Healing Mantras

Healing Mantras - The Power of Chanting

Mantras, or simply chants, are short phrases full of energy and intentions - specifically chanted to generate powerful sound waves that promote insight, creativity, and spiritual growth which all leads to healing thereby providing mental & physical wellness & strength. Healing Mantras strengthens one's psychology with the positive aura that is created by the sound waves. Science and discipline of chanting and formally praying are practised in every religion, all over the world.

The word 'mantra' comes from two Sanskrit words: 'Manas', which signifies mind, and 'trai', which means to 'free from'. Therefore, mantra, in the literal sense, means 'to free the mind'. Hence Mantras acts as powerful vibration tools that free one's mind. Chanting Mantras with full devotion enables a relaxed and extended state of consciousness in our minds.

According to experts, Mantras energize prana, a form of life energy that can be transferred from one individual to another. Healers often transfer prana to heal critical diseases or physical conditions. These mantras can be repeated aloud or can be read/ chanted in mind in silence and can be used by people of any religion or spiritual practice.

Everything that exists in this universe has energy. Sound energizes and harmonizes our life. That is why 'sound healing', i.e. Mantra Chanting has become a widely used supplement to traditional and alternative medical treatments.

Mantras are 'chakra-based sounds'. There are total six chakras that act as energy processing centers in our body. Each chakra has a mantra associated with it, and chanting that mantra activates that chakra point to increase energy flow and revitalize your life force. To perform chakra meditation, you chant mantras and visualize colours moving beneath your palm while placing your hand over each chakra site.

This in turn, helps the person to feel stronger in body, clearer in mind, more uplifted in spirit, and experience the relaxation response. Mantra chanting is so far considered the best way of healing. The body heals itself most effectively in a state of deep relaxation & meditation. Mantra chanting is a focused form of Meditation. Energy-based mantras - is what builds the relaxation-healing connection to restore balance and harmony.

When an individual understands how powerful his thoughts are, only then can he use them to his advantage by creating healing affirmations that one could repeat on a daily basis in the form of Mantras.

External sounds are perceived through the ears and are heard by gently focusing on the individual notes. When we chant sacred mantras such as OM or AHUM (I am), with the focus on each individual letter. The aim is to allow awareness to move inwards.

Internal sounds are perceived through the Anahata (heart) chakra. Each human body has its own unique sound or vibration, which is sacred to that individual. By regulating the breath, with the attention turned inwards, and closing the ears with your fingers, you can hear your own inner sound. Re-aligning with this sound serves to balance your energetic body and ultimately reconnect you with your divine presence. With practice, you can also learn to hear the vibration of the universe, a soft distant OM, sometimes referred to as the Cosmic Hum. As one experiences the same practically, he gains more confidence & feels more inclined towards cosmic energy.

Chanting has also been used in all cultures for thousands of years to uplift the spirit and activate certain archetypal energies within the self. When one chants, one raises the vibration of the whole body. Chanting must be performed with an open heart, open throat & an open mind, when one loses himself to the chant, he chants to his own soul to the divine being that resides within.

As everything in the universe is sound or vibration, a disharmony in the toning one of those sounds or a break in the unfolding of the sequence of sounds, leads to discomfort, diseases, and a loss of wholeness. Similarly, if there is a disharmony in your body, and you know the correct vibration for that area, you can begin to correct the imbalance by chanting the Healing Mantras or toning the sound.

The vowel sounds Ahaa, Eee, Eye, Ooo, Uuu are non-local or non-specific. If you don't know the sound for an area of the body, you can chant any of the vowel sounds and direct its vibration into that area. Chakra based healing chants are also referred to as cleansing Mantras. As one chants these mantras they cleanse that chakra of their body which leads to a physically, mentally & spiritually fit life-

LAM:

Muladhara Chakra: Base of the spine

The cleansing mantra chanted for your Root Chakra keeps us grounded and linked to the earth. Chanting this mantra will cleanse impurities that get collected in the root chakra -opening you up to feelings of security, prosperity and belonging and clearing any blocked energy that is preventing you from reaching the six main energy centres. Chant 'LAM' if your energy is low, you struggle financially, you suffer from low self-esteem and you suffer from adrenal fatigue and other stress-related ailments.

VAM

Swadhisthana Chakra: Sacral area

The cleansing mantra for your Sacral Chakra is associated with sexuality, pleasure and creativity. Opening this chakra will open you up to others; give you the courage to express yourself and to embrace change. Chant 'VAM' if you have poor self-image, find it hard to open up in relationships, feel unsatisfied sexually and suffer from low libido.

