WHAT DOES OM CHANTING DO?
It was Fatima-san's birthday. Her wish for this day was to spend a part of it with friends in the Sacred Mountain and do the OM Chanting Ceremony. And so, it came to be.
I met new beaming faces, already at the little mountain cabin as we arrived.
-'My name's Gayatri Devi Dasi' said the beautiful woman in fuchsia pink.
-'I'm Surya Dev Das' said the tall gentleman.
-'I'm Yoginam Pub Das' beamed the kind young man.
I felt intrigued. The Indian names I recognised, but the combination of Indian name spoken in context of Japanese language was new for me. I felt a new adventure was waiting for me.
The wood cabin room is spacious. The floor is covered with tatami mats. I find tatami-mats very comforting and supportive to sit on, although having a cushion always helps. Soon enough, we were sitting in a circle. Gayatri-san started to explain OM Chanting in great detail; its story, how its done, its benefits, etc. I felt very grateful for the length she went into to explain what OM chanting is, how it is done, why we do it, and how it benefits the individuals and the world. I was convinced that I wanted to participate. She demonstrated how the OM sound rises from the belly and traverses the whole body, rather than being just a nasal pronouncement. The OM sound, rising from her felt so much rounder and bigger than her petit body, camouflaged in beautiful colours of dark pink and navy blue.
One thing that touched me in particular about the effects of OM Chanting was the purity it radiates to about 2 km radius around the place it has been chanted. Secretly I thought to myself, this would be so helpful for my friends and folks in Iran and the Fertile Crescent. We are so much in need of both physical and spiritual cleansing. Could the OM Chanting really purify you?
I met new beaming faces, already at the little mountain cabin as we arrived.
-'My name's Gayatri Devi Dasi' said the beautiful woman in fuchsia pink.
-'I'm Surya Dev Das' said the tall gentleman.
-'I'm Yoginam Pub Das' beamed the kind young man.
I felt intrigued. The Indian names I recognised, but the combination of Indian name spoken in context of Japanese language was new for me. I felt a new adventure was waiting for me.
The wood cabin room is spacious. The floor is covered with tatami mats. I find tatami-mats very comforting and supportive to sit on, although having a cushion always helps. Soon enough, we were sitting in a circle. Gayatri-san started to explain OM Chanting in great detail; its story, how its done, its benefits, etc. I felt very grateful for the length she went into to explain what OM chanting is, how it is done, why we do it, and how it benefits the individuals and the world. I was convinced that I wanted to participate. She demonstrated how the OM sound rises from the belly and traverses the whole body, rather than being just a nasal pronouncement. The OM sound, rising from her felt so much rounder and bigger than her petit body, camouflaged in beautiful colours of dark pink and navy blue.
One thing that touched me in particular about the effects of OM Chanting was the purity it radiates to about 2 km radius around the place it has been chanted. Secretly I thought to myself, this would be so helpful for my friends and folks in Iran and the Fertile Crescent. We are so much in need of both physical and spiritual cleansing. Could the OM Chanting really purify you?
OM, OM, OM
Soon the room filled with our voices. We sat in two concentric circles facing each other. The voice came from the depth of our bellies and bones. It reverberated through the body. The M sound made me quiver. At first I could not hold a stable M sound ... it just slipped away from me, and I could not chase it. But I came back to it again, and again, and again. With each repetition of the OM chanting the sound grew deeper in me. Until, one moment, with wonder, I felt I could hold the whole OM sound steady and transcendent. As I reached this level of steadiness images started to dance inside me. I felt the forest around me, full of medicine and mystery. I felt my ancestral roots in Japan. A deep sense of gratitude bubbled up in me for this moment, for being in the forest with these friends, chanting OM and tapping into the well of mysteries of creation. I became aware of the other streams of my ancestry, of my deep roots in Iran and the Fertile Crescent. A deep wish bubbled up in me to connect, and bridge, and make known the magic of OM Chanting across my many worlds. So many worlds exist in me, but I am only one woman. So many worlds exist in our planet, and we are truly one world.
A BIRTHDAY GIFT BLESSING THE WORLD
The OM Chanting was Fatima Suomi-san's birthday gift. What a rich gift to give away! I had asked Fatima-san what she wanted for her birthday. She smiled and said 'harmony and peace in the world.' Could this be possible, the cynic in me had its own opinion.
After the OM Chanting Ceremony we sat in a circle again to share our experiences. I heard each person express his and her personal journey with the sound of OM. I felt something in me had grown, like I had become larger, rounder, more contained. Each one had a unique encounter, and we all had something shared and in common. A sense of roundness, like an encompassing skin surrounded our individual and common experience.
We went for a walk in the forest afterwards. My senses were sharp and clear. I smelled the tantalising Sansho tree ( a sharp pepper tree). I could feel the heart of others around me. I moved with gratitude and love as my eyes met the eyes of others in the forest. I joined Fatima-san in her earnest wish for harmony and love in our world.
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