To discover the original song of our souls is to align ourselves with all of nature—from wind and water . . . to butterflies and flowers . . . to clouds, mountains, and stones. In this four-week immersion, we will explore the ancient origins of mantra, passed down like birdsong from generation to generation, and discover its essential wisdom preserved in myth and folklore from cultures around the world. Most of all, we will experience the transformative power of sacred sound and the simple ways of accessing it in our daily lives. By the end of the month, each participant will have learned the basics of mantra practice and taken the first steps toward recovering their own primordial songlines and place of belonging in this world.

WEEK 1 — THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDSONG: Mantra and Deep Time

Mantra is the oldest spiritual practice in the human repertoire: the relic of an epoch when human beings considered themselves, not the pinnacle of creation, but a single thread in the vast tapestry of all life on Earth. Mantra was a way of following that human thread through deep time—from its remotest origins to the present day and beyond.

The goal of this session is to gain a solid understanding of mantra by learning:

• What a mantra is
• Where mantras came from
• What a mantra does

WEEK 2 — ONE MANTRA A DAY: Finding A Ticket to Eternity

Mantras vary widely throughout the world—from those accompanied by complex rituals, visualizations, or bodily movements . . . to “sung” mantras . . . to mantras so simple they can be learned in a single sitting and practiced for a lifetime with no further instruction. But one feature remains constant—the resolution (or “vow”) to say a certain number of mantras every day.

In this session, we will learn:

• What a mantric vow is
• How it imprints the mantra on our body, mind, and spirit
• How even a small vow can lead to big gains

WEEK 3 — ON SPEAKING FLOWERS: The Universal Language of the Soul

All mantras are based on “lip service”—the belief in the power of certain words to effect miracles, healings, blessings, and protections from harm . . . even if all we do is recite them. The power of the mantra is not dependent on the depth of our spiritual understanding. The mantra is like a seed that trusts the Earth to bring it into flower. All it has to do is grow.

This session will focus on the ecology of mantra practice, as we learn:

• How to trust the mantra to do its work
• How to “close” the door on the human world while practicing
• How to “open” to the wonders of the natural world

WEEK 4 — TRUE ENTRUSTING: Finding a Power Beyond the Self

Each classical mantra consists of a formal greeting followed by a sacred name or title. Thus, Om Namah Shivaya (“Homage to Lord Shiva”) and Ave Maria Gratia Plena (“Hail Mary, Full of Grace”) are structurally the same. The more we give ourselves to these simple “greetings,” the more we learn to trust in a “Power Beyond the Self” for help with all aspects of this life and all lives to come.

In our final session, we will:

• Learn how to interpret these divine figures ecologically
• Discover the benefits of mantra as a lifelong path
• Share our experiences with mantra (and our further questions about it)

There will be time for Q & A and group practice during each session. However, the videos will be sent to all registrants at the end of each session, so attendance is optional.