The Sound That Leads Us Home

A reflection on Mantra, Truth, Love, and the Practice of Returning Inward.

As I sit down to inspire another blog post, I ask myself: what words are filling my thoughts?

My mind hears the language of harsh words, fear, distraction, and mental confusion. I notice how quickly the noise of the outer world can take me away from my balanced state of mind.

So I return to what I know.

I return to my practice.

I begin with sound, which precedes form. I begin with the sound of my own whisper breath. Thoughts arise, and my inner dialogue must be carefully chosen if I want to feed the deeper consciousness of my practice.

I set a small intention to make time and space. I want to invite sound and vibration as a pathway toward self-love. My mind wants to rush. It wants to turn practice into another item on the daily checklist.

But I know the respect of practice is not to demand what I want. It is to offer the opportunity for space to be revealed.

I do not know what that will look like.

I am only going to practice.

Sound, Form, and the Energy Body

The yogic teachings remind us that sound precedes form.

What we see as material form can also be understood through vibration, energy, and possibility. The physical body I live in is not only solid matter. It is also an energy body filled with vibrational potential.

Sound gives birth to form.

“In the beginning, there was the word.”

The sound.

My practice is mantra-focused. Mantras are sacred sounds that hold vibrational power and the potency to shift the limited reality that has been stuck in memory.

So often, our perception of the world is seeing only in material matter. We believe only what we can see. But mantra offers another way.

Mantra is protection for the mind.

“Man” means mind.
“Tra” means to cross over, or to protect.

Mantra helps us cross over the restless mind and begin to sense that maybe, just maybe, there is another way to see.

Mantra as a Pathway to Clarity

Our thoughts create the forms of our reality. If we feel bound or limited by that reality, practice can begin to shift our perception. Clarity can be revealed.

This is not an easy concept. It asks for a willingness to practice with an open mind and an open heart. It asks for a deeper commitment to the subtle tools of yoga.

I am always humbled to be a student, and I only offer the teachings that I have personally experienced. To teach is to meet the student where they are.

And so we begin with the grace of “not knowing.”

My entire commitment is to connect with the deepest part of myself that feels anything is possible. Reflecting on my life, I know I can shift the rudder ever so gently in another direction.

I must not strive to get there.

I must be willing to be here.

The effort is the commitment.

A slight shift from what I see in the outer landscape can open an inner place of possibility. What is the word for that feeling?

My mantra invites protection. It helps me cross over. I drop the language of fear and invite support. I ask to feel stable, steady, and held.

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From Gross to Subtle

The tools of yoga move from gross to subtle, from the outer layers of the body toward the inner landscape of breath, mind, heart, and spirit.

The outer orientation of asana is the mastery of the physical structure, beginning with the spine. It includes alignment, stability, strength, and range of motion.

The inner orientation of asana is to make the body a spacious container for the breath. This prepares us for the tool of pranayama.

The outer orientation of pranayama is mastery of the physiology through the autonomic nervous system. Breath influences digestion, respiration, cardiovascular rhythms, immune function, and hormonal balance.

The inner orientation of pranayama is to make the breath a safe place for the mind. This prepares us for meditation.

Meditation begins with the wandering mind and the field of attention. We learn to notice distraction. We learn to focus more deeply. We learn to stay with what is actually here, rather than becoming lost in every thought or feeling.

This is where mantra becomes so helpful.

I begin by repeating it as a chant. I feel it and hear it. I offer it as a way to focus. Then, silently, I allow the mantra to become second nature as it links my mind inward.

The inner orientation of meditation is to make the mind a stable place for the heart. This prepares us for deeper prayer.

Mantra is the sound of prayer without the attachment to ego-driven desires to get, to fix, to control, or to do.

Mantra is the sound of prayer without the need to fix, control, or do.

Prayer, the Heart, and the Kleshas

Outer prayer arises from a desire to let go of resistance.

Thoughts simply move through.

There is a longing to let go of personality and patterned habits of attachment, aversion, and fear. In the teachings, these are called the kleshas — those habits of inner language rooted in learned behavior.

They are the familiar thoughts of resentment, insecurity, jealousy, greed, envy, and pride.

They are the ways we keep ourselves comfortable in our discomfort.

