The Science Behind Mantra Chanting
Excerpt of an Interview with Jonathan Goldman
by Vandana Mohata

1) What’s the science behind Mantra chanting?

There are a selection of various “sciences” behind mantric chanting. A few of these are the “arduous” science—physics, psycho-acoustics, and so forth. A few of these are non secular sciences such because the completely different yogic practices that work with sound. I write about lots of them in HEALING SOUNDS and my different books.

On one stage, as noticed years in the past by Dr. Herbert Benson, mantric chanting helps induce the “rest” response, inflicting discount of coronary heart beat, mind waves and respiration. On one other stage, as Dr. David Shananoff-Khalsa believes, mantric recitation allows the tongue to stimulate the acupuncture meridians contained in the mouth (significantly on the roof), thus enhancing the impact. Dr. Ranjie Singe discovered that the chanting of particular mantras induced the discharge of the hormone melatonin and is investigating the significance of this within the therapeutic course of. He additionally discovered many advantages together with shrinkage of tumors and enhanced sleep. He writes about these leads to his e book POWERFUL SELF HEALING TECHNIQUES.

It’s additionally been discovered that self created sounds comparable to chanting will trigger the left and proper hemispheres of the mind to synchronize. Such chanting may also assist oxygenate the mind, scale back our coronary heart price, blood strain and help in creating calm brainwave exercise. As well as, listening to sure chants has nice helpful results.

Dr. Alfred Tomatis utilized the sounds of Gregorian Monks to stimulate the ears, mind and nervous techniques of purchasers. His work is essential with regard to the scientific and medical makes use of of sound and chant. He discovered that sure sounds which are significantly excessive in vocal harmonics will stimulate and cost the cortex of the mind and the nervous system. There have been numerous extremely popular recordings of Gregorian chanting that been launched since this analysis was made public. I do know that many different forms of chanting from completely different traditions have very related results. These are only a few of the arduous bodily phenomenon of mantric chanting which were noticed. There actually are others, as nicely.

Some consider that the recitation of sacred mantras truly causes the bodily and etheric our bodies to alter their vibrational frequency stage—changing into extra attuned, in case you like, with divine power. Thus, when one chants a mantra for an prolonged time frame to invoke, for instance some deity, the upper energies of that deity will encode upon the chanter. That is one function for a lot mantric chanting—to change into one and unite with the power of the deity that one is chanting for. If the individual has some illness or imbalance, this imbalance can continuously be launched by having the power of the deity encode itself upon the individual. This truly comes from the idea of vibrational (versus allopathic) medication, which is the idea of many therapeutic modalities, together with homeopathy and acupuncture—that each one the universe together with our our bodies, is just made from vibration—an idea, by the way, that the brand new Superstring concept of physics helps. All the pieces is in a state of vibration and after we are in a pure, resonant vibration, we’re in a state of well being. But when some a part of the physique begins to vibrate at a counter frequency, the power turns into caught and illness units in. Due to this fact, by mantric chanting, one could cause caught power to change into launched, and we are able to return to our pure state of resonance, effecting a treatment.

I’ve, by the way, noticed this phenomenon many instances throughout workshops. We shall be reciting a mantra to invoke a particular entity—maybe Tara, Tibetan Goddess of Compassion for instance, to be able to higher embody the power of compassion. Nevertheless, throughout and after the method, I’ve seen folks with power well being issues emerge from the chanting fairly wholesome. It’s superb.

There are after all, precise therapeutic mantras in addition to particular mantras to steadiness and align the chakras. Chakras are the energetic wheels of sunshine that transduce delicate power into the physique. They arrive from the Hindu custom, however as famous in my e book HEALING SOUNDS, comparable power facilities are present in virtually the entire esoteric traditions on the planet. I’ve studied the usage of sound to impact the chakras for over 40 years. Mantras are significantly efficient for this function. The normal Bija Mantras are one instance of a system for utilizing sound to activate and steadiness the energies related to the 7 most important chakras. We work with these tones in workshops and healings have been recognized to happen because of the balancing and alignment of the chakras. Psychic and mystics from all completely different non secular paths can sense, see, really feel or hear these power facilities. We might not but have scientific gear that may adequately detect the chakras, however that doesn’t imply they don’t exist. Nevertheless, intriguing work is being carried out to develop gear to measure chakras, so maybe it’s only a matter of time earlier than the scientific and medical communities will acknowledge them, as they’re starting to acknowledge acupuncture meridians.

