Meditation Mantras
People around the world from many different spiritual traditions use meditation mantras to quiet the mind and focus attention on the divine.
A mantra is word or short phrase
repeated over and over during meditation.
Many traditions believe mantras are spiritual energy encapsulated in the form of sound. Because they possess this spiritual energy, they have the power to change the energy of an individual and the surrounding environment.
Mantras are vibrated throughout the body. (They are not sung, which is a common misconception.)
The only way to really learn to vibrate meditation mantras is to try it yourself. When you try it, you'll want to coordinate the mantra with your breath and let if flow from deep within you (the area around your belly button.) As you do this, don't hold back; just let it rip and feel the vibration through your head, chest cavity, and all through your body.
Here are some very common mantras:
- "OM" or "AUM" is a very common mantra. Various traditions call AUM the primordial sound from the beginning of the universe. In addition, the letters in AUM represent different aspects of reality according to Hindu traditions. "A" stands for Brahman the Creator, "U" for Vishnu the Preserver, and "M" for Shiva the Destroyer. In this way, the mantra AUM represents the whole cycle of existence: things come into being, stay for a while, and then pass away. Om also appears in the well known mantra, "Om Mane Padme Hum," meaning "Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus."
Om in Sanskrit
- "Ham-Sah," (which also appears as So'ham) comes from Sanskrit and means "I am That." "That" refers to the divine nature of all reality. When using the Ham-sah mantra, simply listen for the natural mantra of "ham" on the inbreath and "sah" on the outbreath. Use this during meditation to gently focus your mind. Do not focus intensely on it; rather, keep your attention like a cork floating on the waves.
- Maranatha, meaning "Come Lord" in Aramaic, is a popular Christian mantra, as is the prayer "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have Mercy on me a Sinner." With these mantras, you repeat them over and over, gently keeping your attention on them as you meditate.
- Eheieh (meaning "I am that I am"), Shaddai el Chai,(meaning "Almighty Living God") and Adonia ha Aretz (meaning "Lord of the Earth") are traditional meditation mantras from the Qabala tradition.
- Repeating Holy Names is a sacred practice in many types of Islam and other religions as well.
- Repeating Your Own Name is also common among meditation mantras. Try it and see if you have any insights about yourself. This can be a powerful practice in helping you "find your voice."
- Transcendental Meditation Mantras - In the practice of transcendental meditation (TM), each practitioner receives an individual meditation mantra. To determine your individual mantra, you must work with a qualified TM teacher.
- Make Your Own Mantra: Although traditions have sacred mantras, if you have a a word or short phrase that has meaning for you, you can turn that into a mantra. Whether it's a passage from scripture, a line from a poem, or simply several words that resonate with you, try meditating by gently focusing your attention on that.
Another powerful mantra is "Om Namah Shivaya," meaning "I honor Shiva, the Supreme Reality, which is my True Self." Kundalini yoga traditions use this mantra to awaken spiritual powers. Use this mantra during the day (not during meditation) to gently pull yourself back to the here and now.
In my own practice, I begin with the meditation mantra "OM" three times. Then, I use the "Ham-Sah" mantra to gently focus on the breath and allow my mind to settle down. Once my mind has settled down, I simply rest as awareness and do natural meditation. In natural meditation, you don't actually try to "do anything." You simply rest as awareness. If things come into your awareness, you watch them briefly and the return to rest as effortless, choiceless, silent awareness.
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