These are the 10 Most Exciting Mantras for Meditation
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According to statistics, 31% of men and 36% of women in the US say are looking for a way to reduce their everyday stress. 13% state they find it difficult to relax in the evenings and the weekends are even not enough. 7% of both genders say they even have troubles unwinding while on a vacation.
And according to WebMD, practicing meditation for as little as 10 minutes a day you can have higher success when trying to ‘control stress, decrease anxiety, improve cardiovascular health, and achieve a greater capacity for relaxation’.
This article will give you some helpful advice how to achieve higher levels of focus and relaxation via using meditation mantras and will offer you several other helpful techniques.
WHAT IS A MEDITATION MANTRA
Meditation could have various purposes. Some people meditate to achieve inner peace, others – to accomplish higher focus, or for self-motivation. There are guided meditation techniques aimed at assisting the participant to sleep better, to lose weight, to quit drinking…
A mantra is supposed to help you clear your consciousness out of the noise, so you can make room for one idea you want to concentrate on. A mantra is an idea, a philosophy or a world overview, concentrated in a sentence, a phrase or even one word.
Repeating your mantra in your mind will immerse you completely in an idea and will bring you closer to your goal.
THE 10 BEST MEDITATION MANTRAS EVER
The purpose of using the mantra is to shut out the outside world. You need to forget the thoughts that are cluttering your mind during your everyday life and concentrate on the thought that will help you grow.
The first step towards this is to choose your mantra. Select a chant that speaks to you. Even if what originally attracts you is the music of it, make sure you have an overall understanding of its meaning.
Behind every mantra stands an idea, an understanding of life, of you, of the universe. Only when you know your mantra, you can immerse completely in the meditation process.
If you are having difficulties shutting out, occupy more of your senses in it. Get your hands on a good quality notebook and write your mantra over and over again. Be conscious of your handwriting. Each copy must resemble the others.
Gradually, you can go to chanting or whispering. If it works for you, you can continue towards silent repetition.
1. Aum or the Om
Pronounced ‘Ohm’. The primal cry. It means ‘It Is, Will Be or To Become’. It is the most universal mantra. For its simplicity and specific sound, it is considered to be the sound of the universe. It represents the original vibration, the cycle of life – the birth and death. Reincarnation.
Research tells us there could be a scientific reason behind the popularity of Aum. Chanting Aum is thought to match the natural frequency of the universe – 432 Hertz, thereby bringing us to harmonically resonate with the cosmos. In contrast, most modern music is thought to be consistent with the 440 Hertz frequency.
Aligning yourself with the lower frequency will calm you down and ease you into your meditation process.
2. Om Namah Shivaya
The translation is ‘I bow to Shiva’. Shiva is the supreme God of transformation who represents the highest self.’ It is one of the most popular Hindu mantras. It is called the Shiva Panchakshara or simply Panchakshara. The five syllable mantra. (‘Om’ is excluded.)
The mantra originates in the Krishna Yajurveda, where it appears several times without its first syllable.
The five syllables – ‘’Na’ ‘Ma’ ‘Si’ ‘Va’ and ‘Ya’ are thought to represent five elements of the world – ‘Na’ represents ‘earth’. ‘Ma’ represents ‘water’. ‘Si’ represents ‘fire’. Va represents the ‘Pranic air’ and the ‘Ya sound represents the sky or ether.
‘Om Namah Shivaya’ is considered to bring you closer to the deity of Shiva, and everything in nature it represents.
3. Hare Krishna
The entirety of the mantra goes ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare’ and it is simply the repetition of the many names of Krishna. It was popularized by the Hare Krishna movement.
The Hare Krishna movement – the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) – unites various centers, temples, communities, meeting groups and others, dedicated to the tradition of the tradition within the Vedic or Hindu culture.
The ISKCON movement believe that the name of God in known to the people in many variations, including Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Rama. They have popularized the maha-mantra to acknowledge the unity of faith.
