The Power of Chanting & 3 Ways to Start Offering Chanting as a Yoga Teacher
Chanting is one of the most ancient and powerful practices in the yogic tradition. Found across many spiritual lineages—from Vedic hymns and Tantrik mantras to devotional bhakti and Buddhist incantations—chanting mantras offers a direct and embodied way to connect breath, vibration, and consciousness. For some, chanting may feel unfamiliar, even uncomfortable at first. But when approached with openness and intention, it becomes a profound tool for transformation—not only shifting mental and emotional states, but awakening subtler layers of awareness. Whether whispered silently or voiced aloud, a mantra is more than just a word. It is sound as medicine, vibration as meditation, and voice as prayer.
The Power of Chanting
The word mantra comes from the Sanskrit roots manas (mind) and tra (tool or instrument). A mantra, then, is a tool for directing the mind. Repeating a mantra—whether a single syllable like OM or a longer phrase like Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu—helps gather scattered attention and focus it on a chosen intention. But chanting is not only a mental practice; it can also be an expression of bhakti, or devotion. The voice becomes a vehicle for connection, surrender, and emotional release. Chanting in this way doesn’t require belief in a specific deity or philosophy. It simply asks you to show up, with breath and voice, and allow the sound to carry meaning beyond words.
Everything in existence is made of vibration, and chanting works directly with this energetic reality. In yogic philosophy, sound is considered one of the most potent forms of Shakti; creative, feminine energy. When we chant, we intentionally engage this vibrational force, allowing sound to move through the body, affect the nervous system, and clear stagnant energy. From the subtle body perspective, chanting can help stimulate or balance specific energy centres (chakras). For example, bija mantras of the five great elements, or seed sounds such as LAM, YAM, or OM, resonate with different elements and help awaken their qualities, bringing about energetic alignment. Even beyond metaphysical models, modern science has shown that vocalisation can influence heart rate variability, brainwave patterns, and breath rhythm, grounding us into a more regulated, coherent state.
Chanting naturally links sound with breath. It slows the exhalation, extends the length of each breath cycle, and encourages diaphragmatic breathing. As you chant, you're training the breath to be steady, full, and aware. This makes chanting a powerful bridge between asana and meditation: a practice that integrates physical, mental, and energetic dimensions. It also softens resistance to stillness. For students who struggle with seated meditation or find silence intimidating, chanting offers a more accessible entry point into mindfulness. The repetition of sound gives the mind something to anchor to, helping quiet internal chatter and shift attention inward.
Chanting in Practice (as a student)
For many people, the idea of chanting can feel unfamiliar, even vulnerable. Singing out loud, let alone in Sanskrit, might stir self-consciousness, doubt, or discomfort. These reactions are natural, and they’re also part of the practice. Finding your voice, literally and symbolically, is one of the gifts of chanting. As you become more comfortable with sound and vibration, you may begin to notice greater confidence in speaking your truth, setting boundaries, or expressing yourself authentically. The energetic opening that happens in the throat (Vishuddha chakra) during chanting is not just metaphorical—it’s experiential. Start where you are. You don’t need a perfect voice or correct pronunciation. What matters most is sincerity and presence. With time, chanting becomes less about 'doing it right' and more about allowing sound to move through you as a form of inner alignment.
In your personal practice, chanting can be woven in as a brief invocation before asana, as a breath-based anchor in meditation, or as a longer, devotional practice of its own. You might chant a few OMs, a bija mantra for a specific element, chakra, or a mantra connected to your intention or lineage. For teachers, chanting can also be a beautiful way to open or close class. It sets the tone, clears the space, and invites students into a shared field of presence. Always offer chanting as an invitation, not a requirement—some students may choose to listen rather than join, and that’s perfectly valid.
3 Ways to Start Offering Chanting (as a teacher)
At Spanda Institute, we incorporate chanting into many of our trainings, not only as a traditional element of yogic practice, but as a living, evolving tool for healing, embodiment, and subtle body exploration. Whether woven into a Chakra Flow sequence, used to open a Trauma-Sensitive Yoga session, or integrated into meditation and pranayama, chanting becomes a way to ground intention, regulate energy, and deepen presence. We often use a harmonium to support the rhythm and resonance of the practice, but this is by no means essential. Chanting is not about performance, it’s about connection. And the most powerful instrument you have is your own voice. If you’re curious about integrating chanting into your teaching but feel unsure where to begin, start simply. You don’t need formal training in mantra or musical skills to hold space for chanting, you just need sincerity, sensitivity, and a willingness to practise.
1. Open and/or Close with OM
The simplest and most widely recognised place to begin is by chanting OM at the beginning or end of class. OM is a universal sound that settles the nervous system, creates cohesion in the group, and signals a transition into sacred space. You can invite students to join or simply chant it yourself and let others receive.
2. Introduce a Short, Repetitive Mantra
Choose a mantra that is brief and accessible, for example, So Hum (I am that) or Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu (May all beings be happy and free). Share a few words about its meaning, then chant it together a few times. Repetition helps students feel more comfortable and allows the sound to settle into the body and breath.
3. Use Chanting as a Thematic Thread
If you're teaching a class around a particular theme, such as grounding, heart opening, or clarity, select a mantra that aligns with the energetic focus. For example, YAM for the heart chakra or OM Namah Shivaya for transformation. You can chant it aloud, play a recording in the background, or use it as a silent anchor during savasana or meditation.
As always, offer chanting as an invitation, not an obligation. Let your own practice guide what you share, and allow space for students to engage in a way that feels authentic to them.
Chanting is one of yoga’s most accessible and transformative practices. Whether used for grounding, healing, devotion, or focus, it has the power to shift energy, settle the mind, and connect us with something beyond thought. You don’t need to chant perfectly or know every word. You simply need to be willing to listen—to sound, to silence, and to the vibration within your own being. When voice, breath, and intention come together, something powerful awakens within.