I memorized Gayatri Mantra on my 50th birthday by taping it to the steering wheel of my car as i drove up to Rocky Mountain National Park for a horseback ride.

Give in to her infinite power and truly believe in her ability to change your life.

Gayatri is a Sanskrit word, made up of the two sounds, “Gaa” (to sing) and “Yatree” (protection). Gayatri is a name for the Divine Mother, she who protects her children and leads them toward self-realization (fulfillment of one’s potential). Gayatri honors the Sun, source energy for life on earth.

Gayatri mantra is considered to be the essence of the Vedas, seed sounds which embody the collective wisdom of the Vedas. The Vedas venerate an intangible reality through hymns to a tangible cosmos. Gayatri is illuminating and liberating, by burning away impurities and filling us with the pure energy of the Cosmos.

Gayatri is traditionally chanted silently or in a soft voice at brahma muhurta (the Creator’s hour) between 3:30-4:30 am or at the sandhyas (junctures) of sunrise, noon, sunset.

Gayatri is written in the gayatri meter (24 syllables divided into 3 lines of 8 syllables each) and recited beginning with Om, followed by three seed sounds called maha vyahritis (the great utterances) bhur bhuvah svah, which serve as an invocation to the Gayatri. Bhu, Bhuvah, Svah are also referred to as the three worlds, earth, outer space, and inner space.

GAYATRI MANTRA

Om bhur bhuvah svah

Tat savitur varenyam

bhargo devasya dhimahi

dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

An extended form of Gayatri mantra awakens the seven chakras, blessing the seven realms, and activating the seven Lokhas (planes of existence or spheres of consciousness):

EXTENDED GAYATRI MANTRA

Om bhu (first chakra, earth plane, existence)

Om bhuvaha (second chakra, atmospheric plane, consciousness)

Om swaha (third chakra, solar region, inner space, bliss)

Om maha (fourth chakra, first spiritual region beyond the sun: heart vibration)

Om janaha (fifth chakra, second spiritual region beyond the sun: power of the divine spiritual world)

Om tapaha (sixth chakra, third spiritual region beyond the sun: sphere of the progenitors, realm of highest spiritual understanding while still identified with individual existence)

Om satyam (seventh chakra, the abode of supreme truth: absorption into the supreme)  

Extended Gayatri Mantra

Om bhu, Om bhuvaha, Om swaha, 

Om maha, Om janaha, Om tapaha, Om satyam,

Om Tat savitur varenyam

bhargo devasya dhimahi

dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

Translation of Gayatri Mantra

Sun who gives us life on earth, whose power extends beyond the cosmos,

who is present in us all,

Whose fountain of Grace is our Source, 

your Glorious Light purifies us when we focus upon You, 

may i merge with you in union; 

may i selflessly dedicate my efforts.

May you spread from my heart to my mind, 

may my prayers lift the whole of humanity, 

Please direct my energies in the right way,

and to your sanctuary of tranquility and peace.

Om (seed sound of the Universe, cosmic yes of unification) Bhur (physical world, earth plane, eternal nature) Bhuvah (mental world, subtle or astral plane, boundless nature) Svah (spiritual world, higher celestial plane, omnipresent nature) Tat (paramatma, selflessness) Savitur (sun, creator) Varenyam (the most adorable, highest) Bhargo (luster, effulgence, glorious light, purity) Devasya (the Supreme) Dhimahi (we meditate upon) Dhiyo (intellect, understanding) Yo (who) Nah (our, the whole world is one big family)  Prachodayat (enlightens, guides, removes darkness on our path and escorts us through the chaos of the world)