'Tis the Season for Chanting

The auspicious month of ‘Sāwan’ is upon us. According to the Hindu lunar calendar, this year, ‘Sāwan’ pronounced Sāvun, and also referred to as ‘Shravan’, began on Thursday, July 30 and will end on August 28, 2026. This period is regarded as auspicious and holy because it is associated with the renewal of life during the monsoon season, and is also deeply connected with the mythology surrounding the highly revered Lord Shiva.

Snap forward to the other day, when a concerned mother came to me with her teenage son and asked me to answer his questions. I was happy, not because he had questions about astrology or spirituality, but because questions are often the doors through which we enter the truth.

The young man looked at me and asked, “Why am I told to chant particular words again and again? I get bored doing things repeatedly. And honestly, I don't really trust these rituals.”

Then came his next question, “Why does Sāwan start and suddenly everyone starts worshipping Shiva? Does Shiva have a problem with the other months?”

I laughed, and I told him, “You have a point!” Then I countered a question of my own, “Why do you wear a sweater in a particular season?” “Because it is cold”, he replied. I then asked, “Why do you celebrate your birthday on a particular day?” His somewhat incredulous response was, “Because that is the day I was born.”

I persisted nonetheless, “Why do you naturally want more ice cream, cold drinks or milkshakes during summer?” He thought for a moment and said, “We can have them throughout the year.” I said, “But we naturally reach for them more when the weather is hot.”

That was the beginning of our conversation about mantra science. Fortunately, he is a science student, so once we moved from “Accept this” to “Understand why this may be done”, he became much more interested. And perhaps that is how we should approach our rituals too.

Why Mantras are Chanted Repetitively

A mantra is not simply about saying a few Sanskrit words a certain number of times because someone told us to. It involves sound, repetition, focussed breathing, attention and intention.

Think about learning anything new. The first time you do something, it feels unfamiliar. You repeat it. Then you repeat it again. Eventually, it becomes easier and more natural. The same principle of repetition is present in many areas of life. We practice a musical instrument, repeat a sport, revise before an examination and build habits through repetition.

So why should spiritual practice be completely different? When we repeat a mantra with intention, the mind is provided with one steady point to which it returns. The mind wanders. We bring it back. It wanders again. We bring it back again. That simple act can become a practice in concentration and awareness. And this is where a mantra becomes more meaningful than a simple “remedy”.

Modern research has started examining chanting and mantra-based practices. Studies have found associations with attention and emotional regulation, and some research suggests possible benefits for stress and anxiety. However, the scientific evidence is still evolving, and it does not prove every traditional claim made about mantras. That caveat is important.

There is no basis to say, “Science has proven that this mantra will remove your problems.” It hasn't. What we can ask is, what happens when we consciously repeat something meaningful every day?

What’s on Your List?

‘Sāwan’ gives us a beautiful opportunity to explore the correct method of chanting and mantra. Different traditions have different practices, mantras and forms of Shiva worship during the ‘Sāwan’ period. Some recommendations include chanting ‘Om Namah Shivay’, reciting the ‘Mahamrityunjay Mantra’, practicing the ‘Shiv Gayatri Mantra’ or reading Shiv stotras, holy texts in reverence to Lord Shiva. But instead of treating these practices as a shopping list of remedies, perhaps we can choose one practice, and understand its purpose.

Before chanting,

• Take a moment.
• Understand what it is you are saying.
• Focus on your breathing.
• Listen to the sounds being produced.
• Focus your thoughts.

Don't just perform, participate, and over time observe if these changes are occuring:

• Are you becoming less reactive?
• Are you able to pause before responding?
• Is your attention improving?
• Are you becoming more patient?
• Are your decisions becoming more thoughtful?

Enhancing these characteristics through mantra recitation has meaning, because perhaps the first purpose of a ritual is not to immediately change everything on the outside. Perhaps it is to gradually change the person who is experiencing everything outside.

This ‘Sāwan’, here is something we all can try:

1. Don't chant only because someone told you to.
2. Understand why you are chanting.
3. Don't simply count the repetitions.
4. Remain mentally focussed during the process.
5. Don't expect a mantra to magically solve every problem.
6. Observe whether the practice is changing the way you think, assess and course correct.

Bringing Meaning to Spirituality

Knowledge brings meaning to a ritual. Awareness can give it depth, and when the two come together, the ritual stops being something we mechanically perform, and becomes something we consciously experience.

Perhaps that teenager's question was not a rejection of tradition after all? Perhaps it was an invitation for us to take a closer look at how we should approach spiritual practices. And sometimes, asking the right questions, leads to the beginning of more meaningful practice.