A mantra is a word or a phrase that can be repeated over and over again allowing the vibration of the sound and its meaning to sink into our subconscious. The use of mantras goes back to ancient times. Mantras have existed for thousands of years tracing back to the Vedic period in India as well as in Japan, China, and other countries across the world.
Mantras are typically chanted in Sanskrit. The Sanskrit word mantra is derived from the root of man which means “to think,” and tra from trai which means “to protect or to free from bondage” or “to free from the mind.”
Sanskrit is a language that has been constructed at the deep levels of consciousness typically available to advanced practitioners of yoga and meditation. The sounds are specially constructed to penetrate the analytical mind and affect our nervous system very directly. In this sense, they are a shortcut and are like spiritual pharmaceuticals that enter into our soul with palpable physiological effects. It is this capability that gives mantras the very specific therapeutic and spiritual properties that are missing in our everyday language. At the very least, they offer us a means to rise above the conditioning of mental patterns in order to view life and consciousness from a different perspective, one that offers healing and enlightenment.
Chanting is not just about religion and spirituality; rather it’s a combination of sound, breath and rhythm that helps you to channelize your energy. The mantras have both psychological and physiological effects on your body. These include:
1. Improves immunity
Chanting certain mantras puts pressure on the tongue, vocal chords, lips, palate and other connecting points in the body. The vibration from the mantra stimulates a gland called hypothalamus. It is responsible for the regulation of many body functions including immunity system and some happy hormones. The happier you are the stronger your immunity.
2. Calms the mind
The certain vibrating sounds of the mantras help in stimulating the hormones that calms the mind and relaxes your body. It also helps you to concentrate and thereby works as a tranquiliser for your mind.
3. Balances chakras (Vedic mantras)
Chanting mantras helps to stimulate the body chakras, also known as the energy centres of the body. Imagine a chakra as an instrument, and the mantra as a tuning fork – strike the tuning fork, and the instrument will come into vibrational resonance with it, clearing out any energies that do not share the same resonance.
4. Increases concentration
One of the best ways to focus is by reciting spiritual mantras.
5. Regulates heartbeat
Chanting mantras has been found to cause stabilization of the brain through rhythm and vibration which is said to lead to harmonization of our systems including heartbeat and breathing.
6. Relieves stress
If you find yourself stressed at work or overwhelmed in a situation, you can turn to your mantras to help you through.
7. Fights depression
Depression can feel like a miserable cloud that covers all the light in your life. It can be the heaviest weight to bear and the hopelessness that grips you can make it seem like nothing will help. Mantras can help and do help. All you have to do is listen and allow the energy of the mantra to penetrate your being.
8. Improves skin condition
The vibrations also fuel the vital points on your face that help to improve the blood circulation and get rid of toxins. The breathing pattern of chanting helps to oxygenate your skin, making it look younger and glowing.
Why do we recite mantras 108 times?
The standard repetition of a mantra is 108 times. Repeating a mantra 108 times early in the morning and at night for a total of 40 days is known to create a very noticeable shift in your life. Continuing on to 120 days is said to create a major shift.
In Vedic culture, the Mathematicians saw the number 108 as the wholeness of existence. A scientific example is that the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth, and the distance from Earth to the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Sun.
By chanting a mantra 108 times, we are aligning ourselves with the will of the Universe and its creative energy.
Relating to the human body, there are 108 nadis, or main energy lines that are emitted from the Heart Chakra.
By harmonizing our personal vibration with the natural vibration of the Universe, we can create desired outcomes. By chanting a mantra 108 times, we are aligning ourselves with the will of the Universe and its creative energy.
Please don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family. You never know who might benefit from chanting mantras.
Author: Kaitlin Andrews
Staff writer at Look4ward which is a community that encourages positivity.
