Sacred Sound by Alanna Kaivalya

Sacred Sound by Alanna Kaivalya shares 21 mantras as well as the myths behind them. With this book, you can find out more about sacred sounds, and how you can use them in your life.

Book Description

“In yoga practice, mantra and kirtan (call-and-response devotional chanting) get short shrift in the West because they aren’t well understood, though they are an integral part of almost every Eastern spiritual practice. They are designed to provide access into the psyche while their underlying mythology helps us understand how our psychology affects daily life.Sacred Sound shares the myths behind the mantras and kirtans, illuminating their meaning and putting their power and practicality within reach of every reader.

Each of the twenty-one mantras and kirtans presented includes the Sanskrit version, the transliteration, the translation, suggestions for chanting, the underlying myth, and its modern-day implications. Based on Alanna Kaivalya’s years of teaching and studying the myths and sacred texts, this book offers a way into one of the most life-changing aspects of yoga practice.” – Sacred Sound

My Thoughts

Sacred Sound is an easy to read guide about mantras and sacred sounds that could easily be used by anybody, if you are new to it, or if you have been chanting “om” for years. The author writes in a flow that keeps you interested, while also teaching you about the history of it and giving tips on how to use it for yourself.

My favorite mantra is the classic “Om”. I didn’t really know that much about it when I first heard it many years ago. However, this book definitely gave me more information on it than what I had picked up about it over the years since then. It is about harmony and balance, and I really like that. I never even heard of the other mantras before, so I found this book to be completely interesting and something I could use to learn more about sacred sounds in a totally new way.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I probably won’t be seen sitting in a yoga pose chanting anytime soon, but I think I could definitely incorporate many of the things I learned in this book into bringing more balance into my life. I definitely recommend it!

* Thank you to the publisher of Sacred Sound, New World Library, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.