4. I am that I am
When Moses asked for his name, God’s answer to Moses, according to the famous lines of the Hebrew Torah, was ‘Ham-Sah’, or ‘I am that I am’.
‘I am that I am’ reaffirms the conscious presence of God that is everything, where everything that is, is the infinite God.
While meditating, breathe in while saying ‘ham’. With that, you acknowledge your presence and everything that you are – your senses, your feelings, your experiences. Breathing out and continue saying ‘sa’ and with that you align everything that you are, with everything that there is. The lives of those before you, with their senses, feelings and experiences. The nature. And the universe.
5. Aham-Prema
The mantra is pronounced as ‘Aah-ham-pree-mah’. It translates to ‘I am Divine Love’.
Chanting this mantra, you are aligning yourself with divine love – everything that unconditional love is and can be for you. Acceptance, purity, compliance, admiration, adoration, appreciation, gratitude, forgiveness, affection, emotion, harmony.
‘Aham Prema’ is a simple mantra to be repeated in a chant 108 times. It brings together mind, body, and soul in peace. It will help you leave your past behind. It will clear your mind from distraction and will give you purpose. ‘Aham Prema’ will energize you and give you a fresh start.
6. Ho’oponopono
Pronounced ‘ho-oh-pono-pono’, it is an ancient Hawaiian Mantra. The meaning would be: ‘I love you; I’m sorry; please forgive me; thank you.’.
It is preferred by people who find themselves to be overwhelmed by feelings of anger, shame, who have issues cause by complex interpersonal relationships, or find themselves to be unable to express their feelings towards their loved ones. People who feel they have been wronged and find it difficult to achieve forgiveness themselves.
Saying ‘I love you’ opens your heart. Saying ‘I’m sorry’ keeps you humble. Saying ‘Please forgive me’ acknowledges your imperfections and saying ‘thank you’ expresses your gratitude. The mantra will heal your karmic imprint and give you a chance for a fresh start.
7. Om Mani Padme Hum
The translation of the mantra would be ‘Hail the Jewel in the Lotus’. It is a mantra, used by Tibetan Buddhists to achieve the ultimate state of compassion, also known as Chenrezig.
The mantra can be divided seen as a whole of all of its components.
‘Om’ is the primal sound of the universe. It brings you harmony and aligns you with the energy of the cosmos. ‘Ma’ – strips you down from your needs. It takes you away from the world of the physical and it guides you towards the spiritual. ‘Ni’ – Releases you from passion and desire. It leaves you peaceful and content. ‘Pad’ – frees you from ignorance and prejudice. You are left with love and acceptance. ‘Me’ – releases you from possessiveness. You are ready accept the world as it is. ‘Hum’ – liberates you from hatred.
8. Buddho
A mantra, associated with the Mahayana or Vajrayana Buddhism, and a significant part of the Theravada tradition. Repeating Buddha’s name or other phrases in Pali is considered to be assisting the participant towards developing loving kindness.
‘Buddho’ comes to signify His title, rather than his name. By repeating the mantra, you are calling for the enlightened teacher to bring you peace, harmony between yourself and the world, harmony between the sensual and the spiritual world.
Sit comfortably on the ground and take several deep breaths before you begin. Next, breathing in, say a long ‘Bud-’, breathing out, continue ‘-dho’.
The mantra will bring you clarity and brightness at the end of your session.
9. Lumen de Lumine
Lumen De Lumine is the chant of the light. It helps you feel open to the world. It will immerse the participant in light. If your life is overpowered by darkness, Lumen De Lumine clears your aura and fills you in with brightness and energy. You will feel more awake and revitalized. It is the perfect balance between power and peace.
The mantra will give you the confidence you are protected from bad energies. You will feel strong, untouchable, invincible, like the sun.
Lumen De Lumine can touch anyone. You do not need to close yourself in your mind with this chant. Think of your beloved to send them positive energy and thoughts.
10. Sat, Chit, Ananda
Also known as Satchitananda, a compound Sanskrit word comprised of the three words ‘sat’, ‘cit’ and ‘ananda’.
