Shanti (Peace)

Shanti means peace in Sanskrit.  When one chants "shanti", it is repeated three times so as to bring peace to the three sources of obstacles as depicted in Hindu scriptures.  Those three broad categories of obstacles are:

• Physical - troubles/obstacles from your external world, your environment, such as from wild animals, people, natural disasters
• Divine -"can be source of troubles/obstacles coming from extra-sensory world of spirits, ghosts, deities, demigods/angels etc.".  I interpret this also as your own obstacles with what you consider to be a higher power
• Internal - these obstacles come from you! They can relate to diseases, laziness, absent-mindedness, beliefs, etc.

When one chants Shanti three times, you are offering a sense of calmness to these three areas.

 

 

Portia Nelson's fabulous poem about our bad habits and how we can evolve...

 

“I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fall in.

I am lost... I am helpless.

It isn't my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

 

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend I don't see it.

I fall in again.

I can't believe I am in the same place.

But, it isn't my fault.

It still takes me a long time to get out.

 

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in. It's a habit.

My eyes are open.

I know where I am.

It is my fault. I get out immediately.

 

 walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

 

I walk down another street.”

 

― Portia Nelson, There's a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery

 

Today I Come to the Mat-    Temple Symonds

 Today I come to the mat

 Seeking answers from my spirit

 My breath is present

 I rest upon ujjayi

 Feeling the inhalation fill my body

 Listening to the exhalation

 As my hips settle in surrender and

 My heart opens

 Bruised and broken

 The scars that I have tried to hide from view

 Are now fully visible

 Gratitude fills me

 As I prepare to accept all outcomes

 Today I come to the mat

 Seeking freedom from suffering

 With compassion for my wounded heart

 And in honor of my divine spark.

 

 

I was also asked to post today's play list:

 

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti by Vyanah

Peaceful Reiki Rain Storm by Reiki Tribe

Moonlight by Yiruma

Imagine by Avril Lavigne

Om Hari Om/ Sharanam Ganesha by Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band

Om Prana by Rara Avis

Shanti Mantra by Uma Mohan

Chant by Adam Hurst

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti (repeated)

La Buddha by Thomas Barquee

10 Minutes Golden Light from Yoga Sunset Chill Vol. V.