As the war on Ukraine continues to escalate with devastating, heart-breaking consequences, there is a palpable sense of helplessness in the air.

Is there anything that we can do to help?

The response from Ireland, to the call for donations of medical supplies and other equipment, has been overwhelming, it's great to see how compassionate we are as a nation.

If you are looking to contribute here are some useful links:

A full list of donation centres can be found on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/dublinwosp/posts/4667090800006139 or by emailing [email protected]

In our classes this week we chanted Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, this chant is considered to be one of the most powerful mantras in Yogic practice and it is considered to be the chant of Universal Peace.

Want to know more...

Om is considered to be the original sound - the one from which all other sounds came to life. This simple syllable is thought to be the whole world, the past, the present, the future - everything is just the word Om.

The meaning of the word Shanti, simply put, is Peace, think uninterrupted peace, tranquillity and bliss. Shanti is thought be a peace that balances every living entity in the cosmos, so they co exist in love and harmony.

In this Chant the word Shanti is repeated three times, the reason for this repetition has varying explanations. Some say it is to symbolism peace in the past, present and future, others peace in the body, mind and soul and my current personal favourite, peace in ourselves, our family friends and community and peace in the whole world.

In this devastating situation of war, it is hard to see how our chants can help. But maybe, just maybe we can start a ripple effect of peace that starts with ourselves and our Yoga Community and slowly spreads out into the universe. As Thich Nhat Hanh says " When we change our daily lives, how we think, how we speak and act, we change the world".

If you'd like to take this practice home with you here's the track that we used in class to assist our chant.

Om Shanti - Daphne Tse

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

To peace my friends 💕🙏