For many people in the spiritual scene, the Sanskrit word ‘Shanti’ is a familiar sound. It is often chanted at the end of certain mantras, mostly Shanti mantras. But what does Shanti actually mean?
Shanti refers to an inner state of peace and tranquility. By chanting three times Shanti we ask our divine universe for peace of mind, body, and soul.
How did Shanti help me?
The state of Shanti is very subtle I’d say. It’s a gradual transformation that takes time to unfold, a process not to be rushed. It’s like the little seed you sow, planting it in fertile soil, nourishing it daily, giving it water, sunlight, attention, and a bit of love. And over time a beautiful tree will grow, providing you with shade and peaceful sight.
Slowly but surely, I’ve noticed small changes within myself. I’ve become less reactive to what happens around me and instead I observe more, which helps to get a better understanding of a situation, myself, or others around me.
With more understanding, comes less jumping to conclusions and judging myself and others. It’s still a process but progress is happening nonetheless.
Moreover, understanding also facilitates more acceptance of the things that are different from our expectations, which is totally fine. So in short, it kinda helps us to get over ourselves sometimes, haha.
How to do it yourself?
It starts with the small things, which add up altogether. As Swami Sivananda would say:
“The big ocean is made up of small drops of water which together form the ocean.”
As such, all our little acts together make up our behavioral patterns and habits which eventually make up our lives.
It’s about what input you give yourself or as they say in IT: “Garbage in, garbage out”.
So ask yourself, what do I expose myself to? What do I read or watch? Whom do I listen to and who do I spend time with? What do I want to invest my energy in? All these small bits together may have quite some influence on your life. Is it something that is draining you or is it something positive giving you energy, filling your heart and mind with vibrant energy?
So in order to attain Shanti, it’s time we step up and take responsibility for our own inner states, starting with the question of what we expose ourselves to and making a conscious decision.
Obviously, we can’t control everything, however, there’s a lot we can influence especially when it comes to our inner states and our outer reactions to things that happen to us.
A practical ‘do it yourself tool’ for more Shanti (do try this at home)!
A great ‘tool’ that has helped me with my inner Shanti journey is meditation. Regular practice of just a few minutes can go a long way.
It’s actually quite simple. Sit still in a cross-legged position or on a chair with your head, neck, and spine erect and follow your breath. Every time thoughts come up, bring your attention back to your breathing. This can be quite challenging, so start with just a few minutes a day. You can gradually build it up and once you get the hang of it, you’ll slowly start to notice differences over time.
I must confess that nowadays when I meditate, I feel quite different from the days I skip the practice. When I meditate, I feel much more at peace with myself and the world around me. So definitely something worth trying I’d say.
Also, an app I can recommend is ‘Insight Timer’ (free and available in the App Store and Google play store). It can send you reminders to meditate and if you don’t have much time at hand you just set a timer for a few minutes. It also helps to keep a streak, which to me works very well to maintain a regular practice.
In case you’d like to read more about meditation or spirituality feel free to follow @shantigrooves on Instagram and visit the website https://thoughttravels.org/. If you’re interested in meditating or meeting new beautiful people at our monthly lunch, please send a mail to shantigrooves010@gmail.com to stay up to date with regards to our upcoming events.
Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti
Pooja
Shanti Grooves | Spirituality – Lifestyle – Inspiration
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