When your calendar is fuller than your cup, it’s time to anchor into clean, kind boundaries. This week’s practice centres your inner authority – not spiky walls, just a steady spine and a soft heart.

This week’s mantra:

Om Namah Shivaya

Pronounced: om nah-MAH shi-VAH-yah

Theme for the week: Self-respect, the clear “no,” and permission to be spacious.

“Namah” means “I bow” or “I honour,” and Shivaya calls on the spacious, aware Self. Think of it as I honour the Self – which makes it much easier to say “no” without guilt and “yes” without resentment.

Why this one, and why now?

After months of clearing obstacles, creativity, power and life force, we focus that energy into loving limits. Boundaries aren’t barriers; they’re irrigation channels. They ensure your energy nourishes what truly matters instead of flooding every request that knocks.

How to practise (gentle and simple)

• Take your mala, settle your shoulders, and soften your jaw.
• Start at the bead next to the guru bead (we don’t count the guru).
• One bead, one repetition: Om Namah Shivaya.
• Let the breath be natural. Try a whisper-soft pace – steady, unhurried.
• When you reach the bead before the guru, pause for 30–60 seconds. Notice any places in the body that feel more upright, clear, or calm.

One round is 108 repetitions, usually 6–8 minutes at a relaxed pace. Only got three minutes? Do half a mala. Consistency over perfection, always.

What it means (plain English)

• Om – the primordial sound, a reminder of wholeness.
• Namah – I bow / I honour.
• Shivaya – to Shiva, the spacious Self / pure awareness.

In human terms:
💙 My needs count.
💙 My “no” can be loving.
💙 I honour myself and others by being clear.

Little notes from the practice room

• If guilt pops up, add a quiet “and I still choose me.”
• Visual cue: with each “Shivaya”, imagine a bright boundary line forming – clear, kind, and non-negotiable.
• After chanting, choose one boundary to act on today (e.g., “No evening emails,” “30 mins for lunch without my phone,” or “I’ll confirm after I’ve checked my energy.”)

A gentle cultural bow

This mantra comes through the Vedic tradition. We chant with respect and gratitude for the lineages and teachers who safeguarded these sounds. If deity language isn’t your thing, meet Shiva here as spacious awareness – the part of you that’s calm, clear and deeply okay.

Pocket intention & reflection

Before you begin: “I honour myself by being clear.”
After you finish: “Where will a loving ‘no’ create a more honest ‘yes’ today?”

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If you’d like guided practice or to deepen your sound work, join us at Earthtones for accredited trainings, gong baths and treatments. You can book online whenever you’re ready—we’ll keep a cushion warm for you.

One more bead for the road:
Om Namah Shivaya — boundaries as an act of love. 🤍