Stephanie Carlin: Reclaiming Breath, Voice, and Mantra
Stephanie Carlin has long been a performer and singer-songwriter. But it wasn’t until four years into her daily asana practice at Jivamukti Yoga in NYC that she fully accessed her breath and the power within it. This liberating experience, reinforced by the sounds of the mantras that accompany the Jivamukti Yoga classes, catapulted Stephanie into her newest form of expression. And she quite literally reclaimed the whole of herself.
A Collection of Mantras
The mantras in Reclamation: A Collection of Mantras are offered up through a refreshingly gritty plethora of sounds. “I wanted to explore all of the spaces of what it actually means to transform, evolve, transcend, get light,” says Carlin. This reminds me of the phrase “No Mud, No Lotus.” It is from the very journey to our depths and our willingness to embrace ourselves fully that our real voice is born.
Each of the mantras receives a completely different musical treatment. The gently percussive “Lokah Samastah” and “Gate Gate” have a watery feel.
“Rama Bolo” offers a soulful jazz vibe. A transporting electric guitar medley livens up the “Maha Mantra Hare Krishna.” I clearly see a dance party in your future.
The sound of a full rock band with layers of instruments and drum beats offers a powerful delivery system for the mantras. After my first listen, I sang “Rama Bolo” grooves to myself into the night.
Messages of Reclaiming Yourself
I’ve recently returned from an immersive set of teachings in a Nine Planet Temple Pilgrimage in South India and I feel a resonance of Stephanie’s message with the Rahu temple.
Rahu asks us to celebrate our uniqueness. This is how we can discover what our individual gifts are and gain the courage to share them in the world. When Stephanie speaks of people “shedding self-doubt and speaking their truth,” I feel the same quality of Rahu at work.
When you listen to these mantras and chant along, I hope you will feel their innate power. I hope you will feel the encouragement Stephanie Carlin echoes to listen to your intuition and deepest truths. Find the conviction to express them. Be free to be you. Reclaim yourself.
Follow Stephanie Carlin
Stephanie Carlin is the founder of the songwriting school Free Spirits Music. She also performs in yoga studios and yoga festivals. Follow her at @stephaniecarlinmusic or visit: stephaniecarlin.com.
Sarah Tomlinson is a British born Yantra expert, internationally acclaimed Yantrika (Yantra teacher and practitioner), yoga teacher and artist, with renowned fans across the globe including Elena Brower and Sharon Gannon, co-founder of Jivamukti Yoga. Sarah worked extensively with her mentor Harish Johari in India, he initiated her into the spiritual practice of painting Yantras. Sarah is the creator of the Yantra Bliss Oracle Deck, 2017, and author of Coloring Yantras (Shambhala Publishing, 2017). She leads retreats and Yantra workshops around the world and enjoys lots of time by the ocean with her husband and two young boys.