2) Are you able to inform us something in regards to the historical past and origin of chanting and hint it to the current stage-what is the extent of consciousness of chanting & sound therapeutic in current day & age?

This is a wonderful query, however one which really requires a e book size reply to cowl all of the features inherent on this query. I’ll do my greatest to try to a brief reply. Merely put, I’ll inform you that there’s just about no custom, no tradition, which doesn’t embody chanting of some kind as a non secular and well being apply. The recitation of prayers is discovered worldwide and has been with us because the daybreak of humankind. Within the Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Islamic and Hebrew traditions, you’ve got some type of chanting of prayer or recitation of a Divine title. Whether or not it’s a shamanic or pagan custom, you should have some side of chanting that might be thought of mantric chanting of their rituals and prayers. Generally these chants are used to invoke Divine entities. Different instances they’re used for therapeutic or to ask for some benevolent course of like bringing rain. With regard to current day and age, we’re seeing extra curiosity, consciousness and use of chanting for well being and wellness. A few of it’s based mostly upon the conclusion by 2lst century those who there truly is one thing greater than pure “superstition” occurring throughout chanting—that there are precise physiological adjustments occurring. Our nervous system, for instance, is being affected by our personal self created sounds. And thru this many extraordinary shifts and adjustments within the physique and thoughts can occur. Additionally, many individuals understand that utilizing chanting creates a method to immediately entry increased states of consciousness. The flexibility of sound to create altered consciousness is extraordinarily highly effective and essential to people who find themselves searching for extra which means out of their lives.

3) Can the ability of sound alter mobile construction and molecular structure- the DNA encoding and so forth? Any documented proof? Any latest scientific analysis on the above?

There isn’t any query that sound can alter molecular construction. Within the 1960’s, a medical physician named Hans Jenny performed experiments that confirmed that sound was capable of truly create type in varied substances comparable to plastics, plastes, liquids and water. He would place these substances—powders, and so forth. on a metal plate after which utilizing a crystal oscillator, vibrate these plates with sound. The assorted substances took on essentially the most natural trying shapes—they appear to be microscopic organisms or underwater life. Fairly astounding. He known as this work Cymatics.

Masuru Emoto of Japan demonstrated that water molecules are literally affected by sound and our intention. Intention, by the way, is our ideas, our emotions—it’s the power behind the sounds that we create. I’ll discuss this later. Emoto discovered that clear water seemed like a snowflake—very geometric. Polluted water appears to be like like mud. Emoto has pictures of polluted water, which at first appear to be mud. After a priest has chanted over this water, it’s photographed once more. This time, the water appears to be like like a snowflake—the sound and intentionality has restored it to its pure pristine harmonious form.

Emoto pictures of water earlier than and after chanting

On a associated observe, the French acupuncturist and sound healer Fabian Maman has carried out work involving Kirlian images of hemoglobin blood cells that have been uncovered to completely different sounds. Particularly, he took pictures of blood cells uncovered to an ascending chromatic scale—C, C#, D, and so forth created on a xylophone. Every observe effected the cell in another way, creating a distinct form and completely different Kirlian coloration. Fabian’s experiments exhibit clearly that mobile construction and power are affected by sound. His pictures are fairly extraordinary!

4) Whereas chanting, what’s the function of intention on the human physique?  I did see the impact of intention within the works of Japanese researcher Mr. Masaru Emoto on have an effect on the molecular construction of water, however we want to know the know the impact on human physique?

A few years in the past, after I was gathering data for a grasp’s thesis on the therapeutic and therapeutic properties of sound, along with specializing in the usage of sound to have an effect on the chakras,  I additionally checked out the usage of sound to have an effect on completely different organs, in addition to completely different circumstances. What I discovered was that there have been many various colleges of sound therapeutic based mostly upon completely different lecturers and completely different traditions. These completely different colleges would possibly use the identical mantra to resonate completely different chakras—with nice success. Or they could use completely different mantras to resonate the identical chakra. Om, for instance, might resonate the guts chakra, or it might resonate the throat chakra, or the third eye or crown or no matter. It depended upon the trail and the instructor.

