Morning commutes in my city follow a predictable script — bleary-eyed travelers cram onto trains, emotionally steeling themselves for the workday. Most don yanked earbuds as a do-not-disturb sign. Others conk out with eyes shut. Blank, void-like stares are common behind scrolling smartphones.
In this atmosphere, one morning I decided to diverge from the unspoken mass transit norms. As my train pulled up, I found a seat, closed my eyes and began chanting “Om” loudly and clearly. I wasn’t sure if I’d be kicked off at next stop or simply regarded as a harmless crazy human. But I felt called to pierce the veil of morning commute autopilot and jars my fellow riders awake.
As I visually focused on my third eye chakra, a few commuters glanced my way perplexed. A toddler flashed me a grin, intrigued by the foreign syllables. A college-aged woman asked earnestly if I was okay. Yes child, I have never felt more radiant, I wanted to tell her. An uptight businessman seemed offended by my disruption of his routine. But others appeared curious, shifting almost imperceptibly from hard-shell commuter to intrigued observer.
At each stop new passengers raised eyebrows but as stations passed, I was surprised no one complained. A few even closed their eyes too, echoing back soft chants. Eventually one man asked about my practice and left with info on a local meditation circle. By my destination, calm permeated our transit capsule. We went our separate ways more present for having created community, if only for a few brief stops.
I continue chanting on my subway travels when the mood strikes. I receive far less sharp glares or hurried exits these days — though some still pull out phones to film the spectacle. A modest act of spiritual visibility in a realm normally shrouded by isolation and distraction. But enough to spark some inner awakening in fellow riders when they least expect it.
My subway chanting experiments continue, often met with curiosity, questions, and a sense of collectively emerging from our private bubbles. I wonder what small act of centering presence you might bring to your daily commute? Whether meditation or prayer, focused breathing or a kind word for the rider beside you, how might injecting mindful rituals transform well-worn transit routines?
I invite you to join me and start by setting the intention to brighten your next journey through loving awareness. Notice the energy shift as you infuse light into spaces normally dimmed by distraction and exhaustion. A simple smile, chant, or offer to hold a stranger’s bags can cascade into an uplifting transit experience you build together.
As we grow this underground network of spiritual subway riders practicing presence amid rush hour, imagine it spreading across cities, calming tensions, and reconnecting people. Until public transit becomes a moving sanctuary abuzz with compassion. Just like my first hesitant chants, a small ripple of awareness can swell into waves of awakening that carry fellow passengers to higher vibrations
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If you want to know about peace of mind and how one can be at peace even in crowd, join me in this journey of transformation within, stay blessed