Mantra Meditation

What is a Mantra?

Mantra is defined as a kind of verbal formula which is often considered sacred and
is used in meditation or prayer as a means to quite and balance the mind. The
word ‘mantra’ is originally a Sanskrit word that literally means “mind-protection”. In
ancient times, the Guru or Master used to hand down a “mantra” to his disciple.
The disciple was required to repeat the mantra over and over again and this
process was known as “japa” or chant. This technique is popular even today,
though not necessarily as an invocation to God or as part of any ritual, but as a
means of achieving relaxation and calm.

How is a Mantra Created?

A Mantra is essentially a combination of various sounds and syllables that are

proven to have a calming effect on human mind. One of the most popular mantras
is the mantra “AUM”. This mantra is a combination of sounds that is divided in
three parts - the beginning, the peak and the end. This was derived after a lot of
research undertaken by ancient meditators or seekers who were in search of
enlightenment.

How Mantra Works

Mantra works on the principle of replacing all other thoughts in the mind. The
human mind process innumerable thoughts and each one of them drain a certain
amount of energy. Further energy is lost jumping from one thought to another and
dealing with the emotion invoked by each thought. A mantra simply replaces all
these thoughts creating a kind of resonance in the mind which become amplified
with very chant. When all the thoughts have died down, then only the mantra is left
reverberating in the mind, spreading the feeling that was invoked through it such
as revitalization, relaxation, peace or calmness.

As you practice the mantra more and more, the mind associates it with a calm
meditative state.
This association allows you to summon the calmness that you had felt while
meditating during stressful situations in life.

What is Your Mantra?

It is not necessary to use AUM or any other popular mantra for meditation.
However, people choose these words they are free from any other meaning as
they not used generally in everyday speak. To choose a mantra for yourself you
can create any soft sound that calms or you can choose words that are able to
reflect the calmness in you. ‘Peace’ is one such word that can help establish a
sense of tranquility within.

It is advisable for beginners to start Mantra Meditation by sitting in a comfortable

posture and choosing a place where there is no disturbance. However, sitting
cross-legged is recommended as it does not tire you and at the same time
prevents you from going to sleep, which is quite possible while lying down. Also, an
erect posture helps the mantra reverberate though all the chakras and hit the
center positively.

Mantras are words of power that have the capacity to enhance and empower the
intellect, making us wiser, more sensitive and peaceful. The sense of being
“settled down” then reflects in the way one leads his/her life.
What is meditation?

Meditation is an art, which deals with the science of finding one's Higher Self. It
must not be confused with any technique used for concentration. The objective of
concentration is to focus all energies towards a single point where as meditation
deals with relaxing the mind so that fewer and fewer thoughts remain. The ultimate
aim of all meditation techniques is to reach a blank state of mind, where deep
relaxation is experienced in both mind and body.

Mind, Meditation, Power

Our mind is the most complex mechanism in the universe, where huge amounts of
information is processed everyday. The information reaches us through various
media such as the people we meet, things we read – magazines, books,
newspapers, ads, websites, and through the broadcast media (TV and radio). This
information shapes up our thoughts, which in turn establishes our personality. Due
to this continuous influx of data, the mind never rests and turns into a 24X7
chatter-box. Meditation teaches the mind to relax and gradually become silent.

Types of Meditation

There are many types of meditation techniques available such as chakra

meditation, transcendental meditation, mind-centered/heart-centered meditation
and breathing-based meditation. Ancient meditation practices are relevant even
today as the games and the problems of the modern human mind are same as that
of its ancestors.

Here we will discuss few of the most popular forms of meditation.

Chakra Meditation
The human body is believed to have seven chakras or centers that govern various
functions of the being. The wellness of any center depends on how well the chakra
associated with it is functioning.

Chakra Meditation is perfect for people looking for a better understanding of

themselves and the world and universe around them.

Mantra Meditation
Mantra meditation is one of the easiest types of meditation where one a word or
thought is repeated over and over again till becomes a rhythm. This creates a kind
of harmony and peace inside as slowly it replaces every other thought present in
the mind. Therefore, this type of meditation is ideal for dealing with stressful
situations in our life.

Breathing-based Meditation
Breathing-based meditation entails watching the breath as it goes in and out. The
act of watching focuses the mind towards the rhythm of breathing and slowly the
number of thoughts reduces and a sense of calmness is achieved.

Spirituality and Mediation

Meditation is a necessary path towards attaining the Higher Self. Only in
heightened stages of meditation, do we get a glimpse of the world within - known
as the "inner world" or the "inner self". Meditation helps the mind wake up to new
ideas and improves creative thinking and problem solving capacity. Therefore,
meditation is also used as a therapy as well as a complimentary endeavour with
any other therapy.

Meditate now!

To witness the numerous benefits of meditation, you can try this very basic, but
very effective technique:

1. Choose a comfortable place and position. Make sure your back is well
supported.

2. Take few deep breaths and then close your eyes. Relax. If you have problem in
relaxing your muscles, flex them.

3. Watch every thought that floats into your mind and do not take any action.

4. When you start feeling that your breathing has slowed down, watch the breath
going in and out and the space between them when there is no thought.

5. Open your eyes when feel its time. Remain seated in the same position for few
seconds before getting up.