Recently, as I sat to soak in some sunshine in my balcony, I closed my eyes too, to make the most of my ‘self-care’ time. Amid the biting cold wave, as the sun emerged bright, I vowed yet again, to devote a few minutes daily to ‘sunshine’ and meditation. However, as I slowly started to acknowledge the thoughts inundating my mind, it became difficult to focus or go with the flow.
My mind instead started to wander and there was even a strong urge to get up. But I kept my eyes closed trying to win this battle against distraction. As various thoughts racing through my mind seemed to win instead, I suddenly heard some mantras from a nearby temple. My mind soon riveted to these mantras, and I effortlessly sat for more time than I intended to. Of course, the golden sun helped by adding warmth to the whole session.
After this excellent twenty minute session, I felt revitalized, refreshed and a sense of achievement and not giving up came upon me. Meditation is indeed one of the most vital ways to reclaim and regain the calm and composure of our mind as we navigate a hectic life. It not only helps in increasing mindfulness but brings in enormous benefits for our mind and body.
There are no rules to practicing meditation. You can start anyway you want to. You should not even worry about the duration in the initial days. Gradually, when it becomes entrenched in your routine, you can increase the duration to derive maximum benefit out of it.
Mantra meditation is practicing meditation by repeating mantras or affirmations. This form of meditation helps in bringing the mind to focus through repetitive positive mantras, phrases and affirmations. It becomes difficult, sometimes, to bring the mind to a tranquil space on its own. With mantras, the mind remains steadfast, gains focus and gradually slips into the mode of serenity and mindfulness.
Let us understand how mantra meditation nourishes us with subtle yet powerful benefits for our mind and body.
Increased focus
Mantras or hymns are chanted, whispered, spoken, sung or simply repeated along with meditation to bring our mind to a focused state. The rapid pace of life coupled with technology has made focusing on a task a big challenge. Mantra meditation brings the mind to a calming central position and helps it remain glued to a positive thought. Of course, it happens with regular practice. Once the mind gets attuned to the chants over a period, you notice the positive changes it brings.
Mantra literally means releasing the mind from distractions and wandering thoughts, but it is easier said than done. However, by listening to the mantras, attention gets concentrated on the breath every time the mind wanders or gets distracted. This helps improve the functioning of brain circuit dedicated for focus.
Reduced stress and anxiety
The chaos of life is enough to derail the natural disposition of the human body. Stress is a manifestation of an adverse or challenging situation in the mind causing severe emotional or mental tension. The inability to hold on to thoughts makes one worry or fear about something beyond reasonable limits. Mantra meditation helps to bring the whole body system as close as possible to natural breathing patterns, relaxing the body.
As mind gains control with the chanting of mantras, one starts experiencing a reduction in their stress levels. This synchronises the left and right brain, promoting a relaxed brain, bringing in clarity, productive solutions and a positive affirmation towards life as per research. This synchronization helps improve brain function over time and slows down cognitive decline.
Increased self-awareness
The humdrum of daily life and pursuance of infinite tasks leads to a constant clouding of our minds. We tend to drift in a direction which is replete with aspirations, wishful thinking and mindless chasing of myriad goals. Mantra meditation helps in getting touch with real situations and lends a heightened awareness of the same.
When we sit, chanting affirmations or attuned to mantras, the mindfulness generated makes us self-aware. We gracefully start accepting our strengths and weaknesses. According to a study, mantra meditation helps improve brain health by bringing an element of calmness and awareness of situations that are both in and out of control in our lives. We can learn to lead life without getting unduly perturbed by sudden or major changes in life by being aware of what lies within. This is the first step towards mindful living.
Helps sleep well
Every day, the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. The birds too, go about their routines in complete harmony. . These facts bring to the fore one essential fact of life; that timely and plentiful rest is necessary for an active life. With our modern city lifestyles that comprise of hyperactive nights, lack of sleep takes a toll on most humans. With a disturbed biological clock, the night as defined in hours of sleep during night, is getting shorter and shorter every day. The excess luminosity caused by screen lights also impacts the natural production of melatonin, a natural sleeping pill for the body. Mantra meditation is a long-term solution for boosting the production of sleep, enhancing chemicals from within the body for deep sleep.
Sleeping well is not just a mood enhancer, it increases life and immunity and is known to help ease the difficulties of diseases like cancer. Mantras help regulate the internal body clock by naturally inducing the brain to release sleep hormones, allowing sleep to regenerate our body and soul.
Excellent self-care tool
Mantra meditation is an excellent tool for bringing in the intent and action to protect and heal the body during stressful times and actively seek happiness. Mantras are powerful words with associated sound vibrations which produce a healing sensation to all the sensory organs. They are also known to provide an overly sweet and relaxed feeling for the body and soul.
Specific mantras induce a feeling of interconnectedness no matter wherever one is, encouraging universal brotherhood and harmony. Meditation by mantras is a ‘self-care way of life’, radiating love and alleviating not just emotional but also physical pain. Mantras are a source of energy that flow to the body parts which require healing adding an enhanced self-awareness and a high degree of focus to the individual practicing it. It also reduces stress levels and helps attain the natural course of the highest order.
Mantra meditation has proven benefits in terms of improved memory function and sensory power too – the positive sound vibrations activate and energise certain areas of the brain and synchronise neuron networks for an agile brain. They also work as a mood enhancer reducing distress and bringing internal peace, thereby leading to a focused and blissful mind.
This practice has a deeper spiritual connection with our minds staying receptive to the blessings of the present, being aware of the self and invoking the mystical power of the body and mind by combining the mental, emotional and bodily functions in a cohesive manner.