I keep in mind sitting at my desk being fairly confused. How might this all work? I distinctly heard a voice saying “It isn’t solely the sound that creates the impact of the sound, but additionally the intention of the individual making the sound.” Immediately, all the pieces made sense and was clear. I understood. Sure, the intention—the power behind the sound was an equal a part of the impact of the sound. This power of intent was carried upon the sound wave and was truly was equally chargeable for the impact of the sound. It was a serious “aha” second, and I instantly wrote down the method “Frequency + Intent = Therapeutic.” For many individuals, this has been a type of unified concept of sound therapeutic as a result of it is ready to convey collectively the variations in many various colleges and many various beliefs.

I additionally created the method, “Vocalization + Visualization = Manifestation”, which may be very related and is especially related with regard to chanting and mantras. Which means the visualization of the chanter coupled with or mantra the sound being chanted creates the impact.  For instance, In case you are chanting for a particular deity, it helps to have the ability to visualize that deity so as the invoke and embody the impact. Really, some individuals are not nice a visualizing, so if they’ll merely “really feel” the power of the mantra, it really works simply as nicely. If in case you have bother visualizing Tara, however you possibly can really feel the power of compassion when you are chanting the Tara mantra, it is going to actually assist and help the manifestation of compassion. The identical factor is true if you find yourself making sounds to resonate the chakras. It’s good to have the ability to direct your consideration and intention if you find yourself making an attempt to resonate a specific chakra with sound. It is a main key to working with sound—to make use of the ability of consciousness to focus our consideration and intention on what the sound is doing.

5) Is mantra chanting and sound therapeutic the following frontier in science, enjoying a major function in therapeutic, eradicating the necessity for allopathic remedy?

I’d wish to recommend that till all of us transfer into one other dimension of consciousness the place ideas immediately create actuality, there’ll at all times be some want for allopathic remedy. And coming from a household of allopathic physicians, I actually wish to honor allopathic medication. I believe that we must always understand of all vibrational medical therapies, whether or not it’s sound or no matter, as being complementary with allopathic medication. I believe that is actually essential as a result of then the completely different modalities can work collectively, versus being adversarial—an “us and them” mentality. Fairly than “different” medication , let’s use the phrase “complementary” and resonate with one another. Cooperation, not competitors—I believe that’s an actual key to our continuation and evolution as a species within the upcoming years.

6) There appear to be many various college of ideas on chanting? Which is the simplest for well being and therapeutic?

I consider that whichever system or college of chanting works for you is the perfect. . Bear in mind, “Frequency plus Intent equals Therapeutic,” so if one thing resonates strongly with you, it most likely shall be best for you. If it doesn’t really feel good or correct for you, it most likely gained’t be that efficient. Some folks can work with a mantra containing hundred syllable —others can work solely with a mantra with one or two syllables. Maybe they merely can’t keep in mind extra syllables. No matter—but, extra isn’t essentially higher. And fewer isn’t essentially higher. It relies upon upon the individual. And the time and place and want of the person. And likewise do not forget that we’re all distinctive vibratory beings, in order that what works for one individual might not work for one more individual. And we’re all in a continuing state of frequency shifting, in order that one thing that won’t work someday (or week, month or 12 months), might instantly resonate very in another way with you at one other time. Belief your internal knowledge and steerage. And consider and perceive that sound has the power to create profound and great adjustments.

I’m going to go away you with a narrative that I first heard from Dr. Randall McClellan, writer of HEALING FORCES OF MUSIC. I consider it’s very previous, however I wish to credit score Dr. McClellan, who was a terrific affect on me a few years in the past. I believe this story illustrates one thing essential about sound, and significantly about mantras.

In an unique nation, there was a person who had a musical instrument that he would play all day lengthy. The instrument had many various strings, however all he would do was pluck one string—the identical string and identical observe time and again and once more. At some point his spouse stated to him “Pricey—you’ve got this glorious instrument and also you sit and play all of it day lengthy, however all you do is hit this one string time and again and once more. The instrument has many various strings. All your folks have this identical instrument and so they play all of the completely different strings, making many various notes and creating great melodies and songs. All you do, hour after hour, day after day, is play that very same string and that very same observe time and again and once more. Why is that?” His spouse was clearly very exasperated and confused. The person checked out his spouse and gently smiled. “My expensive spouse who I really like past all measure,” he stated, “thanks for bringing that to my consideration. And now right here is the reply. That’s as a result of they’re all nonetheless looking for their observe, whereas I’ve discovered mine.”

Could all of us discover our personal sound. And should we use this sound to help private and planetary therapeutic.

I ship Blessings of Gentle & Love by way of Sound to all!