Mantra is a technique, which involves repeating a word, or a short phrase several times. The aim of using a mantra is to invoke a certain quality such as peace, light or joy. If we can bring to the fore, the inner essence of a mantra, we will be able to make our meditation more powerful and soulful.
If we sit down to meditate and our mind is restless. If countless thoughts are disturbing our meditation then mantra can be particularly helpful. Mantra helps to quieten the mind. It works because it actively chases away our errant thoughts. Mantra helps to clear our mind and purify our inner being. This purification is essential to good meditation.
Meditation
When chanting a mantra we should feel we are not just repeating a word mechanically. We should feel the word embodies a certain quality. When we chant a mantra, we should try to do it soulfully and sincerely.
A good time to say a mantra is early in the morning or during the day. It is not advisable to chant a mantra hundreds of times in the evening. This is because a mantra can energize our being making it difficult to sleep afterwards.
For a mantra to have the most effect we should try to repeat it hundreds of times. If we can spend 15 or 20 minutes in repeating a mantra it will begin to have a very powerful effect. If we repeat a mantra very devotedly, we may hear the mantra spontaneously being repeated by our inner being. When chanting a mantra we should not worry if we lose count, the important thing is not the actual number but entering into the consciousness of the mantra. Sri Chinmoy suggests:
"While you are counting, you should try to enter into the world of silence which is deep inside the mantra. Then you will not have to count at all. Your consciousness will be focused on what you are repeating and you will begin to feel that you are meditating only on the inner significance of the mantra." (1)
We can also chant a mantra inwardly for protection. When we feel in an uncomfortable or dangerous situation it is not practical to meditate. The next best thing to meditation is the use of mantra. By repeating our mantra we can feel we are invoking the protection of the Supreme. We can repeat a mantra inwardly, in any location and circumstance. It will help us to remain in a good consciousness and good frame of mind.
There are many mantras we can use. We should choose a mantra that inspires us; this may depend upon our religious or spiritual upbringing. But if we are uncertain of which mantra to use, we can try the mantra AUM. AUM is said to be the seed sound of the universe, it is the mother of all mantras. We can chant AUM in a variety of ways. When we chant AUM powerfully; we can imagine the power aspect of God. We can also chant AUM softly. When we chant AUM softly we can feel we are invoking the quality of peace.
Mantra can be of great help in our meditation practice. Mantra will be most useful if we can develop a daily practice and try to increase the length of time that we spend chanting.
(1) From Meditation by Sri Chinmoy.
Benefits Of Mantra For Meditation
Richard studies meditation under the guidance of spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy. Richard has been meditating for 8 years and offers free meditation classes in his hometown of Oxford. For more information on Meditation
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