Lam is from the Bija set of chakra mantras. The Bija mantras (lam for muladhara, vam for svadhisthana, ram for manipura, yam for anahata, ham for vishuddha, and om or aum for ajna and sahaswara chakras) are chanted in succession to clear the chakras and create a neurological response.
Chakras are energy centres in the body and the mantra Lam is specifically related to the muladhara chakra, which is located at the base of the spine. The mulahdara chakra relates to our basic needs and sense of belonging. It is known as the earth chakra and when clear, provides a sense of grounding and stability, reducing worry and anxiety. The mantra Lam helps clear any blockages at this energy centre through sound therapy.
Specifics sounds create different responses in the brain and the Bija mantras balance or tune the brain by altering the predominant brainwave frequency. Research shows that the Bija mantras evoke the alpha state of the brain, which is the state of calm with a brainwave frequency of approximately 10 cycles per second. It is also said that the “m” sound also resonates with the right side of our brain – the side that carries intuition, emotion and creativity.
Lam is our pose, or mantra, of the month for February 2014!