NOISE POLLUTION AND MANTRAS

BY ISA TRAVERSO-BURGER

I don’t know about you but I have an issue with unwanted noise: Harley’s, boom cars, drag racing, lawn mowers at 8:00 AM on a Saturday and anything that disturbs my rest or ears. Did you know that there is in fact something called noise pollution and a Federal Noise Control Act? Keep reading, this is not boring at all.

The word ‘noise’ comes from the Latin word nausea so you can imagine what being exposed to sources such as: factories, amplified ‘bad’ music, loud air conditioners and construction work can cause in humans and animals. Yes, I said animals! High noise levels can impede natural cycles such as feeding, breeding and migration. One of the famous cases of injury caused by noise pollution was the death of whales due to the sound of military SONAR. In people, well The Census Bureau reported that one of the major reasons for people moving from their neighborhoods is Noise!

Setting aside the earsplitting topic we move onto the real thing, music for your ears. You will feel a lot better after learning about the power of mantras. You might think it’s not your territory, oh but it is! A literal translation of the word mantra is: instrument of thought. As Descartes indicated, if you think, you exist so mantras could easily be a method for your life.

Mantras originated in India and are typically in Sanskrit language; they are either a syllable or poem used as a spiritual tool because this word or vibration allows you concentration and awareness. OM is the popular one, but the quantity of mantras is something cosmic, just like the feeling when you spend time practicing one of them. It is an acquired taste and the good thing is you can do it in the privacy of your own home or in a group. Repeat the word OM focusing on extending the M part as much as possible; do you feel the vibration within you? You’re getting there!

Besides being a great aid in meditation, some mantras are said to have the intention of being integrated in religious ceremonies to bring wealth, avoid danger, and even eliminate enemies. One of the most relevant and powerful aspects of mantras is their purpose, -to deliver the mind from illusion and material inclinations. Next time noisy invaders try to take over your sanity and ears, don’t get annoyed, try ‘chanting’ instead, which is the process of repeating a mantra.

In my opinion, Sai Baba’s chants are really beautiful, but you are free to choose your own, even make your own hymn. And, if you know someone who pollutes the environment with noise, convince them to stop doing it and make this world a cleaner place, where music and chants are heard instead of manufacturing and construction machinery. Check online for more about noise pollution and how YOU can do something to protest. In the meantime, hum your favorite syllable and turn it into a steady routine.