Mantra and Manifestation with Steve Gold
/Last weekend I had the pleasure of practicing a vinyasa flow class with live music from Steve Gold, and then attending his workshop on Mantra and Manifestation. Both were incredible yoga experiences!
It was so powerful to sing during class, to be freely
encouraged to make noise and to express from the heart. The studio was
jam-packed, yogis lined up like little sardines. There’s always something
exciting about a full room and I was inspired by the energy created by all of
us moving and breathing together.
And I have to say it was pretty magical singing So Much Magnificence and feeling the
voices resonate in the room during savasana. If you haven’t heard that song,
you should definitely check it out.
During the workshop, Steve dove into an exploration of
mantra.
We sang om namah
shivaya, a mantra close to my heart. You may remember, I have it tattooed
on my right ankle :)
Though the Sanskrit words are hard to translate, some
interpret the phrase as “I am that I am.” The breakdown of each word can be explained
with various definitions:
- Om: the universal sound; an exuberant roar of joy; “yes!”; verily; so be it; amen
- Namah: to bow; “I invite this energy into my heart”
- Shiva: that which contains all things; all possibility; maximum expansion; the destroyer of ignorance
When chanting om namah
shivaya, I acknowledge my higher Self. I acknowledge all aspects of my
being, and all possibilities for what may come. I ground myself, considering
the path I walk. I see the path clearly before me. Om namah shivaya. I am that I am.
The words have such power, and for me personally, they
conjure up a lot of memories of the past year when I chanted as a way to invite
strength into my life. When we sang the first time during Steve’s workshop, I couldn’t
help but tear up.
Om namah shivaya, Om shanti
Om namah shivaya, Om shanty
The words felt like such a relief, and the collective sound
of the chant brought me into a space of light, peace, and comfort.
After explaining the meaning of the mantra and letting us
experience it firsthand, Steve launched into a compelling story about moving to
Hawaii in his 20s. His goal was to cast aside physical and material
attachments, to detach from society in pursuit of enlightenment. He encountered
several wise mentors and spiritual texts along the way, and was surprised to
find that while the adventure was initially very appealing, he couldn’t sustain
this simple life of living in a hut, spending days by a waterfall with his
guitar, and doing yoga and meditation.
Perhaps most surprising was finding confirmation that his
path toward enlightenment didn’t have
to look like that of a monk.
He was struck by the words in the Gospel of Sri Rama Krishna that stood in stark contrast to the
lifestyle of his spiritual quest:
As long as you have desires, you must exhaust them.
Later, another teacher put it in this way: All
of us seek something to do, and someone to love.
So often in yoga and spiritual circles, we hear about the
ancient masters who sacrificed a so-called “normal” life and retreated to the
caves to do the “real” yoga, meditation, praying, fasting, and other sacred
practices.
I found it refreshing to be reminded that we each have
spiritual gifts, and many of them involve worldly connections. For Steve Gold,
fulfilling his dharma means being a conduit for spontaneous spiritual connection
and transformation through musical gatherings. He travels, connects with people
up close, and shares his music in a very visceral, immediate way.
He’s had to overcome fears and self-doubt in order to do so.
Again and again, he returns to his heart’s truest desire in order to find the
motivation and inspiration to keep playing his songs and speaking his truth.
I am grateful to Steve for sharing his wisdom and his
powerful music, and for challenging me to be clear about my desires – to be
conscious of them, and active physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually
in pursuing them.
Om namah shivaya om!
Steve has a new track called Golden Om. I highly recommend his albums Let Your Heart Be Known and So Much Magnificence.
He's also on Facebook.