Chakra Bija Mantras: Bija & Chakra Bija Mantras

Introduction

The chakra mantras are sounds “with one purpose:” to energize and balance the chakras. (Harison Graves)

Sound Vibrations

Remember, in Sanskrit, the meaning of words is secondary. The effect of the sound vibration is much more important. – Harrison Graves MD

Muladhara (Root) Chakra

Svadhisthana (Sacral) Chakra

Manipura (Solar Plexus) Chakra

Anahata (Heart) Chakra

  • Heart center
  • Yam (yum)
  • Chant the sound “yum” to open the heart to love

Vishuddha (Throat) Chakra

  • Throat center
  • Hum (hum)
  • Chant the sound “hum” to tap into the art of creating and self-expression
  • Vishuddha (Throat) Chakra

Ajna (Third Eye) Chakra

  • Third eye center
  • Om (ohm)
  • Chant the sound “om” to connect with the source of all knowledge
  • Ajna (Third Eye) Chakra

Sahasrara (Crown) Chakra

Relationship Between Sanskrit, Chakras & Mantras

Mantras work directly in the chakras because there is an iron-clad relationship between the sacred language Sanskrit, chakras, and mantras… If you add up all the petals on the six major chakras located along the spine, you arrive at a total of fifty, the same number of letters as in the Sanskrit alphabet. This is no accident. Each petal vibrates in resonance with one of the petals on one of the chakras. – Thomas Ashley-Farrand

Variations in Teachings

While there is great consistency among sources on the sounds for the first five chakras, some teachers offer different bija mantras for the sixth and seventh chakras:

  • The sounds above are from Russill Paul (The Yoga of Sound 2004 p 250) and Harrison Graves MD (The Mystical Chakra Mantras © 2014 p7).
  • Thomas Ashley-Farrand teaches sohum for the crown chakra (Chakra Mantras 2006 p viii).
  • Dr. David Frawley teaches ksam for third eye chakra and om for crown chakra (Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound 2010 p128).

See Audios & Videos for video of MC Yogi’s beatbox featuring these mantras.

Chakras & Sound Vibration

The symbol for each chakra is a flower with a certain number of petals. The number of petals corresponds to the number of subtle energy connections, or nadis, said to come and go from the chakra.

  • First Chakra — 4 petals
  • Second Chakra — 6 petals
  • Third Chakra — 10 petals
  • Fourth Chakra — 12 petals
  • Fifth Chakra — 16 petals
  • Sixth Chakra — 2 petals
  • Seventh Chakra — 1,000 petals