Mantras are spoken in Sanskrit which is a 6,000 year old language, sometimes referred to as the language of yoga.
Studies have shown that when a person recites Mantras, it can stabilize their heart rate, lower blood pressure, produce beneficial endorphins in the body, and boost metabolic processes.
The opening Mantra is a blessing of gratitude offered to the lineage of teachers and students who have enabled this ancient practice to survive. Reciting this Mantra cleanses the energy of the space we have chosen to practice yoga in, as well as preparing the mind, body, and emotions for the fourth coming Ashtanga sequence.
The closing Mantra brings the practice to a peaceful end, sealing in the work done, and offering the efforts of our practice to improve the state of the world. This Mantra directs our focus outward and asks that the leaders of the world protect earth and rule justly.