The importance of healthy living through yoga, meditation and chanting
The World Yoga Day falls on June 21 and what better day than that to focus on healthy living through yoga, meditation and chanting. Aatmanika Ram addresses just that in her latest book Ancient Chants for Modern Living. She talks of how issues like stress, anxiety, infertility, stomach ailments can be corrected through the right chanting.
Talking of the importance of chants, she states, “Chants have the same effect that music has on one’s mind. Music elevates one’s spirits to great heights. It can change one’s moods from really sad to really happy within a matter of few minutes. Chants, in my mind, have the same power. The first attribute for any chant that appeals is the music to which the chant is set, or the rhythm it follows even without music. Music removes the monotony from any task and so do chants. Chants also help to focus on the solution of the problem, rather than the problem itself. If used correctly, the rhythm of any chant helps you to focus on your breathing. This helps overcome the anxiety levels much faster.”
Aatmanika used writing as a medium to think better. “The book is a self-help book and can be thought of as a guide one would go to, to get help from a challenging but everyday situation. These are not grave situations that I am talking about, but the common fears that creep into our head when in a challenging situation. The book aims to equip oneself in becoming more self-reliant with respect to emotions. I hope that it helps people understand that we all need a tool to reset our emotional thermostat, to help us find that balance. There is already plenty of it made available by our ancestors and their ancient wisdom. It is in us to embrace it to the fullest. I use chants and music to reset my emotions to think through a challenging task or situation better. I find it more dependable than updating my current status on Facebook or Whatsapp and getting unsolicited advice,” states the author who was introduced to yoga and chanting early in life and she continued to pursue it because she had an inherent desire to feel in control of every situation in life.
She adds, “My last two books have also been in the same genre. Like any other parent, my earnest desire is to raise a good human being and equip them with the required tools to help them with challenges that come their way. Being a trailing spouse, my husband’s job moved us out of our familiar surrounding ever so often. The support system of family and friends, that one gets used to while being in the same place is no longer there when you have to constantly pack your bags and move. I resorted to sharing my experiences on paper very soulfully and came up with my tag line ...From My Soul to Yours. When I go through challenging times, I seek solace from either chants or listen to spiritual gurus talking of how they overcame similar situations or by writing. Simplified and literal meaning of shlokas are given in this book.”
