Blog
The Power of Sound Yoga Therapy, featured in Yoga Therapy Today
As a yoga therapist specializing in sound & mantra therapy, I'm honored to be featured in their Yoga Therapy Today journal, a trade publication for yoga therapists!
Since the magazine itself is only available if you are a C-IAYT yourself, or for purchase online, they've given me permission to share our interview with our Heart of Sound community.
Sound yoga therapy is so potent!
I got another gushing thank you from someone who told me mantra saved their life, just yesterday. I am inspired to keep doing this work so people FEEL the FULL POWER of sound and...
The Science Behind Om Chanting with Dr. Hemant Bhargav, Chief Scientist at NIMHANS
Ever wonder happens in your brain when you're chanting OM?
Watch the video below! Chief Scientist for India's National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Dr. Hemant Bhargav, explores the fascinating intersection of ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience in his research on the effects of chanting Aum.
“What we observed was that when the subjects chanted Aum, there was a deactivation of the limbic system of the brain, particularly in the amygdala. We know that the amygdala is the primal area of the brain, which is associated with emotions like fear...
Top 3 Things I Learned Going to Yoga Festivals (funny, but true)
For over a decade I taught mantra workshops and led chant experiences, sound baths, and led kīrtan at some of the largest yoga festivals in the world. Yoga Fest Yokohama Japan, International Yoga Fest in Rishikesh India, Bhaktifest in California, etc.
Like most of us though, I stayed put during the pandemic, and have just started leaving my house again. LOL! Within the last year I attended a few festivals different countries, and my oh my... have things changed, or have I changed?
I learned A LOT about the zeitgeist in the wellness scene. Mostly, it was awesome to...
Gayatri Mantra Spelling in IAST with Pronunciation Tutorial Video
If you love mantras, you know that finding properly spelled Sanskrit Mantra is really challenging!
This post is part of a series on accurately spelled Sanskrit mantras in IAST. If you're looking for reliable information on how to spell the Savitri Gayatri Mantra you'll find it below:
- Gayatri mantra in Devanagari (or the Sāvitrī Gāyatrī mantra in Devanāgarī if we're being precise!)
- Sāvitrī Gāyatrī mantra in IAST transliteration
- The long form of the Sāvitrī Gāyatrī mantra with 7 bīja mantras (instead of the usual 3)
- An image of Sāvitrī Gāyatrī
- A quick video tutorial...
Mantra saved my life: Suicide prevention sound therapy
The only reason I travel!
Outside of Frankfurt today someone threw themselves in front of a train.
So I’m an hour late to my destination.
Or a decade late, if we might have had a chance to help them feel connection, hope, empowerment, and that warm feeling of okay-ness that spreads from within… when the mantra sounds are tuned in to listening sensory pleasure and the voice vibration is massaging the heart.
Travelling is tiring and can be overwhelming. There’s nothing in the world I really want to see, no food I really want to taste.
But people, I want...
Gayatri mantra FAQ: why is it so special?
The Savitri Gayatri Mantra (also know as "the Gayatri") is often celebrated for its profound spiritual resonance and universal appeal.
Here are a few reasons why the Gayatri mantra is so special:
- The Sāvitrī Gāyatrī mantra is a great mantra for beginner / intermediate chant lovers, as it transcends religious and cultural boundaries, and serves as a powerful tool for healing and self-realization.
- The Gayatri mantra's essence lies in its simplicity and accessibility. It's a non-dogmatic invocation that calls upon the divine light to illuminate our minds and...
What is Mantra Yoga?
Mantra yoga, a simple definition for ordinary people:
I was on the phone once with tech support for my web hosting service. The guy (who sounded like a nice Southern California surfer) was looking at my website, and asked, “What's a mantra?"
I said, “It’s a collection of sounds or words that you repeat over and over to yourself as a form of meditation, either out loud or silently in your mind.”
And he said, “So kind a like ‘think happy thoughts?' "
Laughing, I replied, “Sort of. If...
What's the difference between a Mantra and an Affirmation?
I can't tell you how many people have asked, "What's the difference between a Mantra and an Affirmation?" It's such a great question, since the terms Mantra and Affirmation commonly get used synonomously when in fact they're distinct.
The word "mantra" has been appropriated for different usages. For instance, saying "I can do it" or "I'm good enough, I'm okay just as I am" are affirmations. These affirmations, when repeated, have a mantra-like effect as they help protect you from negative thinking or self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors.
However, the uniqueness of...
What defines "Sacred Sound"? What's the best way to start?
When asked about the best way to start or the most powerful approach, I believe cultivating listening is something anyone can do.
Listening awareness is Sacred...
Top 10 Unpopular Insights into Sound Yoga Therapy, Mantra, Kirtan & Sound Healing
Yep, you read that right! Here's a collection of some of my slightly shocking, radically empowering views on the current state of all things sound and mantra, kīrtan and nāda yoga, vibrational sound healing therapy etc.
1. Radical analogy about Sanskrit anatomy (and why you don't want to miss out!)
2. Why I don't play the guru card?
3. Is kīrtan a cringy word for you?
4. My mantra "OH S*^T!" moment that changed my life
5. I am not the Sanskrit police but I DO want YOU to FEEL the SOUND
6. 50 years of chanting and a Sanskrit PhD but never had a mystical connection...
