The Neurological Effects of Mantra on Your Brain
Mantra, whether whispered, chanted, or silently recited, is a powerful meditation and therapy tool for our nervous system. Yogis have known this for years and Western Science and medicine is only now starting to catch up.
Equipped with brain imaging tools, neuroscientists are now able to confirm the benefits of this practice. As humans we have a thought network which can default to ruminating and mind wandering. This often leads to a spiral of negative thoughts, increasing the risk of anxiety and depression. This default method can be distracting, mantras can bring us back to a calm, centred place.
While practicing Kundalini, test subjects in Sweden showed more signs of their default mode being reduced. When we are held hostage to the mind we can easily be lead to a more negative headspace, it’s easier. Our brains are constantly shifting and looking for threats, fighting for our survival. We should thank them for this but, we know it is not useful, nor pleasant. In some cases this can be life threatening.
The good news is, you don’t need to learn Kundalini mantras in Sanskrit to get the same effects. As long as you can choose something that is meaningful to you, and repeat with focused attention, you will notice a difference.
Professor Herbert Benson from Harvard medical school has been researching meditation and prayer since the 1970s. He has been focused on what he refers to as ‘the relaxation response’ – regardless of the words being repeated, the exercise has the same effects, an ability to cope better with life’s unexpected curveballs. We know that nothing is linear, we know nothing can be predicted, the only thing we are sure of is right now. And, by chanting you are not anxious about the future or looking at events in the past, you are entirely in the present moment.
The Roots of Mantra: History and Meaning
Mantra literally translates to “a tool for the mind,”. Sound and vibration allow us to focus on our thoughts, our feelings and our intentions. By practicing daily the vibrations sinks deeper and deeper into your consciousness, and when channelled it can help us gain a deeper awareness.
One of the most universally recited mantras is the sacred Hindu syllable Aum (usually spelled Om) —considered to be the sound of the creation of the universe. It is also the root of other, longer mantras, including Om namah shivaya (“I bow to Shiva”—Shiva being the inner Self, or true reality).
How to Start a Mantra Practice
Consistency is key, regardless of your chosen mantra. The focus of bringing yourself back to the mantra again and again, and especially the attention you give to the felt sense of the mantra’s resonance inside your awareness will eventually open the energy in the mantra, and it will stop being just words and become an energy that will shift your inner state of being.
Begin by lying down or sitting in a comfortable position and silently repeat the mantra, once on the inhalation, once on the exhalation. When thoughts or feelings enter your mind, try to simply notice them, and then return to silently reciting the mantra. See if you can set aside 10 to 20 minutes a day to practice. Practice one mantra for several months before switching to a new one. This will deepen your practice and deepen your feelings of inner peace.