Chanting of Mantras has been one of the most powerful techniques used in meditation from ancient times. It is said that repeatedly chanting certain sounds can be therapeutic to the mind, body, and soul. Many Dhyana or meditation institutions have different versions of chanting a mantra to seek peace. Mantra meditation has been one of the quite common and the predominant forms of meditation since time immemorial. This form of meditation has its root from Hinduism, and among all the other mantras, ‘Om’ is the popular one.
Although some people do not practice or call it meditation, mantras’ chanting would have become a habit. Mantra meditation is known to calm the mind, body, and soul when uttered at a particular frequency and rhythm. One can get to see a group of priests or holy men chanting different sounds during festivities or any occasions.
If you take a sneak peek of the history, the mantra meditation dates back to Vedas. Vedas are nothing but the hymns in praise of God using different sounds. These verses comprise various notes requiring total concentration, breath control, and tone, and voice modulation. It would not be inappropriate if we said that the modern-day, ‘Mantra Meditation’ or Dhyana finds its inspiration from the Vedas. Apart from ‘Om,’ there are other chants too that people practice.
While some people make it a habit to sing it aloud, a few practice it in silence. They focus all their concentration on the Mantra and also keep a tab on the breath control.
Why do people follow Mantra Meditation?
Mantra Meditation has been considered one of the highest levels of meditation because of its benefits. There is evidence that reveals the fascinating things about the effects of this form of meditation and the reasons for several spiritual institutions to adopt this technique.
Some people chant mantras regularly to shield themselves from evil spirits. A few others get into the constant practice of this meditation technique for their physical and mental well-being.
Although Mantra recitation is pretty popular in Hinduism, the same methodology has been found in other religions like Buddhism, and Christianity as well. The chanting of mantras repeatedly can help you connect within and become one with the divine easily.
The Mantra meditation technique helps the mind stay in one place and focus on the present without any distractions. Also, according to Buddhism, the Mantras are used to invoke a sense of happiness and well-being without getting attached to anything else, as it is a non-theistic tradition.
The principles of Buddhism make use of meditation to help an individual develop a more positive attitude. Individuals who practice Mantra meditation can develop fearlessness, self-confidence, and other qualities to flourish in their personal and professional lives.
Learning the Mantra meditation under the guidance of a Guru can turn out to be more effective. There are a lot of spiritual institutions that induct several people towards this meditation. As there are certain procedures to be followed during this meditation, learning can be slightly difficult on your own. However, with the inception of cutting-edge technology, one can start practicing this meditation by watching videos or online learning modes.
We have now understood the basics of Mantra meditation; let us now get into the ways of performing it. Reading through this section will help you to quickly get acquainted with the Mantra meditation.
- Get your intentions right:
Whenever you are practicing meditation, it is essential to get the intentions right. A mind is a powerful tool, and practicing meditation regularly helps you achieve the impossible as your mind, body, and soul align with each other. Hence, the intentions that you set while practicing Dhyana has to be perfect. As already mentioned, there are different kinds of mantras, and each of them is linked to certain intentions. It is mandatory to spend time in getting your hands on the right Mantra or sound. This has to be done by keeping the intentions in mind.
Suppose you are looking forward to achieving personal excellence and a state of amazing mental well-being or develop a positive attitude. In that case, there are mantras related to them that you can meditate upon. Likewise, if you aim to attain a higher level of spiritual excellence, there is a set of different mantras that have to be practiced. Thus, the chanting has to happen mindfully as you focus on your intention. - Always focus on the intention:
As you start practicing the mantras regularly, your focus on the intention becomes deeper and deeper. Do not be surprised when you start achieving smaller milestones towards the completion of your goals. As you keep chanting regularly, you develop an uncanny ability to perform things at ease. Since your focus is consistently on the intention, it becomes easier for you to reach your goals.
For all these things to happen, it is important to choose a comfortable seating position and place that can help you to concentrate on the mantras and the intention as you practice meditation. Unless and until your seating position is comfortable, you would never pay attention to Dhyana. - Free of disturbance:
When you start practicing meditation initially, it is mandatory to choose a free place of disturbance and unnecessary noise. To reach the mental state as some of the great spiritual and meditation Gurus, one has to dedicate their entire lifetime. Hence, thinking aloof will certainly not help you to excel in your meditation practice. Make sure to choose a quiet, calm place, which is comfortable for you to sit for long hours. Never turn on bright lights or sit directly under the sun during meditation. On the contrary, sitting under the fan or on a cushion would be of no use either. - Sitting position:
Remember to sit in either lotus position or half-lotus position with spine erect every time you practice meditation. Only when the back is straight, one can experience the flow of energy appropriately. The energy center, Muladhara chakra situated at the base of the spine, gets activated, transmitting energy at higher energy levels to the Crown chakra.
The positive energy should circulate within you as you constantly focus on breathing. For this energy’s seamless circulation, it is important to sit up straight else; one can experience the energy channel’s breakage. Focusing on the breath would help you to increase your concentration levels slowly and steadily. Also, the mind calms down quickly when you pay attention to your breathing pattern. - Start chanting the Mantra:
It is important to start it off! Having high expectations right on the first day will make you vulnerable as you practice chanting and reciting the mantras. Remember not to have any expectations from the practice sessions. Just keep focusing and chanting the mantras with a state of calm and composed mind.
With practice, you would start to experience the magical transformation of self and things around you. Do not push yourself too much, and do not be bound by the time limit either. You can sit and chant the mantras as long as you are comfortable and find it soothing and pleasant. Trying to turn yourselves into something else or forcing things upon you can only kill the interest of further practice.
How do I choose the mantras?
Mantras can be anything; they can either be the universally prescribed chants according to your religious and spiritual beliefs or even a string of words that make sense. The majority of them chant upon ‘Om’ as it is considered to be highly beneficial. Some people choose positive affirmations and make them as their Mantras. Meditation upon these affirmations will help you build an irresistible bond with the intention and self. Some of the examples are as follows:
- May the best happen to me!
- I am blissed out at all times
- Abundance flows to me
- I enjoy my financial freedom
- I am happy and content
- I am treasure house of contentment
By constantly practicing these lines, one can quickly start noticing the differences in their lives and living ways. There are several other popular mantras that people chant, and they are ‘Om Shanti Om,’ where Shanti represents ‘Peace.’ People that practice mantra have a higher goal of attaining peace at all times. Likewise, the famous Buddhist chant, ‘Om Mani Padmé Hum,’ is another popular mantra that helps develop benevolence and compassion towards self and others. This Mantra comes from Avalokiteshvara, the popular Bodhisattva.
Well, we have made an effort to come up with an elaborative write-up on the Mantra meditation. We intend that you read through these points when you are guided to start your mediation journey and put them into complete use.