our sound - the golden thread connecting body-earth-cosmos

deva nāgarī—the script of the immortals—is the sacred vessel through which Sanskrita is written. Sanskrita itself is often called the mother of all languages, the quiet root from which English, German, Greek, Latin, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and so many others have grown out from over time.

In Sanskrita, each letter carries a precise sound—nothing more, nothing less. There is no hierarchy of letters, no capitals raised above the rest. Each sound stands equal, each vibration essential, awaiting to be invited in to sound its frwquency. In this way, the language is both elegant and accessible, showing us clarity rather than complexity.

Sanskrit is not merely spoken; it is played. Our mouth, our body is an instrument, divinely shaped to create resonance, meaning, and healing. Svara—the vowels, the tones, the accents—are the living breath of the language (known as the divine mothers no less, who literally measure out our consciousness), while vyañjana, the consonants, are their adornments, decorating, and shaping the flow of sound.

The Svara (vowels) unfold in time: hrasva (short), lasting one mātrā (measure); dīrgha (long), resounding for two for two; and (pluta), extended, carried for three or more counts, like a breath that lingers in devotion.

Pronunciation is simpler than we imagine. It asks only that we open, our mouths, our throats, our perceptions. All of our inner doors and windows. Many of us were never taught to truly open, to release the tension of the jaw, or to let go of the restraint of our stiff upper 'british' lip. Here, we are invited to soften our accents, loosen our conditioning, and rediscover the mouth and body as the divine sounding instrument we have been marvellously designed to be.

So, this week’s invitation is for us to sit and allow this sound out an extended “ā”

Find a comfortable seat.

Draw in a deep, spacious breath.

Open our throat.

Open our mouth wide.

Let the tongue relax.

Allow the vocal cords to resound as the wind (vāyu) of the breath gently dances with them in vibration.

Sustaining the sound 'ā' until the very end of our breath, and see what feelings arise within.

Repeat three times. Taking time in between each round to really feel into your landscape of beingness.

Each one a voyage of discovery. A welcoming home.