This is a Vedic chant from the Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa. It is chanted to assist those suffering from ill health or if you yourself are unwell. It draws on the elements, the planets and deities as powers that exist within us and asks for nourishment.

This chant is called Laghunyāsaḥ which means ‘lightly placed’ because as you chant you can lightly place your hands on each area of the body that we wish to nourish, using our touch to enhance our awareness and healing. For example it starts with: May the fire in me nourish my voice, May my voice be connected to my heart. Then, may the air around me nourish my prana; May my prana be connected to my heart and so on… And after each verse comes a repeating chorus, which makes the chant rather long… However, the chorus is so beautiful you will be happy to repeat it again and again to reinforce its meaning, which is: May my heart be connected to the eternal within me. And may the eternal within me be connected to infinite consciousness. So this chant is especially about nourishing our spiritual heart – hṛdaya. In this time of self-isolation, separation from others we are reminded of that infinite consciousness that connects us all; that makes us ONE eternal heart.

LAGHUNYĀSAḤ

Oṃ agnirme vāci śritaḥ | vāgghṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | vāyurme prāne śritaḥ | prāno hṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | sūryo me cakṣuṣi śritaḥ | cakṣurhṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | candramā me manasi śritaḥ | mano hṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | diśo me śrotre śritāḥ | śrotragṁhṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | āpo me retasi śritāḥ | reto hṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | pṛthivī me śarīre śritā | śarīragṁhṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | oṣadhivanaspatayo me lomasu śritāḥ | lomaṇi hṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | indro me bale śritaḥ | balagṁhṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | parjanyo me mūrdhni śritaḥ | mūrdhā hṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | īśāno me manyau śritaḥ | manyurhṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | ātmā ma ātmani śritaḥ | ātmā hṛdaye | hṛdayaṃ mayi | ahamamṛte | amṛtaṁ brahmani | punarma ātmā punarāyurāgāt | punaḥ prānaḥ punarākūtamāgāt | vaiśvānaro raśmibhirvāvṛdhānaḥ | antastiṣṭhatvamṛtasya gopāḥ ǁ

May the fire in me nourish my speech. May my speech be connected to my heart.*
May my heart be connected to the eternal within me. May that eternal be connected to infinite consciousness.*
May the air around me nourish my prana. May the prana within me be connected to my heart.*—*
May the sun within me nourish my sight. May my sight be connected to my heart.*—*
May the moon within me nourish my mind. May my mind be connected to my heart.*—*
May the space around me nourish my hearing. May my hearing be connected to my heart. *—*
May the water with me nourish my seed. May my seed be connected to my heart. *—*
May the earth nourish my body. May my body be connected to my heart. *—*
May the herbs of the forest nourish my hair (health). May my hair/health be connected to my heart. *—*
May Indra in me nourish my strength. May my strength be connected to my heart. *—*
May lightning nourish the crown of my head. May the crown of my heart be connected to my heart. *—*
May Śiva in me nourish my feelings. May my feelings be connected to my heart. *—*
May my self be connected to my higher self. May my self be connected to my heart. *—*
May my self embody a long life. May my prana be an emodiment of the uncaused. May my inner fire permeate my whole body to make it healthy. May the eternal/the guardian of life protect me.