’s session focused on mantra, the next part of the series will explore moving meditations and closing practices.
Thank you for joining. Take your reflections with you for the rest of your day. Namaste.
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