Mantras are used in yoga and meditation as a way to quiet the mind or invoke a specific intention or feeling. Often the music you hear in yoga classes are Sanskrit mantras set to music. We listen to these mantras, enjoying the melody and the sound without giving much thought to the meaning behind the words. On a retreat I took to Bali in 2018, our teacher spent time teaching us various mantras and the meaning behind them. I love this added layer of knowledge and find it brings a deeper sense of meaning and spirituality to my practice. The Gayatri Mantra is one of the most well known and chanted mantras. This is a sacred chant that dates back thousands of years to the ancient yogic text Rigveda. This mantra is a hymn to Savitur, the sun god. The sun in this mantra represents the physical sun as well as the divine within all things. The outer light of the sun is a reflection of the light within all beings and when we chant this mantra, we ask for purification of our hearts and minds by the light.
Gayatri Mantra:
Om bhur bhuvah svaha
Tat savitur varenyam
bhargo devasya dhimahi
dhiyo yo nah prachodayaat
Meaning: We meditate on that most adorable, desirable and enchanting luster and brilliance of our Supreme Being, our Source Energy, our Collective Consciousness...who is our creator, inspiration and source of eternal joy. May this warm and loving light inspire and guide our mind and open our hearts. (Rig Veda translation)
There are many versions of this mantra set to music. One of my favorites is by Deva Premal. You can find it on Spotify HERE. I also love this version by Tina Malia, also on Spotify HERE.