Today is Mental Wellness Day and here are my two cents for you with a sincere hope that you benefit from them. Out of the several things that I have been blessed with in this life, one of them is chanting. Earlier I used to do it only as a part of my devotional exercise but ever since I started using the Black Lotus App, chanting has become my best buddy. I have been devoting certain time daily now to my chanting for more than a year, thanks to Black Lotus for making it so simple.
Mantras are positive energy laden words that have the power to reprogram your mind, break patterns that disturb you and make you more mindful and aware. Chanting helps you to cope better with the ever bustling 21st century world that apparently results in stress, anxiety and depression. What happens if someone says unpleasant things to you? You either get filled with anger or sink into gloom. Why? Simply because unpleasant and bad words come rushing towards your ears with negative energy. On the other hand, positive words are elevating. Your entire being feels uplifted when someone says nice words to you. Today, even modern science and neuroscientists have started admitting the beneficial effects of chants on the overall mental wellness. There are even cases to show that with increased mindfulness certain chronic ailments can be taken care of.
Chanting is as old as the probably the world is, especially in Hinduism. Having said that, chanting has known to exist in several other cultures around the globe as well. Mantras are pure sounds that have a frequency of their own. When chanted regularly with the right spirit they can bring about self transformation. Chanting also is a way to express your gratitude, compassion and connect with higher consciousness. It goes on gradually to check the ten tendencies of the mind which pull you down. These tendencies are desire, anger, greed, attachment, ego, passion, jealousy, fear, hated and shame. Chanting makes you more mindful of these tendencies and helps you to deal with them better. It has a soothing effect on a restless mind. It induces calm and makes you a more peaceful being. Not only this, chanting also has positive effects for your entire family. As said earlier, chanting has its own frequency and it armors not only the one doing it but also the entire place where it is done. I have seen the positive effects of chanting in my own house for my husband and my son. You need to try to see for yourself.
How to go about it? Which mantra to pick? Well, to make things easier for you here is a list of Mantras from which you can pick and just start chanting.
1. Om Namah Shivaya
Om Namah Shivaya. Literally the mantra means “I bow down to Shiva”. Who is Shiva? Shiva means that which is not. This in turn means Shiva is someone who cannot be perceived, atleast not with the five senses. He is the supreme consciousness. So the chant means “I bow down to the Supreme Consciousness” . Shiva is the Supreme Father. He is the one who is innocent and in His innocence has known to confer even such boons on His devotees which have put Him in trouble. He is Bhola. He gets pleased simply. He is Ashutosh. Connect your SELF with the Highest SELF by this simple mantra chanting.
2. Hare Krishna Maha Mantra
This is another simple but great mantra to chant. The mantra goes as “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.” It is a call out to the Universal Consciousness who is Krishna, who is also Rama. Through this mantra we beseech the Lord to take care of all aspects of our life. We pray to the Ultimate to keep us fed, protected and pleased forever in the Lord’s service. This maha mantra is chanted a lot in kirtans and satsangs and gained a lot of popularity in the Bhakti movement. Chant and immerse yourself in Bhakti.
3. Om Namo Bhagwate Vasudevaya
It is a twelve syllable age old mantra dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Bhagwan Vishnu as per the Hindu tradition is the one who takes care of the entire world. He is the caretaker of all that is living and non living. He is the source of all providence. He is the one who provides bare necessities to unsurpassed wealth both material and spiritual. Om means the Universal Spirit, Namo means salutations, Bhagwate means Lord, Vasudevaya means the divinity that is in every being. Literally the mantra “Om Namo Bhagwate Vasudevaya” means “I bow down to the ever merciful and compassionate Lord who resides in every being”. Supreme surrender is at the core of this mantra from which stems ultimate liberation.
4. Gayatri Mantra
Gayatri Mantra is another powerful mantra to connect with higher consciousness and appears in the Rig Veda. Gayatri Mantra is the Vedia Mantra which is considered to be over and above all other vedic mantras. Gayatri mantra is of many kinds but the most common is the Savitur Gayatri Mantra. It goes “Om Bhūr Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ, Tat Savitur Vareṇyaṃ, Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi, Dhiyo Yo Naḥ Pracodayāt.” The mantra means that we bow down to the creator of this universe who is none other than Divine Mother and we implore Her to remove the darkness filled inside us and infuse it with light. Several Enlightened Masters have translated Gayatri Mantra to have a deeper understanding of the same. Swami Vivekananda in His translation says, “We meditate on the glory of that Being who has produced this universe; may He enlighten our minds.”
5. Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
This is another mantra which with its beautiful meaning induces kindness and empathy towards all sentient beings. The mantra goes “Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niraamayaah, SarveBhadraanni Pashyantu, Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet.” Lietrally the mantra means “May all sentient beings everywhere be happy, May everyone be free from illness and pain, May everybody see that what is auspicious, May there be no one who suffers.” Isn’t that a lovely petition to put forth to the Supreme Consciousness?! Chant this one and sure you can feel the changed vibrations within and around you in few days.
The other mantras that you can pick are :
6. Navarna Mantra
“Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaye Viche.”
7. Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra
“Aum Tryambakam Yajaamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam, Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaan-Mrityormuksheeya Maamritaat.”
8. Sarva Mangal Maangalye Mantra
“Sarva-Manggala-Maanggalye Shive Sarvaartha-Saadhike, Sharannye Tryambake Gauri Naaraayanni Namostute.”
9. Surya Sadhana Mantra
“Om Hreeng Asva-Tejasya Adhovaani Svahaa.”
All these Mantras are there in the Black Lotus App with their correct pronunciation to help you better. There is a timer too, so you can choose the duration for how long you wish to chant. Download this life transforming App and reap the immense benefits of chanting, meditation and mindful living.
Read more about the app here – https://www.blacklotus.app/
Or Download the app:
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/black-lotus/id1225659190
PlayStore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/detailsid=com.rt.pinprickeffect.meditation&hl=en_IN