Do You Have a Mantra?

To begin, I suppose the most important thing to understand is what a mantra is. Well, I’m glad you asked. According to the Yoga Sutras it’s “That which keeps the mind steady and produces the proper effect.” So it’s like this. You’re praying to bring about a desired result and usually a mantra’s purpose is to bring one closer to The Divine, or God. The prayer is repeated constantly. You can actually create a beautiful vibration of sound in the room. It is said that the spoken word is the most important part of a sacred ritual. It’s a way you can raise and heighten the energy in hopes of using that energy to spark a life change. You may be wondering how many times to repeat your mantra … it’s a very personal choice.

My Yogi suggested I chant my mantra 108 times. It is believed that 108 is a sacred number. I also chant to a Mala. A Mala is an object of devotion or worship that helps keep your focus while you chant the mantra. My daughter made mine for me. It’s a big necklace of 108 beads. I count my mantra clockwise as I find it’s easier to keep track that way. If you make a mistake you have to start over. So, in a nutshell, a Mantra is a prayer that you can chant to a Mala in order to bring you closer to the higher power of the universe. Your disciple to chant for a certain amount of time or for a specific number of repetitions is similar to the battery for your prayer. That number is the key to the manifestation.

Now I want to talk about the effect of speech and thought on our manifestations. Ask yourself this — how do you talk? More importantly, how do you talk to yourself on a daily basis? It’s a good idea to become conscious of the way you think and speak about yourself. Because what you think and say will at some point manifest in your life. What if what you said 108 times manifested? What if you had that kind of power? Well, according to most religions … you do.

What would you say? What kind of life do you want? Do you use your words to bless or curse? When you make a mistake how do you talk to yourself? Do you spend most of your day judging and criticizing yourself? Now think of this … If you were watching a baby learn to crawl or walk and the baby fell down … how would you talk to the baby? You would maybe laugh a little, pick the baby up and tell her it was ok  … give her a kiss. It’s a process. Show that same attitude and compassion towards yourself. When you “fall down,” laugh a little, pick yourself up and tell yourself its ok. We are all learning … all going through the same process.

There’s one more question to be answered, “What’s in your Mantra?”