Mantra Meditation

Being something that must be experienced to truly understand, mantra meditation is a technique used to bring your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual body in tune with the universal vibration.  Sounds have been proven by science to have an impact on the body and brain that is certainly worth consideration, and you only need to try mantra meditation yourself to believe it.

A mantra is the word or words chosen to repeat as you exhale while meditating.  An example is the word Aum, which is symbolic of the universal energy that courses through all living things.  The way to imagine Aum is if you had two sticks rubbing together to make fire; one stick is God, and the other is a human being.  Aum is the spark and energy that actually ignites the fire or gives us life. 

When you say the word Aum, it requires a full roll of the tongue from the back of the mouth and throat, along the roof and then finishing fully closed.  The vibration when you say the word will be felt through your whole head, and as rumination deepens, your body as well.  Being aware that Aum is pure energy will help deepen your mantra meditation with more deliberation.

A simple mantra meditation is to sit in a quiet and comfortable place where you will be undisturbed and are happy to chant.  Take three long, slow and relaxed breaths in, imagining you are exhaling all worries, tension, stress and discomfort.  Relax.  Now breathe in to your abdomen, feeling your stomach and chest expand, and as you breathe out say "Aaa-Ooo-Mmm", which is the pronunciation for Aum, and will give the full effect of moving sound through and out of your mouth.  If thoughts pop into you mind for reflection, they will be few and far between, as the process of repeating the mantra will take all your minds energy, resulting in very deep meditation.

When you do this mantra meditation practice, you will find yourself feeling extremely comfortable and content to sit for long periods of time, simply chanting.  Your body will become deeply relaxed and you will be clearing energy blocks, emotions and mental problems, enabling yourself to receive more love, light and guidance from above. If you don’t wish to use Aum for your manta meditation, consider a favorite hymn or song that has meaning to you.

Other examples of words used for mantra meditation are available for contemplation.  Hindus use words such as Sat Nan, meaning truth or So Hum, which represents the paradox of life such as light and dark or life and death.  Aham Brahmasmi is also commonly used for a mantra, and means "I am the creative force".  If you prefer to use words you know the meaning for, you could choose "I am", "I surrender to your will God" or "Peace to all".  Some people like to simply repeat the word "love", feeling universal love flow through them and out to all living beings. 

Any person who enjoys meditating should consider moving on to mantra meditation techniques.  Your rumination will be much deeper, and the feeling of connectedness to the universal energy and creator is amplified.  Group mantra meditation classes are also fantastic, as each individual encourages those around them to go deeper towards higher consciousness.

By Nick Smith