Sat means ‘existence, being present, being alive, surviving, being true, being good, being right, natural, knowledgeable, honest’.
Chit means ‘sense, feel, recognize, comprehend, acknowledge, to think about something, to form an idea, to be conscious, to think, to consider’.
Ananda means ‘joy, bliss, pleasure, enjoyment, happiness, pure elation’.
TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION MANTRAS
Transcendental meditation is a kind of meditation that involves effortlessly and silently thinking about a specific mantra until you transcend conscious thought. Unlike most other forms of meditation, where you need to repeat the mantra aloud, with transcendental meditation, the mantra is not said aloud. Instead, it should only be repeated within your mind.
In transcendental meditation, the mantra is not the focus of your meditation session. Instead, it acts as a vehicle whose role is to guide your mind into transcendence. As you keep repeating the mantra over and over silently in your mind, your mind gradually gets into subtle levels of thinking, until you eventually transcend the mantra and settle into silence.
Due to the manner in which transcendental meditation works, transcendental meditation mantras need to have two qualities in order to allow transcendence to occur. First, the mantra needs to be a meaningless sound. If you use a mantra with a meaning, your mind will focus on the meaning of the word or phrase, making it impossible for you to transcend the surface of the word. However, when the word is meaningless, it becomes a lot easier to transcend the mantra.
Second, a transcendental meditation mantra needs to have a vibration that has the same resonance as the Om, also known as the primordial hum. Vibrations that have this resonance are charming and attractive to the mind, which makes it easier for the mind to settle towards silence when using them to meditate.
Ideally, according to the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation, the best transcendental meditation mantras should be passed on to someone by their teacher after they have gone through intense training. Such mantras are more likely to be more effective because the student is given a mantra that is unique to them based on the teacher’s knowledge of the student and what would work best for them.
Receiving your transcendental meditation mantra from your teacher after undergoing training has four advantages:
- It ensures that you receive the correct mantra.
- You will have a good idea of how to use the mantra properly.
- It will be easier for you to correctly interpret the experiences that follow the use of the mantra in meditation.
- Your teacher will always be ready to give you support and guidance should you run into challenges.
This is why you should get into training and receive your transcendental meditation mantras from a fully-trained teacher where possible. This will reduce the likelihood of incorrect practice, which would prevent you from gaining the full benefits of transcendental meditation.
Sometimes, however, you might not have the opportunity to undergo transcendental meditation training, yet you might still want to give it a try. If you are in such a situation, below is a list of mantras you can use for your transcendental meditation sessions. These mantras are good for beginners, and all you need to do is to pick the one you are most comfortable with and start using it in your meditation sessions.
1. Aham Prema
This mantra is quite effective at helping people connect to and making a deeper reflection to the holiness of love. It is also a great mantra for calming your mind, spirit, and heart.
2. Om Namah Shivaya
This mantra is good for helping you open up yourself during your meditation sessions. Om Namah Shivaya also helps to remind you that you have your unique holiness within. The vibration of this mantra typically passes through the heart, and is very effective at helping someone achieve transcendence.
3. Aum or Om
You already encountered this mantra earlier, but it can also be quite an effective mantra for transcendental meditation. The best thing about this mantra is that it is quite easy to perform, and the vibrations that arise from this mantra can be very effective in helping you achieve transcendence.
4. Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha
This mantra is usually used for invoking Ganesha, an elephant-headed deity who is known for removing obstacles from the way of yogis. As you might have guessed, this mantra is good for pushing aside barriers that might otherwise prevent you from attaining transcendence. It also helps free your energy and get rid of negativity from your spirit.
5. Sat Nam
This mantra is good for releasing latent energy that has built up at the base of the spine, and is very popular in Kundalini yoga. However, it is also an effective transcendental meditation mantra for beginners.
These five mantras are very powerful for helping beginners experience the benefits of transcendental meditation. However, I still recommend that you undergo training before trying transcendental meditation and receive your unique transcendental meditation mantras from your teacher. This is the most effective way of getting the most out of transcendental meditation.
