Mantras for the Mind — Using Repetitive Sound to Awaken Inner Peace

Every morning upon waking, I make coffee and sit in silence for a few moments, gather my mala and begin saying, aloud or silently, a mantra. I say different mantras throughout the day, as well, and my yoga practice has made me more aware and conscious of using mantras. But I think that the average person thinks that mantras are either just for monks or devotees. Not at all!

Mantra is simply a group of words that have a phonetic significance repeated over a over. Mantra, first and foremost, is sound. And the use of sound and repeating words, with spiritual significance or not, help to relieve stress, lower blood pressure and bring calm and focus to the body. I feel the Western leader in working with mantras and unleashing their power is the great Thomas Ashley-Farrand. His website is full of information and CDs to help you develop a mantra practice. My favorite CD and book set of his is “Mantra Meditation” which gives you all you need to start a mantra practice. And if you have a practice and looking to explore other mantras, start with the beautiful Om Namah Shivaya, which means roughly, I bow to the true divine within (which is self…) Work with different mantras and see if this list is helpful in finding a mantra that works for you. Mantras are personal and spiritual and there are no “rights” or “wrongs” in working with mantras.

When in doubt, just sit and repeat OM and you’re working with a mantra. The peace comes from the words vibrating in the heart and the quiet intention taken in order to commit to your meditation.

Written by: Michelle Barge