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Jan 12, 2024 · Mantra meditation is a form of meditation that involves repeating a sacred sound, word, or phrase to focus the mind and promote relaxation. In giving your mind a simple task to focus on, you allow your thoughts and worries to fade away.
- Overview
- Potential benefits
- Choosing a mantra
- How to do it
- Tips and tricks
- The bottom line
Mantra is a Sanskrit term, with “man” meaning “mind” and “tra” meaning “release.”
Think of a mantra — a word or phrase you repeat during meditation — as a tool to help release your mind. It can make a lot of difference, especially if you have trouble concentrating or getting in the right frame of mind.
You can meditate in many ways, and there’s no single “correct” approach.
Whether you practice mantra meditation or another style, you’ll often see many of the same benefits, including:
•increased self-awareness
•reduced stress
•a greater sense of calm
•increased self-compassion
When it comes to finding a mantra, there’s really no wrong way to go about it.
Some simple mantras are syllables or vowel sounds, such as the common “om” or “aum.” This short sound packs a lot of power, though. Many consider this syllable the original sound of the universe.
Another common meditation mantra is the Sanskrit “So Hum,” or “I am.”
Other types of mantras associated with more specific goals include:
•deity mantras
•healing mantras
Once you’ve got a mantra in mind, it’s time to start using it.
Here’s how:
1.Get comfortable. Find a quiet place where you can meditate without disruptions. Find a position you can hold for the length of your meditation, whether that’s sitting on the floor, in a chair, lying down, or even walking. Mudras, or hand positions, help some people enter a meditative frame of mind, but they’re not necessary.
2.Set a timer. Decide how long you want to meditate (anywhere from 3 to 30 minutes) and set a timer. Consider using a quiet, relaxing sound, such as ocean waves or birdsong, so the alarm doesn’t jar you from a peaceful meditative state.
3.Start with a few deep breaths. Pay attention to your breathing without doing anything to try and modify it. Just focus on the sensation of it entering your lungs and filling your body.
4.Use your mantra. Continue breathing slowly and steadily through your nose as you begin to chant your mantra. You can say it out loud (this might help more with mantras intended to produce vibrations) or repeat it silently. It often helps to match the mantra to your breathing.
Focus on intentions
When you meditate with a specific goal in mind, such as reducing anxiety or unwanted emotions, it might seem natural to focus on the things you don’t want to feel. But you may see better results when you meditate on positives, or the mindset you want: •“I am calm.” •“I am present.” This generally proves more helpful than meditating on negatives, or the mindset you have right now, such as: •“I’m not anxious.” •“I’m not angry. “ You are anxious or angry. That’s why you’re meditating. It’s easy to get hung up on your existing frame of mind, but this can detract from meditation’s benefits. Meditating with your desired outcome in mind, on the other hand, can help you visualize your success and transform this image into reality.
Try mala beads
Mala beads, or a japa mala, can help promote mindfulness in meditation and yoga practices. They’re intended to help you with mantra repetition — “japa” means “mutter” in Sanskrit. A mala, or string of 108 beads, can help you maintain a steady breathing rhythm during meditation. You can also use a mala to focus on your mantra by using each bead to mark one repetition. Curious to give it a try? Here’s how to get started with mala beads.
Feel free to change your mantra
If you don’t have much success with the first mantra, it may help to find one that resonates more with your current frame of mind and meditation goals. There’s no harm in changing it as necessary. You don’t need to use the same mantra every time you meditate, either. Perhaps in the morning, you want to focus on strength and compassion for the day ahead, and in the evening, you’d like to achieve a sense of restful internal peace. The key to mantra meditation is finding one that works for you.
Most people who meditate do it for a reason, whether it’s relaxation, cultivating compassion, or self-care.
Choosing a mantra that reflects your goals can help you focus on what you want to get out of meditation. This can strengthen your commitment to the practice and maximize the benefits of meditation.
May 18, 2021 · It sounds mysterious, but here’s the definition: A mantra is just a syllable, word, or phrase you repeat during meditation. You can speak, chant, whisper the mantra. Or you can think it in your mind.
Oct 2, 2023 · What is mantra meditation? Mantra meditation is a form of meditation where a specific word, phrase, or sound, known as a mantra, is repeated silently or audibly to calm the mind and induce a meditative state.
Sep 13, 2022 · Mantras are unique mystical formulas of sacred syllables, which were originally revealed to the Rishis (seers or sages) in the deepest states of meditation. They are usually composed in the language of Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, and Prakrit, or sometimes in Hindi or Gujrati.
Mantra meditation is a method of rotation of consciousness around a sound, amplifying it for maximum effect. In the Yoga contemplative tradition, mantra meditation is often said to be the easiest and safest method. And apparently, mantra can also calm down those experiencing a life crisis….
A mantra is a syllable, word, or phrase that is repeated during meditation. Mantras can be spoken, chanted, whispered, or repeated in the mind. Most mantra meditation techniques have two essential components: mindfulness meditation and mantra recitation or chanting.
