mantra [ mun-truh ] = tool for the mind
manas = mind
tra = tool
Mantra can be described as a sacred sound, word or phrase that is repeated to aid concentration, and to quiet the mind in meditation or prayer.
In the context of yoga, mantra - usually in sanskrit - helps us to deepen our practice and harness pratyahara - sense withdrawal.
Ways to practice mantra:
Japa meditation: reciting a mantra to yourself, either out loud or internally. One practice is to use mala beads, reciting your mantra 108 times.
Breath: reciting a mantra in meditation, along with they rhythm of your breath, eg. "so" on your inhale, "ham" on your exhale.
Kirtan: community chanting, often beginning as call and response, and accompanied by musical instruments.
The sacred sound of 'om' or 'aum' is an example of mantra. You might chant om as a mantra with the intention of feeling universal connectedness.
"A mantra can be thought of as a seed for energising an intention. Much in the same way you plant a flower seed, you plant mantras in the fertile soil of practice." Tris Thorp, Chopra
תגובות