5 PERSONAL MANTRAS
A mantra will only be helpful to you if you fully believe the idea behind it. If you are a beginner in meditation and you are not too familiar with the ancient traditions it is rooted in, it might be helpful to you to create your own chant. Here are some tips:
- Try this: take a piece of paper and write down the words/ideas you want to immerse yourself in. Just brainstorm. Now, if you can create a sentence or two out of the chaos, use those. If not, just repeat the words. However, keep the mantra short. Up to 10-15 words.
- Make sure you start with a word that means something to you. Start with the word that signifies your goal: ‘Peace.’, ‘Joy.’, ‘Love.’, ‘Faith.’ Or ‘Harmony.’
- The mantra must have a direction, but it should stay in the positive: For example, instead of saying ‘I am not worried,’ say ‘I am peaceful’.
- Repetition is key. For beginners, it could feel strange at first. Just relax and start the process. You can start with as little as 20 repeats. However, since the ultimate goal of a mantra is to block the world outside, the more you repeat and concentrate on the mantra the further you will dive inside your consciousness. Don’t count. Aim for a certain amount of time in repetition instead of a certain amount of repetitions.
And here are some suggestions:
I am full of light.
Much like Lumen de Lumine, this chant will help you wrap your mind around three powerful concepts at the same time.
First of all, light is pure. Saying ‘I am full of light’ will help you clear all dark thoughts, all dark energies. All worries, all envy, all hatred, all guilt will go away.
Second, light is power. You will suddenly feel more confident, more able. You will feel braver. You can follow your heart, your dreams, your emotions. You will feel freedom.
Third, purity plus power equals love. You will feel more open to others, you will perceive others to be more open-hearted towards you.
Past, present and future are one.
Everything is here to pass. It is a powerful mantra to free you from the burdens of the past and to liberate you from the ambitions of the future.
While chanting the mantra, imagine the world as a whole. As one moment. From the big bang, to forming our galaxy, the Earth, your genes, your body. Imagine yourself as a child and the pathways and decisions that brought you to where you are today.
Imagine how all your decisions could have created all the different versions of you. Imagine holding your hands with another you and another you, all living in harmony.
I feel. I exist.
This chant will bring your mind and your body together. Your emotional self and your sensual self will become one.
Breathe in. Imagine yourself, sitting on the floor, and gradually expand your vision to outside of your house, up through the clouds, seeing the Earth from above. Continue expanding until you see the galaxy, swirling around slowly. Now gradually go back to yourself.
Now breathe out and breathe in again. Touch your forehead, your arms, your belly, your legs and your toes. Gradually go back to your forehead. Imagine your blood vessels, your nervous system, your heart. Your cells.
You have now imagine everything that is bigger than you. And everything that is smaller. What you can manage, and what you are in awe of. Acknowledge you exist. Acknowledge where you are.
Love is in everything. Love is everything.
Love is a powerful healer. Imagine love as something you can see. It could be light, it could be color, it could be a glow, or a mist or a cloud.
Imagine objects and people from your everyday life – your way to work, your friends in the office, your local store, your objects at home.
Plant love around everything. Your new mantra will help you see the world in a different light. You will feel more at ease in your surroundings, if you try to see purity, light and beauty everywhere around you.
I belong. I have faith.
In the grand scale of the Cosmos you are just a spec. All your actions, your feelings, your doubts and your stressors are… insignificant. You are but a small particles in this universe.
But you belong. With your feelings, you connect to others. With the mere matter that comprises your body, you are the same as the Universe. The atoms – the protons and the electrons that comprise your body are the same protons and electrons that the stars are made of.
You belong. You are a part of a beautiful, harmonic world. You are part of a bigger plan.
Today I Am Perfect.
This is a very powerful personal meditation mantra, especially for people who might be struggling with self-esteem issues. Using this mantra in your daily meditation sessions reminds you every day that you are in control of how you feel, and is very effective in helping one to build their self-confidence. It reminds you to find happiness in who you are and what you love doing, and to follow your hearts desires, because when all is said and done, these things are what make you who you are, and that you are someone who is perfect as you are.
