Like a chorus of angels they chanted "Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo."Ong - The creative divine manifested
Namo - I bow
Guru - The Teacher. The one who takes you from darkness to light
Dev - infinite divine
Namo - I bow
"Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo."
"I Bow to the Creator, to the Divine Teacher Within.
Every Kundalini class opens with the chanting of this powerful mantra three times. Intially, sitting there in the midst of so many unfamiliar people taking part in an even more unfamiliar practice (to me certainly), I stalled. I felt that feeling many american church girls feel in the face of chanting, bowing or making any gesture of reverence unrelated to my faith. I placed my hands in the prayer pose, lowered my eyes and said nothing. But I could not help but listen. Several classes later and upon really understanding the meaning in the mantra (although the translation is always given for the benefit of newcomers) I was overcome with gratitude.
Imagine that, I thought; acknowledging the divine creative within me....and bowing to it no less. It is like giving a little girl a sparkling wand and a princess crown. From my mouth to my own ears it was permission to acknowledge and thereby actualize, my highest most amazing self.
Growing up in church I have bowed my head to pray, often bowed my head in shame but never had I bowed my head to acknowledge my own divinity, the reality of my own creative soul. And I understood immediately that once you
get in the habit of doing this, bowing in acknowledgement of this highest part of you, this part that connects directly with God, there is that much less of a chance that you will continue to fall backwards into the things that harm, or disassemble you.
There is another mantra we chant in the practice of Kundalini Yoga; this one in english, "God and me, me and God are one." When an entire practice is designed to make this fact unwaveringly clear, it really is the beginning of a powerful, transformative way to Be.
2 comments:
"Growing up in church I have bowed my head to pray, often bowed my head in shame but never had I bowed my head to acknowledge my own divinity, the reality of my own creative soul."
This whole post is AWESOME! I can especially identify with this part. i often express that my main disappointment in the Christian faith is what seems to be an over-shot perception of the 'distance' between us and God.
Hey mama!
when thinking back on my connection to this practice and what about it keeps me returning, it is the constant reminding that "God and me, me and God, are one." I am so careful with myself (in a way that i had not been in the past) and of other people, because of this knowing.
my husband and i have this running commentary that happens whenever one or the other of us is about to say something negative about someone. I will look at him or he at me and say, "that's God on a journey."
It stops us right in our tracks.
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