chant the Gayatri mantra daily for 108 days

My earlier attempt at this goal lasted 58 days, just til January 31, when I spent the entire day filling out my state tax forms. That day it felt like the real world came and slapped me in the face and demanded, What do you think you have been doing, chanting and meditating?! You have a business to run!

I felt re-inspired about this goal when I went to yoga teacher training in May. So I am starting over, June 1. And reserving judgment as to whether this is a good thing for me to be doing until the 108 days are up.

Days 43 (January 15) through 56 (January 28) – chanted each day.

In the past week, I’ve moved forward on a couple of things on which I’ve been stuck for months. I have managed to be decisive about a couple of things, when it would have been easier to be indecisive and procrastinate.

Sometimes I wonder if the chanting is a distraction. However, I am keeping the faith that the act of chanting followed by some meditation is helping me to get to clarity. Making decisions and moving forward are evidence of this.

I am chanting for protection and guidance, to “light the inner light,” and using the act of chanting as a preparatory step for meditation. I am managing 10-12 minutes of meditation. That’s all good … except that, every now and then, the chanting makes me a little drowsy, and then the meditation certainly doesn’t do a thing to keep me awake….

This morning, consciously reminded myself to keep it vibrant and alive, all as part of this effort toward living more consciously.

Day 29 (Jan 1) – chanted on the beach in the San Juans, a bright, clear, cold New Year’s morning

through

Day 42 (Jan 14) – chanted each and every day

I am chanting 108 times, once per day. Usually in the mornings, and a time or two this past week, literally at sunrise, beginning when there was a little sliver of moon still showing in the sky. Those times were like a little living moment of poetry….

Day 22 (Dec 25): Chanted
Day 23 (Dec 26): Chanted
Day 24 (Dec 27): Chanted
Day 25 (Dec 28): Chanted
Day 26 (Dec 29): Chanted
Day 27 (Dec 30): Chanted
Day 28 (Dec 31): Chanted

I am checking in with my yoga teacher every other week, regarding this practice. She has me using the chanting as a prelude to meditation. So I have been chanting, then continuing to sit and meditate for 10 minutes afterward.

In the past when I have tried to have a meditation practice, I have never stuck with it for very long. But I would like to have a meditation practice. So it will be interesting to see if the chanting as a preliminary step to meditating helps me to stick with the meditation practice over a long period of time.

Day 15 (Dec 18): Chanted
Day 16 (Dec 19): Chanted
Day 17 (Dec 20): Chanted
Day 18 (Dec 21): Chanted
Day 19 (Dec 22): Chanted
Day 20 (Dec 23): Chanted
Day 21 (Dec 24): Chanted

I am chanting with sincerity for the protection, illumination, and guidance that this mantra offers.

Day 8 (Dec 11): Chanted
Day 9 (Dec 12): Chanted
Day 10 (Dec 13): Chanted
Day 11 (Dec 14): Chanted
Day 12 (Dec 15): Chanted
Day 13 (Dec 16): Chanted
Day 14 (Dec 17): Chanted

I learned the Gayatri mantra last month as part of my 500-hour yoga teacher training class. It appeals to me, so here goes ….

Day 1 (Dec 4): Chanted
Day 2 (Dec 5): Chanted
Day 3 (Dec 6): Chanted
Day 4 (Dec 7): Chanted
Day 5 (Dec 8): Chanted
Day 6 (Dec 9): Chanted
Day 7 (Dec 10): Chanted