I Am The Sky. Everything Else Is The Weather.
The sky does not get affected by the weather. Sometimes it rains, sometimes dark clouds cover the sky, sometimes white clouds cover the sky, but everyone knows that after a while, the blue sky will appear again and that the sun will shine again. Using this mantra reminds you to be like the sky. You should remain unfazed by whatever emotions you experience, because like the weather, they will pass after some time, and you will go back to your usual, cheerful self. This mantra is especially powerful when you are going through tough times or situations.
Watch this fascinating YouTube video that scientifically explains the effects of the state of FLOW – a state that can be induced on the brain via edge-cutting technology, but can also be successfully achieved naturally via meditation
MORE ADVICE FOR SUCCESSFUL MEDITATION
Meditation is rooted in tradition – centuries of tradition. Years and years of people practicing the same ritual, thereby connecting their consciousness in a never-ending chain of existence.
But what is most important is that it works.
Don’t be intimidated by meditation.
There is a culture, there is a science, but before all else, there is a very simple ritual. You don’t need to be a monk, you don’t need to grow a beard or committing to a vow of silence.
Here is some helpful advice how to improve your state of consciousness during meditation:
Be comfortable
During meditation, you need to free your mind and your body from all negativity. You cannot do that while your back hurts. Choose a part of your home where you feel good energy.
Lay down a thick mat that will cushion your weight even if you stay in the same position for a prolonged period of time.
Beautify your meditation shrine with decorative pillows with complementary colors. Anything that brings you joy. Think sequins, glitter and bright pigments.
Add candles, scents, figurines and ornaments of your choosing. Anything that puts you in a blissful, joyful state of mind. This is now your safe space. It is your haven.
Be regular
Don’t be hard on yourself in the beginning. If you are trying to meditate to fight stress, do it whenever, and wherever you can. Whenever you feel the need.
However, if you are already completely into the idea, and you are still finding it difficult to concentrate, you have to ask yourself if can possibly create a stronger habit.
Ideally, you should meditate in the morning, in order to prepare your consciousness for the challenges of the day. Or, in the evening, put yourself to sleep in peace.
If you have a hectic schedule, if you work in shifts for example, you don’t need to meditate at the same time of day, but maybe just after you wake up and just before you fall asleep.
Do it your own way
You don’t need to learn Sanskrit in order to meditate. Create your own meditation shrine. Write down your own mantras. Come up with your own tradition. As long as it works for you.
What is most important is:
- You should know what you are trying to accomplish when meditating
- You should be able to concentrate on one thought, one idea, that is important to you.
- At the end of the meditation session you should feel relaxed, at peace, happy. Or just in any way better than you did before you started.
Create habits
Again, you should aim for meditating at the same time of day. Have a particular comfortable clothing when going for your session. Put on the same music that puts you in the right state of mind. Spread around the scent that will put you in the mood.
The idea is to be creating an environment that will condition you to relax and concentrate. Being exposed to the same sensations, your diving deep into your consciousness will become a reflex.
Embrace the culture
Try and learn more about the roots of meditation. You will come across some fascinating facts and beautiful accounts and experiences.
But if you don’t feel the life of a Yogi is for you even though meditation itself works, don’t deny that part of your life.
Reimagine yourself as a modern Yogi. Have respect for your need to clear your consciousness, and acknowledge it is difficult to completely reimmerse yourself in an old culture.
CONCLUSION
Meditation works. It has positive results for millions of people across the globe. It is worth giving a try.
Weather you go for the classic meditation techniques and chants and embrace tradition, or if you go for a more modern version, in line with the contemporary living you can be equally relieved by the anxieties of life, the worries for the future, the anger for the past and the distractions of today.
Choose your way and give it a try. Refine your habits and improve upon your ritual until you feel completely confident with your new state of mind.
Whatever you do, remember you are doing it for you, for your consciousness and your own mind. Your mind creates your world.
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