A mantra can be described as spiritual energy encased within a specific sound-structure. Mantras or mantra-like prayers are used in all major religions but are prominent in Hinduism and some forms of Buddhism (like Tibetan Buddhism). In India, most mantras are in the Sanskrit language. They are believed to be divinely inspired rather than being invented by human beings.
Mantras in Different Religions
Mantras have always been used for meditation. Again, this is a prominent practice of Hinduism, which uses both universal mantras (such as Om, Gayatri and Soham mantra) and specific deity mantras (like Om Namah Shivaya, Hare Krishna Mantra, Sri Ram Jaya Ram).
However, other religions also work with mantras: There are Buddhist mantra meditations (like repeating the mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum”) and also a Christian tradition of Contemplative Prayer which may use Christian mantras (such as the name of Jesus, Shalom and so on).
This article talks about a simple, universal form of mantra meditation suitable for people of all religions and cultures. You can learn to meditate on a mantra in three simple steps.
Preparation: Choose a Mantra
Choose a mantra for meditation that appeals to you. Possible mantras include the following:
- "Om"
- "Shalom"
- "Aham Brahmasmi"
- "Soham"
- "Om Namah Shivaya"
- "Om Mani Padme Hum"
- "Allahu Akbar" (God is Great)
- "Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim" (In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful)
- "I am that I am"
- "Be still and know that I am God"
- Any of the many names of God (such as Jesus Christ, Yeshua, Allah, Krishna, Rama, Durga, Mata and so on.)
It is also possible to meditate on the name of one’s spiritual teacher or Guru.
Mantra Meditation in Three Steps
Now you can begin reciting your chosen mantra for about 20 minutes or as long as you feel comfortable with. Here are three steps to follow for your meditation which have also been suggested by the famous Indian yogi Swami Sivananda Saraswati in his work on Japa Yoga.
- Close your eyes and start reciting the mantra aloud at first, so you can listen to yourself speaking or chanting the mantra.
- After a few minutes, begin to recite more quietly, whispering and finally only moving your lips to form the mantra without producing an audible sound.
- Recite the mantra in your mind, repeating it mentally without moving your lips.
How to Deal with Distracting Thoughts
Continue reciting the mantra for your chosen period of time. Without straining your mind, just repeat the mantra mentally. Whenever you get distracted and realize that your mind has wandered, simply return to repeating the mantra. You may briefly acknowledge the distraction before returning to the mantra. However, there’s no need to judge or criticize yourself for any of these distractions. In fact, it's natural for the mind to wander and while this can be a necessary and beneficial quality at times, it can also be the source of much restlessness and discontent.
Meditating on a mantra allows you to become aware of the mind’s tendency to wander. Meditation enables the individual to gradually train the mind to become concentrated and one-pointed. However, this may take a lot of patience. But even for beginners, meditation can prove to be relaxing and enjoyable. Many find that it enables them to reconnect with the deeper aspects of your own true nature.
Coming out of Meditation
After approximately 15 to 20 minutes, you can stop the recitation and just sit in silence for a few minutes. You may simply enjoy this silence or you may listen intently for any touch of intuition or inner message that may arise. Silence has been described as the voice of God and many meditators believe that one can connect with the "Divine Self" through silence. Spiritual masters like Ramana Maharshi praised silence as the most powerful form of spiritual practice.
Learn more about mantra recitation on the Sivananda website. You can also read more about specific mantras such as the Soham Mantra (meditation on the natural sound of the breath), the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra and learn about Mantra Yoga. This article was inspired by Swami Sivananda Saraswatis book on "Japa Yoga".
Martin Bohn - As a certified yoga teacher, I enjoy freelancing for various yoga magazines in different countries. In my main profession, I work as a ...
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