Oṃ śānti śānti śānti , and the meaning

Om Shanti shanti shantihi

In the Vedas are originated the “Shanti” mantras or hymns. These mantras always conclude with the Sanskrit word “Shanti” which is repeated 3 times.

The word Shanti in Sanskrit means “peace”. So for what kind of Peace does we chant for ?

The mantras in general are hymns with a universal scope, and so the kind of peace is praised is also for a universal level.

The First Shanti is offered to all the suffering that comes from our own body and mind - like a pain in my hip, a cold that I get, an unpleasant sensation in our body, a serious sickness that we may have, thoughts that we have and suffer from, or pleasurable or not reactions that we attached with because of our ego
                                 Om shanti to our body and mind

The second Shanti is offered to all the suffering that may have from others earthlings ( humans or animals ) - like a bite from a mosquito, a neighbor that plays loud the music, another driver who misbehave in the street or even to the body politic with wars around the global..
                                  Om shanti to our surroundings

 The third Shanti is offered to kind of suffering that may comes either from environmental phenomena or from geological phenomena - like storms, typhoons, droughts, tsunamis earthquakes or volcanic explosions

                                  Om shanti to what is beyond of our control

When all these kind of sufferings are quelled then we the human beings may have peace in body, mind & spirit.

                        Om shanti shanti shanti , dear yogis and yoginis

Sissy Karydi

Authorized Ashtanga Yoga Teacher in the tradition of Sri.K.Pattabhi Jois

Email: sissy_karydi@yahoo.gr