Everyday Mantras
Why You Need One Now More Than Ever
The first time I heard the term mantra it was associated with Transcendental Meditation back in the 1970s. In order to receive my personal mantra, I had to join a group and pay a guru to assign me one.
No Way
I’m not paying money for a freaking mantra. (Hopefully, I won’t get any hate mail from TMers.)
Lately, I’ve heard life-coaches and gurus espousing mantra-like short phrases that we should repeat throughout the day.
Things like:
“I Am Enough’ ~ Marisa Peer
“I Love Myself” ~ Kamal Ravikant
Are these mantras or affirmations?
What’s the difference?
Traditionally, mantras are very short and have a sacred appeal, at least in their original form. Such as the Sanskrit mantra to Chenrezig, the embodiment of the compassion of all the Buddhas.
“Om Mani Padme Hum”
Affirmations are longer and directed more toward your goals, values, aspirations, and your life’s purpose.
The line between mantras and affirmations can be blurry. My definitions are my own — feel free to disagree.
This classic affirmation is from Émile Coué,(1856–1926) an early pioneer in self-improvement and autosuggestion.
Everyday In Every Way I’m Getting Better and Better.
In this post, I’m focusing on Mantras
I use mantras for myself and my coaching clients with some success. These short phrases more into the category of autosuggestions vs the sacred. But, those lines are blurry as well.
I advise having a handful of these in your self-improvement toolbox for a variety of situations.
Self Image
I Am Enough
Self-Worth
I Love Myself
Confidence
Yes I Can
Optimism
It Will Happen
Reassurance
This Will Pass
Providence
So Be It
Acceptance
It’s All Good
Forgiveness
I Forgive Myself
Health
I Am Healing
How To Use Your Mantras
You can repeat mantras in the morning upon waking and also at night just before falling asleep. In these hypnagogic states, they are extremely effective.
If you have a meditation routine, add mantras as part of that routine.
Repeating them on demand is also effective. Whenever you feel a negative emotion starting to get its claws into your psyche, repeat the mantra.
Never Finish a Negative Thought ~ The Power of Your Subconscious Mind
Whenever you recognize a cognitive distortion creeping up behind you, banish it with the right mantra.
Write your mantra on a sticky-note and put it on your bathroom mirror as a daily reminder.
Many of us have an underlying, subconscious, mental loop that runs continuously — telling us that we are NOT capable of doing something.
We may not even be aware of the mental loop.
Sometimes we feel it at an emotional level — a feeling of powerlessness— of defeat.
Repeat your mantra throughout the day until it becomes second nature and is burned into the synapses of your brain.
Do Mantras Work?
With their roots in ancient eastern religions and resurgence in New Though philosophies, ranging from Napolean Hill to the Law of Attraction, we need to ask if mantras actually work.
Some research suggests the beneficial physiological effects of mantras.
What really matters is how YOU perceive the effect.
It wouldn’t matter if there are 1,000 peer-reviewed studies that touted the effectiveness if you aren’t personally experiencing results.
My Results
This is where I should give my testimonial — how I went from a jobless, homeless alcoholic to an online billionaire — all via the power of mantras.
If that were true, I would have started with that story.
It’s not.
I’m still a work in progress like most of you.
I’ve been through my fair share of trials: job loss, the death of loved ones, financial calamities, depression . . .
But, I’m also blessed in so many was it dwarfs the negative.
We discount the positive and accentuate the negative
To break that pattern, mantras can help.
That’s all I have to say.
Do they simply spur you to action and calm your fears. Is it confirmation bias or maybe woo-woo stuff.
All of the above.
How do you know it works?
You Feel It Working
Why It’s Important Now
I’m tempted to write a cliche about how in “this day and age . . .
With all the chaos occurring around the world, we need personal mantras more than ever.”
But, every age thinks theirs is the worst.
Are the current times worse, that WWI, the Depression, WWII? What about the Middle Ages with the black plague that killed 30-60% of Europe’s population?
I’ll take 2018 in a heartbeat — thank you.
So, why are mantras so important now?
Because of our global connections and reach.
We have the ability to broadcast our state of mind instantly.
We need to remain present to our state of mind, nurture it and spread peace, hope, and harmony to everyone we touch.
Every comment, post, and video can impact thousands.
Spread love, joy, and hope, not misery and despair.
The only way to do this authentically is to create that state deep inside yourself.
And — let it spread.
Start and end your day with a mantra.
