Notes on Early Morning Sadhana – What is Japji?

By Anais on April 15, 2014 • ( 0 )

Japji is an included element of an Aquarian Sadhana practice. In my post announcing the Early Morning Sadhana scheduled for the end of this month I said I would write further about Sadhana and its components.

What is Japji?

Japji is the very first composition in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, (the Sikh Scripture), and is a fundamental description of Gods nature and the nature of man and the universe. Japji is the poetic meditation which links the mind of man to his soul or infinite nature, and relates to the element of ether. Japji consists of 38 paurees (paragraphs or, literally, steps.) Each pauree addresses different aspects of the relationship between man and God and each has a specific power and gift that comes with it.

You can read the entirety of Japji on Wikipedia written in Gurmukhi (a Punjabi-based language) and in its English translation.

Mata Mandir Singh was our Sound and Mantra teacher in week two of Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training. He taught us how chanting and the movement of the tongue on palate evokes chemical responses affecting the hypothalamus and thalamus and, as Yogi Bhajan said: “…creating a chemical environment in the brain whereby the deeper wisdom is understood.”

You can listen to Mata Mandir singing Japji in Gurmukhi here and in English here (no charge.)

Chanting Japji is fun! I enjoy saying the Gurmukhi words even though I was pretty bad at it when I started. I still loved the words. It’s easier today, and listening to Mata Mandir singing either version of the beautiful Japji is a great pleasure – and chanting it is something I look forward to doing every morning.

Chanting Japji will be the first part of our Early Morning Sadhana. Here is the schedule:

4:30 am – Chant Japji (25 minutes)
5:00 am – Kundalini Yoga practice (30 minutes)
5:30 am – Aquarian Sadhana Chants (60 minutes)

I will be playing the Aquarian Sadhana Chants and singing along with you all.

Booklets with words for both Japji and Aquarian Sadhana Chants will be provided.

I’m excited and hope you will join me…

Yoga Heart Studio
314A Main Street
Polson, Montana
Tuesday, April 29, 2014 ~ 4:30-6:30am
No Fee / No experience necessary / Words to chants provided

View the flyer [PDF]

Let’s celebrate spring, new growth, and new commitments to love and light!

~ Anais