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.
What and where are mantras used
First of all, people who practice meditation know the essence of the mantra, what it is and what it is for. They are needed to immerse yourself 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. The execution of mantras helps the brain to tune in to the desired wave. Sound vibrations help the mind and body to 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 mantras - what they are and what they are for, they will answer that they are sound vibrations that help to achieve prosperity, he alth, love and anything else. There is a theory that mantras help to fulfill desires, cure diseases. There are special mantras for love, healing or so-called he alth mantras.
How the mantra helps to relax and calm down
When you meditate or just sit in a comfortable position alone and chant the same sound hundreds of times, your mind, your brainconcentrate only on that sound and its reproduction. Thus, all thoughts leave the head, only this sound remains. And even if you do not believe in the esoteric features of these ancient prayers, then their practical benefits cannot be disputed. In a period of stress, great mental stress, it is useful to switch and relax. 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 does not give anything at all. It is important to completely relax the body and let go of all thoughts for at least ten minutes, then only there will 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 at first mentally, and then aloud, repeat after the performer. You can read in silence or with relaxing music yourself.
How to properly chant mantras
First of all, don't rush, it's better to stretch the sounds, as if singing 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 pronunciation. Do not let extraneous thoughts enter your head. This may seem like a daunting task at first, but with practice it will get better. In addition, if you often use mantras, for example, for relaxation, the brain itself will already connect these two concepts. And having heard a familiar sound, it will reflexively calm down and tune in to a wave of relaxation.
Fourthly, you should constantly practice only one or two mantras. You don't need to change them every day. So it's unlikely to bringtangible benefit. In order to decide on “your own”, you must first study what mantras are, what they are and what each of them is intended for, to understand what exactly you need it for.
Almost every mantra has its own rules for its pronunciation and even recommendations about what time of day it is best to read it. It is also customary to recite mantras at least 108 times. Or more times, but always a multiple of three. In order not to lose count and not get hung up on it, they use a rosary on which there are 108 small beads and one large one in order to understand that the circle is over. When reading them, it is easy, without thinking, to finger one at a time after each pronunciation.
Meaning has periodicity or regularity. The effect will be, even if you devote five to ten minutes a day to the execution of mantras, but daily. But it is unlikely that there will be any benefit if this practice is carried out 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 posture you are in at this time is comfortable and that your spine is straight.
General meaning of mantras
Mantra can be chosen not only according to its purpose, but also according to its character. In Hinduism, mantras are invocations 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,prayers addressed to him. For example, “Om Namah Shivaya” is a mantra to tune in to a wave of calm and relaxation. It translates roughly 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 Swaha.”
If you can't decide what type you are, then there are also universal mantras. For example, the Vedic "Om Bhur Bhuvah Svaha Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat". This is a mantra for he alth, strengthening mental abilities and for peace of mind. It is called the Gayatri mantra and is best recited at sunrise, facing him.
Principles of the mantra: what it is and why
From Sanskrit, "mantra" is translated as "liberation of the mind." And it is needed precisely for this, first of all, 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 proven by scientists that all our illnesses, roughly speaking, are from nerves, or rather, from our thoughts, from the negativity that we take into ourselves and carry in ourselves for years, or even decades, not knowing how to 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 the old negative accumulations of emotions and thoughts in our mind and consciousness. And this happens due to sound vibrations, thereforeyou need to learn how to pronounce the sounds correctly. You should start with the most ancient and simplest sound "Om", or in other words "Aum". And it must be pronounced 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 eating, or at least 2.5 hours after.
Mantra works not only by sound, but also by changing 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, it is similar to pranayama, the yogic practice of healing breathing.
