07.23.09
Koba! Koba! K-Ohm-ba!
During the Warrior movie filming, we were to chant for all three fighters–Tommy, Brandon, and Koba, the Russian fighter played by Kurt Angle. I yelled as loudly as I could, and it hurt! I was using my normal soprano-range voice, but it didn’t sound like the other people’s cheering. Theirs was low and controlled, like the white noise created by crowds I’ve heard on radio and TV.
Gradually, I lowered my voice to match the tone of the other extras’ chanting. Once I did that, I noticed something fascinating: It wasn’t painful anymore, to do or to listen to! I was in the groove, in the flow with the others and together we created the atmosphere of support for each of the fighters.
This phenomenon is similar to an article on mantras that I saw in Yoga Journal’s online magazine. When we say, chant, sing, or sound-out a certain sound, it has meaning. When we collectively come into unison with others while making the sound, we create a unity, a shared vision.
We can also do this by creating a humorous environment. We can bring everyone into the same tone of thinking, the same timbre of goodwill. In doing that, we will be more likely to reach a common goal–helping everyone to, “Get Your SHINE Together!”
