The delicate strumming of the ukulele had me questioning my whereabouts. From stillness in my physical body to the silence in the outer world came a beautiful yet barely audible resonance gently seeking my attention. Yes, I was still in Hawaii. No, I wasn’t under a palm tree lying on the beach. I was traveling in and out of consciousness, relinquishing my last few moments in savasana after Kundalini yoga with instructor Mark Medley. Not one to jump out of this deeply relaxed state (especially on an early Sunday morning) I found my senses intrigued by the mantra being chanted a few feet away from me. I followed Mark’s voice and let his song both invigorate and calm my senses. My mind couldn’t decode what was being said in Sanskrit but it didn’t matter. Whether it was the yoga, listening to mantra or a combination of both, I left the studio feeling uplifted and invigorated.
Playing everything from reggae to rock, Mark’s been writing, playing and recording for over 20 years. When he began chanting mantra in 2008 there was an immediate desire to record an album. “Mantra energizes every aspect of my practice from my Pranayama to my Asana. Overall, mantra has assisted me with the deconditioning of my mind and has allowed me to break through mental barriers that I wasn’t even conscious of in the past.” For those not familiar with mantra, a simple definition is a word or sound repeated to aid concentration or meditation. Another definition is a sound vibration that permeates every cell of your being. Like yoga, mantra has many interpretations and the workings of it all present themselves like a mystery. To study mantra requires openness to general confusion and flubbing on Sanskrit. Or does it?
Mark’s first mantra album Akaljas “keeps the music and the mantras simple so people don’t feel like they have to be Sanskrit scholars or glee club members to chant along.” Inspired by one of his teachers Dev Suroop, he understands the delicate dance of putting mantras to music without detracting from their sacredness. And he keeps them fun! I’ve listened to my fair share of mantra albums, but Mark’s songs provide a fun twist to an ancient wisdom. Listening to his album for the first time, I inadvertently found myself tapping my feet and effortlessly singing along. Could mantra really be this uncomplicated?
Thankfully, Mark already has a second mantra album in the works. “My vision for the future can be summed up by looking at my spiritual name, which is also the title of my first mantra CD. Akaljas means ‘undying one who is ever-singing the praises of the divine.’ It’s my goal to manifest the meaning of that word in this life. I want to chant with as many people as I can for as long as I can.”
Akaljas can be listened to and bought at http://www.markmedleymusic.com .
(All photos provided from Mark’s website)
