Chanting into the Light
As many of you know, the last year and a bit has been one of the darkest periods of my life, commanding me to pull out all my tools and techniques to get through the horrors of the largest mass shooting in Canadian history that claimed the life of my sister Lisa McCully. Although I had a vast repertoire of healing modalities, there were some that were just too laborious, one of which was my beloved yoga practice that I rely on so profoundly. Trauma had ransacked my emotional health, my hormones and my digestion, so my energy was severely compromised.
In the early months, all I could do was eat simple, warming foods, take short walks and long naps, all accompanied by lots of therapy. One practice that didn’t require a lot from my depleted system but steered me in the direction of healing was japa, or sacred chant. Many days I was too weak to vocalize, so I’d just listen and invite the sounds to drip into my soul like golden honey. The chant that has accompanied me through many peaks and valleys in my life is a mantra that I’ve been reciting for years, so my heart was familiar and receptive to it’s light frequency – the Gayatri.
I was initiated into the Gayatri mantra on my first trip to India, when my life changed forever by the healing potency of yoga. I was spontaneously asked by a fellow Canadian if I’d sing Deva Premal’s version of the Gayatri at the final concert of our YTT program. She and I spent the entire month and a half chanting the Gayatri mantra in every spare moment we had. When it came time to receive my mantra at the end of the program, I graciously declined, knowing that I had already been assigned one.
Since then, over the years, the Gayatri and Deva’s voice, have ushered me through the high points in my life, like marriage (we walked down the aisle to Om Namo Narayanaya), pregnancy and labor as well as the low points, such as the period we’re moving through now. In fact, directly after the events last April, one of our NB clients, Amee, contacted Deva and Miten and told them what had happened here in the east coast of Canada. In their online Live concert that night, they acknowledged Lisa and I and our sisterly bond and followed their prayers with the Gayatri. It was an immense energetic boost to have them speak our names and chant in our honour, when our hearts needed it most.
The Gayatri, a chant that aligns us with spiritual illumination and the light of the Universe, has been a guiding light for me as I work to repair my spirit amidst these dark times. And I know for certain that the Gayatri, or another chant of your choosing, will have the same effects on your life as well, should you wish to explore mantra recitation. It’s been a deeply challenging time for all of us, and chanting is an accessible practice that helps us to realize the best version of ourselves through divine connection.
One thing is for sure, we are honored to have Deva and Miten presenting on the healing power of mantra at our Mindfulness Conference this summer. It will surely be a spiritually uplifting experience for all, and you can bet they’ll be chanting the Gayatri.
PS, I am happily flowing through my asanas again with balanced hormones and healthy digestion.