The inner orientation of prayer is to make the heart a soft, open vessel for the Divine. It prepares us for sound. It allows the vibrational gifts of our nature to reveal themselves as loving, compassionate, courageous qualities of inner wisdom.

Words no longer hold us hostage to old beliefs.

Sound opens a space of pure potential.

The deeper place of this knowing rests in an orientation of silence as pure light. The intellect will never fully comprehend the immense space of this light, because words cannot fully wrap around the experience.

This experience is also constantly changing.

The effect is a peaceful, calming reality of feeling fully alive. There is a profound sweetness in being held by this experience.

The mind resting in that presence will meet each of us where we are. No human being is the same. We are not programmed for the fixed identity that the outer layers of society may try to dictate.

The Divine arises through each of us as our own unique experience. It is expressed as clarity — a way to respond in our own special way, in our own words.

The ability to extend kindness can become more effortless.

Practice in Turbulent Times

Humanity is asking us to pay attention and shift.

Our physical bodies are the vehicles through which the essence of love can be expressed throughout our life journey. Regardless of the challenges we are facing as we witness a changing world, commitment to practice becomes an assertion of human freedom.

Practice releases the energy we possess and allows us to take creative leaps together. The field of possibility opens. The beauty of living can be fulfilled with inner contentment.

We are here to illuminate and shine, and to allow resistance to be removed.

Now the practice is to stay open as we navigate turbulent times of change. We must feel rooted in the words that feed the loving heart.

Let us share the words that arise from our thoughts. May they inspire right action. May they extend from our true nature, filled with language that inspires healing.

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Satyagraha: The Force of Truth and Love

I wanted to share the mantra that inspired this post: Satyagraha.

Satyagraha was Gandhi’s call for a movement rooted in truth, love, and nonviolence. He inspired India to embrace the movement's calling, as expressed in the mantra, which means “The force which is born of Truth and love and nonviolence.”

The immense vibration of this word reminds me, with a smile, of the sword of light in the Star Wars saga and the phrase, “May the force be with you.”

But the true force is not domination.

The true force is love.

It is the sword of light that cuts through the darkness of our thoughts.

As we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, may we return to the words that feed truth. May we practice the language of healing. May we listen for the sound that leads us home.

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What word, prayer, or phrase helps you return to the steadier place within yourself?

Blessings,
Laura Jane

Continue your practice
If this reflection speaks to you, we invite you to explore our weekly classes and upcoming workshops at Yoga Among Friends.

Reflections from Laura Jane: A Return to Belonging

Community has always been my deepest intention in creating Yoga Among Friends.

Each month, I set a calendar not just to fill classes—but to inspire curiosity, courage, and a willingness to explore the many ways yoga can heal.

What often feels unfamiliar is not the practice itself, but the invitation to slow down… to listen… to become present enough to hear the quiet voice within.

In a world filled with noise, we begin by remembering what it feels like to belong—to ourselves, and to one another.

The Practice of Becoming Still

There is a quiet shift that happens when we step away from the outer noise and begin to listen inward.

To be present. To feel. To soften into the moment.

It takes a sense of safety to allow this unfolding. A willingness to pause long enough for the body to release what it has been holding.

Like ice beginning to melt in the warmth of the sun, something within us begins to soften.

What was once frozen begins to move… to flow… to rise.

Water becomes vapor, returning to the sky, only to fall again as rain—reminding us that life is always moving, always renewing, always beginning again.

A moment of balance, shared.

Choosing Love Over Fear

I have made a quiet commitment within myself.

To not feed the mind of fear.

Instead, I ask:

How can I serve today as a messenger of love?

Life is not without hardship. There is always something stirring beneath the surface in each of us.

And yet, the beauty of being alive is the ability to feel—even in the midst of sorrow.

There is a deep trust that the light we are seeking already lives within us. And sometimes, all we need is a space where that light can be felt again.

Why Yoga Among Friends Exists

The word that has been guiding me lately is neighboring.

It brings me back to why I created Yoga Among Friends in the first place.

When I left Los Angeles after the riots and the earthquake, I was searching for something deeper than success. I longed for community. For connection. For a place where I could continue to grow—not just professionally, but as a human being.

So I created a space to gather.

Not just for those who walk through the doors—but for myself as well.

