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Making an intention into a dedication is sending your energy outward. Sometimes this is not what you need.
Sometimes what you really need … is to draw energy inward. This can be done through an invocation. Invoking
resources and support from outside ourselves is a common way to begin a yoga practice.
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Invocations can be as simple as chanting "Om" once or thrice, and allowing the vibration to fill the body,
and then linger. Longer chants can also be nice. Chanting is a wonderful form of pranayama, which not only
stimulates energy to flow through us, but also has a calming, centering effect on the mind. Ashtangis use
the vande-gurunam invocation. [1]
Many students recite chants from the growing amount of kirtan music available on CDs today, such as those
by Deva Premal or Wah! and all the various Das brothers.[2]
Deva has a couple of lovely versions of the Gayatri mantra, an invocation of the solar energy, which is
recited daily in many India families. [3]
Not all invocations need to be chanted; you can invoke whatever symbols or energies you relate to. Simply
ask in your mind for their support, strength, guidance, or whatever it is you feel you need right now.
Your practice is your payment in return for this boon.
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1 -- An excellent rendition of this can be found on Richard Freeman's Web
site
www.yogaworkshop.com
2 -- Krishna Das, Bhagavan Das, …
3 -- She has made the words and chords available on her Web site
www.devapremal.com.
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