Gayatri Mantra

The Mantra

Aum

Bhuh Bhuvah Svah

Tat Savitur Varenyam

Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi

Dhiyo Yo nah Prachodayat

~ The Rig Veda (10:16:3)

How To Chant the Gayatri Mantra – Basic Rules

Here are a few facts to keep in mind when learning how to chant the Gayatri mantra correctly:

1. Sit in a comfortable seating position (padmasa, ardha parmasana, siddhásana, sukhasana etc.) on a mat, supporting your erected spine with a meditation pillow. If you need to change the position during the chanting, you can do that. You can also interrupt the japa practice in case of call of nature. Just make sure you wash your hands and your face before returning to Gayatri mantra  chanting.
2. Wear clean clothes and ideally have a bath before the practice.
3. Traditionally, the Gayatri mantra is chanted on three occasions – in the morning (two hours before sunrise), at midday and in the evening (one hour after sunset). Nowadays, for many people such schedule does not seem to be a realistic option. Therefore choose one time that fits you most and stick with it during the whole Gayatri mantra practice. If you practice in the morning, face the East, if you opt for evening chant, you should face the West.
4. Choose a fixed time during the day. Just like with every other type of practice (asanas, meditation etc.), it is much easier for our mind to fine-tune its vibrations, when knowing what is coming up during the day. The mind simply finds comfort in knowing that every morning or evening it’s time for Gayatri mantra chanting.
5. Start with the practice of one round of 108 repetitions (it takes between 18-25 minutes per round depending on how vigorous your chanting is. Gradually, you can increase the rounds of chanting up to four. Four rounds are typically maximum of what a Westerner is able to achieve without intense traditional Indian yoga sadhana.
6. The traditional Hindu yogis’advice is to chant the mantra 36 times three times per day, rather than 108 times one time. It is however up to your best judgement, which will certainly be based on your schedule. Both ways of chanting bring profound effects.
7. The period of 40 days has been widely recognized as an adequate period for chanting the Gayatri mantra. Choose a number of repetitions of Gayatri mantra per day, and do that for the period of 40 days.
8. You may want to get a japa mala (prayer beads), having 108 beads. Mala is  often used during the chanting of the mantra in general, and it may help focus easier on the correct number of repetitions. Use rosary of tulsi or sandalwood beads.
9. There is freedom in discipline; choosing to do a regular practice frees your mind from wondering what and whether any practice will be done that day.
10. Do not chant the mantra mechanically. It is important to understand the meaning of the Gayatri mantra and chant it with as much feeling and awareness as possible. This is the most important part of your mental preparation – chant the Gayatri mantra with firm faith and devotion, and you will experience full advantage of the Gayatri mantra practice.
11. If your mind wonders too much, you can choose an anchor (a beautiful portray of the Gayatri Goddess) to help you fix it and meditate on it.
12. According to the ancient texts, the food also plays an important role in harmonizing  our bodies and minds with the practice. As such, the food during the Gayatri mantra sadhana (that is during the 40 days of practice) should  have a sattvic  character. In a food pyramid these foods are referred to as  lacto-vegetarian. Choose healthy, simple, easily digestible foods, such as  vegetables, seeds, dried beans, cereals, dairy products, dried fruits, nuts, bread (avoid chilli and spices).