Some of the most frequently used mantras are as follows:
ONG NAMO, GURU DEV NAMO: This is the Adi Mantra that precedes Kundalini Yoga practice, turning one into the higher self. Ong is the “Infinite Creative Energy in manifestation and activity” (“Om” or Aum is God absolute and unmanifested); Namo is “reverent Greetings”, implying humility; Guru means “teacher or wisdom”; Dev means “Divine or of God”; and Namo reaffirms humility and reverence. In all, it means “I call upon Divine Wisdom”. Chanting the Adi Mantra “Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo” for 11 minutes tunes you into the lineage of wisdom from which Yogi Bhajan taught.
AD GURAY NAME, JUGAD GUREY NAMEH, SAT GURAY NAMEH, SIRI GURU DEVAY NAMEH: This is the Mangala Charn Mantra and it is chanted for protection. It surrounds the magnetic field with protective light and means “I bow to the primal Guru (guiding consciousness who takes us to God-Realization), I bow to wisdom through the ages, I bow to the True Wisdom, I bow to the great unseen wisdom.”
ADI SHAKTI, ADI SHAKTI, ADI SHAKTI, NAMO, NAMO, SARASHAKTI, SARAB SHAKTI, SARAB SHAKTI, NAMO NAMO, PRITHUM BHAGAWATI, PRITHUM BHAGAWATI, PRITHUM BHAGAWATI, NAMO NAMO, KUNDALINI, MATA SHAKTI, MATA SHAKTI, NAMO NAMO: The first Shakti Mantra tunes into the frequency of the divine mother and to primal protective, generating energy. Chanting it eliminates fears and fulfills desires. Adi Shakti means the “Primal Power”, Sarab Shakti means “All Power”, and Prithum Bhagawati means “which creates through God”.
AKAL, MAHA KAL: This means “Undying, Great death”. It is a powerful life-giving chant that removes fear and relaxes the mind.
AP SAHAE HOA SACHE DA SACHE DHOA, HAR, HAR, HAR: This means “The lord Himself has become our protector, the Truest of true has taken care of us, God, God, God” or “The Lord Himself is my refuge, true is the support of the True Lord”. This mantra is chanted for prosperity.
ARDAS BAYE, AMAR DAS GURU, ARDAS BAYE, RAM DAS GURU, RAM DAS GURU, SUCHE SAHE: This mantra guarantees by the grace of Guru Amar Das, who provides hope for the hopeless, and Guru Ram Das, who is King of the Yogis and Bestower of the Blessings, past, present and future, that the prayer will be answered and that all one’s needs are provided for, signed, sealed and delivered!
DHARTI HAI, AKASH HAI, GURU RAM DAS HAI: Dharti means “earth”, Akash is Ether, and Guru Ram Das is the venerated 4th Sikh Guru. This is the first Sodhung Mantra.
EK ONG KAR, SAT GUR PRASAD: This is the magic mantra so named for its power and sacredness. It is usually chanted in reverse (Ek Ong Kar Sat Gur Prasad, Sat Gur Prasad Ek Ong Kar). Many pages are devoted to the explanation of this mantra and we are warned to chant it in reverence. It means “There is one creator, truth revealed through Guru’s grace.”
EK ONG KAR, SAT NAM, KARTA PURKH, NIRBHAO, NIRVAIR, AKAL MOORT, AJUNI SAI BHANG, GUR PRASAD, JAP. AD SUCH, JUGAD SUCHIHE SUCH, NANAK HOSI BHEE SUCH: This is the Mul Mantra, the root of all mantras. It means “The creator of all is one. Truth is his name. He does everything, fearless, without anger, undying, unborn, self-realized, realized through Guru’s grace. Meditate: He was true in the beginning, true through all the ages, true even now. Nanak shall ever be true.”
EK ONK KAR, SAT NAM, SIRI WHA (HE) GURU: This is the Adi Shakti Mantra and it is very powerful for awakening the Kundalini and suspending the mind in bliss. Ek means “One, the essence of all”, Ong is the primal vibration from which all creativity flows, Kar is “Creation”, Sat “truth”, Nam “name”, Siri “great”, Wha “ecstasy” and Guru “wisdom”. Taken together it means “There is one creator whose name is Truth. Great is the ecstasy of that Supreme Wisdom!”
GOBINDE, MUKUNDE, UDARE, APARE, HARING, KARING, NIRNAME, AKAME: This is the Guru Gaitri Mantra which means “Sustainer, liberator, enlightener, infinite, destroyer, creator, nameless, desire less”. It brings stability to the hemispheres of the brain and works on the Heart Center to develop compassion, patience and tolerance, uniting one with the infinite.
GURU GURU WAHE GURU, GURU RAM DAS GURU: This mantra calls upon Guru Ram Das in praise of his spiritual guiding light and protective grace. Chanting “Guru Guru Wahe Guru Guru Ram Das Guru” opens your heart to the miracle of Guru Ram Das and brings peace to one’s life.
HAR: This means Creative Infinity, a name of God. HARA is another form. HARI is the active form of creation.
HARI NAM, SAT NAM, HARI NAM, HARI. HARI NAM, SAT NAM, SAT NAM, HARI: The name of God is the true name.
HUM DUM HAR HAR: This mantra opens the Heart Chakra and means “We the universe, God, God”.
ONG: This means Creator, The primal Vibration from which all creativity flows.
ONG SO HUNG: This is “Creator, I am Thou!” It is a heart-opening and empowering mantra.
PRANA, APANA, SUSHUMNA, HARI. HARI HAR, HARI HAR, HARI HAR, HARI: Prana is the life force, and Sushumna is the central channel for that force. This mantra helps draw energy up the spine for healing. Hari and Har are names of God.
PRITVI HAI, AKASH HAI, GURU RAM DAS HAI: (See “Dharti Hai”). Pritvi means earth, calling on the name of the venerated Guru Ram Das. This is a very powerful mantra.
RA MA DA SA, SA SAY SO HUNG: This is the Siri Gaitri Mantra, and it is chanted for healing. Ra is the sun, Ma is the Moon, Da is the earth, and Sa is Infinity. Say is the totality of Infinity, and So Hung is “I am Thou”. “Ra Ma Da Sa” is the Earth Mantra. And “Sa Say So Hung” is the Ether Mantra. Chanting “Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Se So Hung” awakens healing energy in yourself and in our world.
SA TA NA MA: This is the Panj Shabad which expresses the five primal sounds of the Universe. “S” is Infinity, “T” is life, “N” means death and “M” is rebirth. The 5th sound is “A”. This is one of the most frequently used mantras in Kundalini Yoga.
SAT NAM: This is the Seed Mantra or Bij Mantra and it is the most widely used mantra in the practice of Kundalini Yoga.
Sat is truth, Nam means identity, or to call on the truth, expressing the reality of existence. Chanting this mantra awakens the soul.
SAT NARAYAN, WHA HE GURU, HARI NARAYAN SAT NAM: Narayan is the aspect of Infinity that relates to water, and Hari Narayan is creative sustenance, which makes the one who chants it healing. Sat Narayan is True Sustainer, Wahe Guru is indescribable Wisdom, and Sat Nam is True Identity. This is the ancient Chotay Pad Mantra.
WAHE GURU: This is the Guru Mantra, the mantra of ecstasy. It is not translatable, but chanting it elevates the spirit.
WAHE GURU, WAHE GURU, WAHE GURU, WAHE JEEO: “The ecstasy of consciousness is my beloved”.
The Tratakum Meditation, focusing directly into the eyes of the classic Yogi Bhajan photograph for 11 minutes per day, tunes you into his subtle body.