Do you remember that old Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit, Stuart Smalley? Mock self-help coach Stuart would stand in front of his mirror every morning and proclaim his daily mantra:
“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough… and doggone it, people like me!”
This seemingly innocuous (and let’s face it, funny) skit probably scared people off daily mantras for at least a decade. Who wanted to be the goofy guy in front of the mirror with no friends, other than his own reflection?
What we didn’t widely understand at the time was that daily mantras have the power to change our mindset — and ultimately our realities. Whether you believe they work through the power of manifestation or are simply self-fulfilling prophecies, one thing is certain: they consistently produce positive results.
What is a mantra?
The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) defines mantra as, “prolonged repetitive verbal utterance.”
Simply put, it’s a word or phrase stated over and over again, either silently or out loud. Paying attention to the breath (as in meditation) can also be considered a form of mantra.
The idea is that you say the words so many times, they begin to lose their literal meaning. It shuts down the frontal lobe (conscious thoughts) and quiets the mind. And some even believe that those beliefs can become ingrained in our psyches.
Benefits of a daily mantra
Researchers agree that practicing a daily mantra has both mental and health benefits, large and small.
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs , the and the U.S. Public Health Service, some of the benefits of mantras include:
- Improved quality of life
- Decreased stress
- Increased relationship satisfaction
- Strengthened ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- Increased pain management
And researchers continue to study the power of mind — and mantra — over matter.
Do mantras actually work?
Can something so simple really be effective? How does the power of positive thinking actually work?
Why mantras work
Mantras can work on several levels, from our endocrine systems to our subconscious minds. According to the International Journal of Yoga in a study published with, “Scientific studies on ‘Om’ chanting suggest that the mental repetition of ‘Om’ results in physiological alertness, increased sensitivity as well as synchronicity of certain biorhythms, and increased sensitivity to sensory transmission.”
Chanting can also stimulate the pituitary gland, releasing chemicals that calm the mind and aid in hormonal balance.
How to choose a daily mantra for menopause
The good news is that there’s really no “wrong” way to mantra your way through menopause. You could choose a mantra that has nothing to do with menopause at all and still see results!
But it turns out, “ the power of intention” indeed has lasting effects on the brain and body. So, we recommend turning your attention to the challenge at hand: overcoming the negative symptoms of menopause.
We also recommend choosing a mantra that is positive, uplifting — and specific.
If you’re concerned with hot flashes, you might say something like, “Cool breeze, cool breeze.”
You can always go with a classic, such as, “This too shall pass.”
Part of the point of meditation and mantra is to remember that everything is impermanent. Remember those days you thought your period cramps would never end? They eventually did, right?
The idea is to focus on the negative symptom without denying…
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Originally published at https://gennev.com on November 6, 2019.
