by Bob Romero —
Bob Romero has been a diligent student of esoteric spiritual subjects and metaphysics for many years, with a life-long quest for answers. He has submitted new and original articles that focus on life lessons and experiences he wishes to share with our readers and the world.
In my metaphysical class, we’ve been given mantras during meditation. Two mantras that have really resonated with me deal with light. The translations are significant to me as to where I’m at on my spiritual path and to what’s going on in the world. I found some wonderful websites that also explain the meanings and list both the spiritual and physical benefits of reciting the mantras.
The first mantra is the “Asatoma Sadgama” mantra. The notes from my class have the lyrics and the translation:
Asatoma Mantra
Asatoma Sadgamaya
Tamasoma Joytir Gamaya
Mrityorma Amritam Gamaya
(silence/stillness)
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.
(Oh Lord) Lead me from the Unreal to the Real
Lead me from Darkness to Light
Lead me from Death to Immortality
(silence/stillness)
Om, Peace, Peace, Peace
The Mahakatha website is a special website for mantras and has not only the lyrics, but the history, the meaning, and the benefits of each mantra. It lists the benefits of this mantra as reconditioning your mind from negativity, helps faith, uplifts you, gives you peace of mind, is soothing to the soul, and removes jealousy. On the Lifeschool website, it is explained very well. The host goes into great detail for each line. The part that I really liked was about the negative lies and doubts that we have about ourselves like not being good enough, but the truth is that we have God inside of us and we can do anything.
The second mantra is the Gayatri Mantra. The notes from my class have the lyrics and the translation:
Om Bhur Bhuvah Swaha
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo YoNah Prachodayat
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Om All who are Earth, Mid World, and Heaven, Let us Meditate upon the Light Adorable of the Divine Sun of Life to Enlighten our Souls.
Om, Peace, Peace, Peace
The Gayatri Mantra is one of the most popular and sacred mantras in India. The Meditative Mind website has the meaning and lists the ten amazing benefits from chanting the mantra. The purpose of the mantra is to give gratitude to the sun for the life force that it gives us and illuminating our wisdom when we meditate on it. Like the Asatoma Sadgamaya mantra, it takes us from ignorance and darkness to truth and enlightenment which we so desperately need in our world. The physical benefits taken from the website are:
1. Improves Concentration and Learning.
2. Removes Toxins from Body.
3. Improves Breathing.
4. Keeps Your Heart Healthy.
5. Removes Negativity.
6. Improves Functioning of Nervous System.
7. Helps reduce Asthma Symptoms.
8. Calms the Mind.
9. Improves Overall Immunity.
10. Reduces Stress and Anxiety.
It is best to chant this mantra at morning, noon, and sunset and to chant it at least three times.
The Sri Sathya Sai International Organization also has a website that discusses in depth the Gayatri Mantra and has three recordings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba chanting the mantra. One is just once and can be downloaded. The other two are YouTube videos of him chanting without a chorus and with a chorus, 108 times. The website explains in full detail the ties to Hindu deities, Gayatri, Savitri and Saraswathi.
During the week of exploring the meanings of the mantras, our zoom yoga class did poses that were a “Salute to the Sun”. You might think that this was coincidence, but I think that it was a synchronicity. I downloaded the single recording of Sri Sathya Sai Baba chanting the Gayatri Mantra and imported it into my Music library so that I could listen to it on my phone. I put the recording to repeat indefinitely, but it would only play it three times and then stop. This might also be regarded as a coincidence, but again I think that it was a synchronicity. Then I was listening to Sri Sathya Sai Baba chanting the Gayatri Mantra on YouTube 108 times, and I got the urge to draw a Tarot Card. I suddenly knew what the card would be. I drew the card, and it was … “The Sun”.
