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for particular purposes. They must be learned under the guidance of a tantric guru. There are mantras for bringing down a fever, counteracting poison, removing disease, creating an anaesthetic effect, removing obstacles, conquering enemies, attracting someone, improving health, gaining wealth, sound sleep, marriage, progeny and long life. However, it is necessary to study these mantras very carefully in order to utilize them properly. Universal mantras, such as Gayatri mantra, Durga mantra or Mahamrityunjaya mantra, are sometimes chanted before, during or after healing. A mantra may be chanted for a particular part of the body during contact healing as the hand is passed over the affected
part.
Use of mantra in pranayama Specific mantras may be used in pranayama to create the rhythm of inhalation, retention and exhalation. In this case the count and ratios are maintained by the mental chanting of the mantra. One may use the guru mantra or a universal mantra such as Soham or Om, for this purpose. However, the best mantra is Gayatri, as it corresponds to the ideal breathing pattern of pranayama.
Gayatri mantra represents cosmic prana. It is comprised of twenty-four syllables which contain the entire form of prana. Inhalation during the repetition of the twenty-four syllables is considered to be the ideal vital capacity. Retention and exhalation are also performed with the same repetition. Not everyone can use the Gayatri in this manner at the beginning of pranayama practice, but the lung capacity expands with regular practice, and then the Gayatri mantra can be comfortably synchronized with the breath.
Gayatri pranayama performed in this way is a complete practice in itself. Omkara or Pranava pranayama is also described in several scriptures as a total practice. The repetition of Om may be combined effectively with every pranayama to keep time and to deepen the experience of the practice. Swami Sivananda suggests the use of Om in this
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