Chanting For World Peace

A famous Hindu chant is often chanted in yoga studios and training worldwide. The words are “lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhinaḥ bhavantu.” While the word "sukha" is usually translated as happiness, giving the mantra the meaning of "may the world be happy," there is a more meaningful etymology to this word that is particularly significant at this time.

"Sukha" does mean joy and delight, but there is equally, or perhaps more strongly, the sense that it refers to ease, comfort, and coziness. Consider regions around the world where people are struggling with the necessities of life under the daily threat of war, oppression, or violence. One way of holding them in our prayers is to ask that their lives ease up into a more comfortable existence.

In this guided meditation, taken from our Yoga of Sound Immersion, you will engage in a simple yet powerful prayer that embodies the spirit of the Vedas. It is designed to be accessible to everyone, even those without knowledge of Sanskrit, ensuring a comfortable and easy experience. At one point, you will hear traditional Vedic chanting with all its precision phonetics, infusing your chanting with its energizing power.

Some regions hold special significance for us now, as we feel people's suffering through the images, sounds, and news articles about what is happening there. Choose a region to ask for "comfort and ease of being" as you engage the process. Repeat the meditation for each area if you have multiple regions that are particularly sensitive for you now.

May the entire world know comfort.
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhinaḥ bhavantu