A place to belong. A place to practice. A place to be.

Yoga for the Whole Being

Over the years, I’ve watched yoga evolve.

More and more, we are beginning to understand that yoga is not just physical. It is mental. Emotional. Spiritual.

It is a way of returning to ourselves.

A way of bringing the wandering mind into stillness.

A way of finding steadiness in a world that often feels like it is moving too fast.

Yoga Among Friends is a space that supports the unseen parts of ourselves—the places that need nourishment, compassion, and care.

A space where you are not defined by age, experience, or identity.

A space where you are simply welcome.

A Place to Begin (Again and Again)

Trust that our classes are for everyone.

Whether a class is called beginner, vinyasa, fundamentals, or yoga for stress—it is always a place to begin.

There may be moments of not knowing. Of uncertainty.

And that is part of the practice.

To step into something new.
To be willing.
To stay open.

Coming into Yoga Among Friends is stepping into a space of shared intention.

A place where we soften the grip of tension.
Where we breathe.
Where we feel.

Where we remember that healing is possible.

An Invitation to Explore

This practice is not about perfection.

It is about presence.

It is about choosing—again and again—to move toward connection instead of isolation, toward compassion instead of fear.

We are here to support that journey.

At Yoga Among Friends in Downers Grove, we offer classes and workshops that support both physical and emotional wellbeing.

→ Explore our weekly classes

→ View upcoming workshops and gatherings

Looking Ahead: Retreats & Adventure

I am deeply committed to continuing these adventures of the soul.

In the coming weeks, I will be sharing our 2027 retreats—opportunities to step beyond what is familiar and into something expansive.

In January 2027, we will journey to Patagonia—exploring the beauty of nature while deepening our yoga practice and connection to sustainable living.

And in March 2027, we will return to Jamaica—our beloved Good Hope—after a year of recovery and renewal following last fall’s hurricane.

These journeys remind us of something essential:

We are connected.
To the Earth.
To each other.
To something much greater than ourselves.

This is why we practice.

Thank you for being part of this community.

For showing up.
For being willing.
For continuing to explore what it means to live, feel, and belong.

We look forward to practicing with you.

With love,
Laura Jane

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What does belonging feel like for you right now? You’re welcome to share in the comments below—your experience may support someone else on a similar path.

Stay in the Focus of the Present

I can choose to return to my mat and practice being here.
I can draw my attention inward and become aware of my breath, linked to movement.
I can soften the grip of worry and the habit of constant doing.

My roaming tendencies often carry me into future stories shaped by past memories. I fall into the illusion that safety lies in fixing. But this only leads to spinning—into exhaustion, confusion, and anxiety. My nervous system becomes overwhelmed, even as my mind insists it's protecting me.

But true protection is counterintuitive to the learned mind.

And yet—I am grateful.
Grateful that I know I can return to yoga.
Grateful for the trust that arises in the presence of prana.
This life force flows through me, and I begin to experience a deep, mental relaxation. I fall into the spaciousness of the moment. My mind softens into ease, and my only intention becomes: simply enjoy.

Today, more than ever, we must raise the vibration of consciousness if we are to live with radiant hearts. The weight of the outer world is heavy—layered with judgment, division, and endless spinning stories. I choose not to waste my energy there. We don’t have to agree on everything to hold one another with compassion.

July has been a month of deep uncertainty.
From flash floods and fierce storms to the threat of a tsunami after the devastating earthquake in Russia, we’ve been reminded how unpredictable and fragile life is. With record-breaking heat and extreme weather, the only thing we can truly hold onto is the present moment.

This moment is an invitation.
To pause.
To see.
To listen.
To move inward with intention.

Yoga Among Friends is a safe harbor for the soul—a space to rest, be nourished, and held as we navigate uncertainty. Together, we create a collective force to uplift humanity and shine our individual lights.

As we move into August, let us recommit to our practice.
Let’s make a commitment to come inward and appreciate all the wonderful classes and workshops (including our new Mindful Yoga class starting August 4, 2025) that reconnect us with what matters most. Come reset your mind to rest and may your light to stay radiant in these confusing times.

With love and presence,
Laura Jane

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Let’s reflect together...
What helps you return to the present moment when life feels overwhelming?
Share in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you.