The Power of Mantras
The Science Behind the Practice of Mantra
If you’re like me, you may have once written off the practice of mantras as a silly way to feel better. Turns out, there is a significant amount of research that shows how beneficial they can be to our mental and physical health by instilling a profound sense of calm.
Let’s take a look at the neurological effects of mantra on your brain:
Neuroscientists have used advanced brain-imaging tools to confirm that reciting a mantra daily can calm your nervous system by clearing your mind of cluttered thoughts.
There’s an area of your brain called the default mode network that is known to be overactive when your mind is distracted. Researchers measured the activity in this region and found that it was suppressed (less active) during mantra meditation, which continued to grow as the practice increased.
Additionally, researchers at Harvard found that it does not matter which positive mantra is practiced and repeated because they have the same outcome: you’ll feel calmer, relaxed, and will be able to better cope with stressors.
If you need help finding your mantra, start with these:
1. Handshake your fear. As kids, we've been taught to ignore our fears instead of processing them. We're often told by friends and adults, "don't be scared," but this statement is easier said than done. This statement helps you acknowledge your fear and allows you to treat it as you would anyone else that you encounter -- with a friendly handshake and not with the thought that it is dangerous.
2. Don't let your mind go where your body is not. To me, this is a more powerful version of "You can cross that bridge when you get there" because it makes you think about where you currently are and the answer to that will always be: In the present. Your body and mind need to be aligned; so if your body isn't in the future, don't let your mind wander there.
3. Feelings are temporary. Remind yourself of this when you experience both positive and negative thoughts. When you're struggling, it will always pass - always. When you have something wonderful, be grateful and enjoy it because you don't know how long you'll have it.
4. This is only a paper tiger. When I think of a little handmade origami tiger, I automatically think of the word cute. Feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed can be scary states but they are not dangerous. Oftentimes, when we feel like this, it seems daunting and almost like a ravenous tiger is going to grab us. When you think of fear (the tiger) as a paper one (and not a real one), it can help put into perspective that your issue may be problematic but not life threatening. Paper can give you a papercut, which is painful but always heals.
5. Undistort the distortion. Your feelings are always valid but they are not always factual. When something feels off, chances are the structure that it's sitting on (you) is allowing that to happen. Take the distorted thought and straighten it - you'll feel way more balanced.
6. I will release what I cannot change. This one is powerful when you practice it daily. We don't have control over so much that is going on and we can never go back in time to change the past. If there is nothing you can do about it, let it go. Release it and with it you will release the anxiety, resentment, jealously, grief, or whatever else you're keeping inside of you.
I hope you'll find one of these mantras useful. Sending you so many positive thoughts.