A mantra is a single sound or sentence repeated in a circle the required number of times. This is a kind of ancient Sanskrit prayer.
Why and where are mantras used?
First of all, people who practice meditation know the essence of the mantra, what it is and why. They are needed for immersion in a special state of peace and relaxation. You can use them in an esoteric sense, but in fact meditation is the most common way to relax and clear your mind. Performing mantras helps the brain tune into the right wave. Sound vibrations help the mind and body relax.
Also, people who know the power of sound well can say that these prayers are of great importance for improving life. If you ask them about the mantra - what it is and why, they will answer that it is sound vibrations that help to achieve prosperity, health, love and anything else. There is such a theory that mantras help to fulfill desires, cure diseases. There are special mantras of love, healing, or the so-called mantras of health.
How a mantra helps to relax and calm down
When you meditate or just sit in a comfortable position alone and repeat the same sound, singing hundreds of times, your mind, your brain concentrate only on that sound and its reproduction. Thus, all thoughts go out of my head, only this sound remains. And even if you do not believe in the esoteric features of these ancient prayers, then their practical benefit cannot be disputed. In times of stress, great mental stress, it’s useful to switch and rest. But not everyone succeeds. A modern person is used to relaxing at a computer monitor or in front of a TV. But in fact, such a vacation gives absolutely nothing. It is important to completely relax the body and let go of all thoughts for at least ten minutes, then there will only be an effect. And the easiest way to achieve this is by listening and reading mantras. You can turn on the recording with the singing of mantras and first mentally, and then aloud to repeat after the performer. You can read in silence or to relaxing music yourself.
How to correctly perform mantras
Firstly, do not rush, it is better to stretch the sounds, as if to sing them. Secondly, it is better to learn the text of the mantra in advance. Thirdly, you need to focus only on the mantra, on its utterance. Do not overlook outside thoughts. For the first time, this may seem like a daunting task, but it will do better as you practice. Moreover, if you often use mantras, for example, for relaxation, the brain itself will connect these two concepts. And hearing a familiar sound, reflexively will calm down and tune in to a wave of relaxation.
Fourth, only one or two mantras should be constantly practiced. No need to change them every day. So it is unlikely to bring tangible benefits. In order to decide on “your own”, you must first study what kind of mantra there are, what it is and what each of them is for, to understand why you need it.
Almost every mantra has its own rules for pronouncing it and even recommendations on what time of day it is better to read it. It is also customary to read mantras at least 108 times. Or more times, but always a multiple of three. In order not to stray from the account and not get hung up on it, they use beads on which 108 small beads and one large bead in order to understand that the circle has ended. Reading them, it’s easy, without hesitation, fingering one at a time after each utterance.
Frequency or regularity matters. The effect will be, even if you devote five to ten minutes a day to performing the mantras, but daily. But it is unlikely to be of any benefit if you practice this practice for several hours in a row, but only once a month.
And, of course, you need privacy. So that no one and nothing distracts during the "session". And it is important that the position you are in at this time is comfortable and that your spine is straight.
The general meaning of mantras
The mantra can be selected not only by its purpose, but also by its nature. In Hinduism, mantras are appeals to the gods. And the gods also have their own characters. Therefore, even for the same purposes, different people need to choose different sound compositions.
For example, for introverts, the Hindu god Shiva will be closest, and, accordingly, the prayers addressed to him. For example, Om Namah Shivaya is a mantra in order to tune in to a wave of calm and relaxation. It translates approximately as reverence or praise to the god Shiva.
For extroverts, mantras dedicated to Krishna are more suitable. For example: "Om Klim Krishna Govindaya Gopijana Vallabhaya Matchmaker."
If you cannot decide what type of self you are, then universal mantras also exist. For example, the Vedic "Om Bhur Bhuvah Svakha Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasyya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat." This is a mantra for health, strengthening mental abilities and for peace. It is called the Gayatri Mantra, and it is best to read it at sunrise, turning to face him.
The principles of the mantra: what is it and why
In Sanskrit, “mantra” is translated as “liberation of the mind.” And it is needed precisely for this, first of all, in order to free the mind from everything negative. And this, in turn, leads not only to spiritual growth, but also to the purification of the body. After all, it has long been proved by scientists that all our diseases, roughly speaking, are from nerves, or rather, from our thoughts, from the negative that we accept and carry within ourselves for years, or even decades, not knowing how get rid of him. So, with the regular and correct pronunciation of these ancient prayers in Sanskrit, you can gradually get rid of not only the stress that has arisen recently, but also from long-standing negative accumulations of emotions and thoughts in our mind and consciousness. And this happens thanks to sound vibrations, so you need to learn how to pronounce sounds correctly. You should start with the oldest and most simple sound “Om”, or in another way “Aum”. And you need to pronounce it on the exhale, trying to direct the air to the lower abdomen. Also, this mantra, and any other, should be practiced only with an empty stomach, that is, either before meals, or at least 2.5 hours after.
Mantra works not only due to sound, but also due to changes in the ratio of oxygen and carbon in the body. To pronounce sounds correctly, you need to breathe in a certain way, which contributes to a positive effect on the brain and on the body as a whole. In terms of breathing, this is similar to pranayama - the yoga practice of healing breathing.