I have been chanting the Invocation to Patanjali at the beginning of class.

It's a long mantra and if you enjoy chanting, I'd like to help you learn it.

Yogena cittasya padena vacam
Malam sarirasya ca vaidyakena
yopakarotam pravaram muninam
Patanjalim pranjaliranato’smi

Abahu purushakaram
Sankha chakrasi dharinam
Sahasra sirsasam svetam
Pranamami patanjali

Hare Om

Here’s the translation:

To the noblest of sages, Patanjali
who gave us yoga for serenity of mind,
grammar for purity of speech and
medicine for the perfection of the body,
I salute

I salute before Patanjali whose upper
body has a human form, whose arms
hold a conch, a disc and a sword,
who is crowned by a thousand headed
cobra. Oh incarnation of Adisesa my
humble salutations to thee.

Click on the button below to read an article written by Peggy Cady on the Invocation and then listen to Geeta Iyengar chant it.