{"id":3197,"date":"2025-02-24T19:18:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-24T19:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/understanding-mantras-and-their-usage.html"},"modified":"2025-02-24T19:18:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T19:18:00","slug":"understanding-mantras-and-their-usage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/health\/understanding-mantras-and-their-usage.html","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Mantras and Their Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Repetition is the key to mastering any new skill \u2014 whether playing a sport, speaking a new language, or learning to drive. When we repeat a saying, like a mantra, we train our brains to let go of distractions and build resilience against outside influence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMantra is used in repetitive chanting, listening, or maybe a mental practice of reciting inwardly,\u201d explains\u00a0Danielle Hall, RYT 200, who uses mantras in her sound meditation classes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI use mantra to support my clients in quieting the mind, and for settling physical and emotional stress. Mantra has guided me in becoming aware of my thoughts and perspective,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n<p>Read on to learn more about what a mantra is and how you can use one in your daily life to stay focused and create calm.<\/p>\n<h2>What Is a Mantra?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Mantras (literally translated to \u201csacred utterance\u201d) are words or phrases that are repeated to a precise sound frequency and rhythm intended to unlock specific energies to aid in meditation or concentration. The word mantra\u00a0comes from two Sanskrit words: \u201cmanas,\u201d meaning mind, and \u201ctra\u201d meaning tools.<\/p>\n<p>This spiritual practice dates back to the sacred texts of the Vedic religion in India 3,500 years ago but also has roots in Buddhism. Traditionally, a mantra uses repeated Sanskrit words, phrases, or sounds.<\/p>\n<p>Chanting mantras \u201ccan improve attention and change your mood,\u201d says Hall. You can practice mantra by repeatedly:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Speaking words aloud or silently, known as japa<\/li>\n<li>Singing or chanting, known as kirtan<\/li>\n<li>Drawing or writing words or patterns, known as likhita japa<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cToday, affirmation and mantra have become synonymous in the English language,\u201d says Kat Suhre, RYT 500. \u201cA mantra can be considered more of a dedication or prayer rather than positive self-talk [like an affirmation]. Both are repetitive in nature.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Many people practice mantra by choosing an affirmation or incantation in English (or their first language), like \u201cpositive mind, positive life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you take this approach, you can repeat it throughout the day to invoke the mantra\u2019s energy and impact.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe wonderful thing about mantras is that they can be nonsensical syllables, or they can have meaning,\u201d says Suhre, who likes repeating mantras while stuck in traffic.<\/p>\n<h3>Types of mantras<\/h3>\n<p>There are three different types of mantras: bija, saguna, and nirguna.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bijamantra <\/strong>(bija meaning \u201cseed\u201d) is a monosyllabic mantra that invokes one of the main deities of Hinduism (each one has their own bijamantra) and is used to activate chakras.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sagunamantra <\/strong>(saguna meaning \u201cwith form\u201d) builds on bijamantras\u00a0and invokes the energy, spirit, or other attributes of a deity.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Nirgunamantra<\/strong> (nirguna meaning \u201cwithout form\u201d) originates from Vedic texts and doesn\u2019t invoke any specific deity or their attributes. These are highly abstract mantras that reference the fundamental truths of yogic philosophy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Mantra Meaning in Meditation<\/h2>\n<p>You can use mantras before or during your meditation session. Similar to other\u00a0benefits of meditation,\u00a0studies show\u00a0that mantras can counter fight-or-flight responses by training our brains to see challenging, fear-inducing situations in a new light.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith dedicated practice, we are able to\u00a0train our nervous system in times of stress,\u201d says Suhre.<\/p>\n<p>Mantras give your mind something to focus on when it starts to wander. One that\u2019s easy to use is \u201csoham,\u201d pronounced\u00a0so-hum, meaning \u201cI am that\u201d or \u201cI am divine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The mantra creates connection, so try it if you feel isolated or need a broader perspective during a challenging situation.<\/p>\n<p>If you are looking for quick meditations that are also guided, check out our Sound Meditation program, where the sounds of soothing instruments can help you unwind, relax, and feel more at peace.<\/p>\n<h2>Mantra Meaning in Yoga<\/h2>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-178572\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/09162903\/mantra-meaning-600-yoga.jpg\" alt=\"woman in savasana | mantra meaning\" width=\"601\" height=\"401\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>When you use mantras as part of your yoga practice, you follow an ancient tradition and usage of the practice. And, using a mantra on your mat can keep you focused on the task at hand.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI use mantras at the beginning and end of a yoga practice,\u201d says Suhre. \u201cOftentimes I\u2019ll invite my students to listen or join in even for a final mantra \u2018om\u2019 at the end of their practice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOm\u201d (also spelled \u201caum\u201d but pronounced\u00a0aa-OOH-mm) is said to be the first vibration of the universe. Repeating it supports healing, connection, and peace. That\u2019s why you\u2019ll often hear yoga teachers chanting this syllable.<\/p>\n<h2>Mantra Examples<\/h2>\n<p>Here are some example sentences or phrases you can recite:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I do enough, I have enough, I am enough.<\/li>\n<li>I expect good things, and they come to me every day.<\/li>\n<li>My mind is calm and my body is relaxed.<\/li>\n<li>Peace and calm, inward and outward.<\/li>\n<li>I will exhale all that weighs me down.<\/li>\n<li>I have the power to let go of the negative.<\/li>\n<li>I will be fearless today.<\/li>\n<li>I am centered and at peace.<\/li>\n<li>I let go of what I do not need.<\/li>\n<li>The past holds no power over me.<\/li>\n<li>Joy is right here.<\/li>\n<li>Never mistakes. Only lessons.<\/li>\n<li>I will succeed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Repetition is the key to mastering any new skill \u2014 whether playing a sport, speaking a new language, or learning to drive. When we repeat a saying, like a mantra, we train our brains to let go of distractions and build resilience against outside influence. \u201cMantra is used in repetitive chanting, listening, or maybe a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3198,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3197","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3197"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3197\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3198"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}