By Gurudevi Nirmalananda

The first time you chant Shree Guru Gita can be a powerful experience, whether it’s due to the beauty and power of the chant or because your tongue can’t quite wrap itself around the Sanskrit syllables.

You have options about how to participate:

Close your eyes and listen, coasting on the Shakti (energy).

Open your eyes and follow along with the Sanskrit.

Read the English silently while the group is chanting the Sanskrit.

Mouth the Sanskrit words silently, or even breathe into them.

Chant quietly, even if your chanting isn’t perfect.

Open your mouth and sing along, even perhaps using a finger to track each word!

Beyond your experience of the chant itself, notice what the chant does for you. Your “Marker Pose” is your state before and after the chant: what is the condition of your body, breath, mind, and heart?

How do you feel within yourself — at what depth are you sitting within? By assessing these changes, you can determine the value of this practice for yourself.

Excerpt from Yoga’s Sacred Songs, page 149