RAM

Manipura Chakra: Navel area

This opens your Solar Plexus Chakra, the seat of your personal power. Chanting 'RAM' will increase your ability to stand up for yourself, control negative impulses, and exercise greater self-control. Your self-esteem will increase as you chant 'RAM' and you will become more confident and self-assured - and your frequent stomach anxiety and pains will subside.

YAM

Anahata Chakra : Heart area

The cleansing mantra for your Heart Chakra. You give and receive love through the energy center that is your heart chakra. If you're not feeling loving, lovable, and compassionate or experience relationship difficulties, chanting 'YAM' would heal both the physical heart and the spiritual (emotional) heart center and open yourself up to unconditional love and compassion.

HAM

Vishuddha Chakra: Throat area

The mantra that unblocks the Throat Chakra. This physical and spiritual voice, your means of communicating who you are and what you need and want from yourself and the universe is signified by the Throat Chakra. The throat chakra rules your ability to express yourself - if it's closed, you will find yourself frequently frustrated as you cannot voice your needs and desires (closing yourself off to opportunities and having your needs met); and a closed throat chakra makes honesty and integrity difficult traits. The vibrations from 'HAM' will open your throat chakra so that your communication energy can flow strongly.

AUM (or OM)

Ajna Chakra: Between the eyebrows KSHAM

This opens your Third Eye Chakra that lies between the eyebrows. The center of your forehead that is directly in line with the center of your brain can be used for a wide variety of mantra meditations, it is particularly important to the cleansing and healing of your third eye chakra. The third eye chakra (or brow chakra) activates the power of intuition and life purpose. Chanting 'OM' will break loose the constraints that you have imposed upon yourself by not allowing yourself to listen to your inner wisdom and using that wisdom to chart the best course for a life of purpose and passion.

OM or AH

Sahasrara Chakra: Crown (top) of head

The mantras for your Crown Chakra, the connection to the divine. A closed crown chakra brings about feelings of insignificance and pointlessness, leading to disconnect you're your own spirit and an overly strong attachment to possessions, relationships and the physical world. Some find that silence is a more effective practice for opening the crown chakra but OM may be used to open it as well. Chanting AH represents a release. Think about taking a deep breath, then letting it go. AH is the sound of releasing and letting go.

Chakra mantras help us to clear the energy pathways so one can thrive and not just survive. This allows you to make the most of your physical life experience, creating positive physical, emotional, mental and spiritual change.

Other commonly used Healing Mantras

There are mantras for anything and everything through which one wishes to heal. Mantras to restore health, bring wealth, change the weather, remove problems, cure snake bites, welcome a new baby, and create peaceful coexistence are just a few to mention.

It's important to remember that the deities one follows are really a projection of your true self. By chanting these mantras, you are simply activating the energies already lying dormant within you. Following is the list of generic healing mantras-

Om Namah Shivaya

The most well-known & popularly chanted of all the deity mantras is Om Namah Shivaya. Lord Shiva, since ancient times is considered to be the first yogi and this mantra of his activates pure silence, pure awareness, and pure potentiality from within.

Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra

Another one on the list is Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra. This Shiva mantra helps create universal peace. It destroys agony & anger & is mainly chanted to prevent untimely death, critical illness, fear, sorrow, and depression.

Gayatri Mantra

Preceded by Om, this mantra is chanted to show gratitude to the great god who has created this universe & worship him for enlightenment.

Ganpati Mantra

By chanting this Mantra we worship the lord of harmony & peace. We pray to him as he removes all obstacles in the spiritual path and brings worldly success. Hence he's also named as Vighna Vinayaka.

Om Gam Ganapataye Namo Namah, Shree Siddhi Vinayak Namo Namah

Ashtavinayak Namo Namah, Ganapati Bappa Moraya

Lokaksema

Let the entire world be happy. May all beings everywhere be happy like free birds. May my thoughts and actions contribute to the happiness and freedom for each one. This mantra encourages cooperation, compassion and living in harmony with the environment, animals and our fellow human beings.

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu - à¤²à¥‹à¤•à¤ƒ समस्तः सुखिनो भवन्तु

Some more common Mantras are:

hare ká¹›iá¹£hṇa hare ká¹›iá¹£hṇa - हरे कृष्णा हरे कृष्णा
ká¹›iá¹£hṇa ká¹›iá¹£hṇa hare hare - कृष्णा कृष्णा हरे हरे
hare rāma hare rāma - हरे राम हरे राम
rāma rāma hare hare - राम राम हरे हरे

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya - ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय

Om Tat Sat - ओम् तत् सत्

Saraswathi Namasthubhyam Varadey Kaamarupinee| - ।
सरस्वती नमस्तुभ्यं वर्दे कामरूपिणी
Vidhyarambham Karishyami, Sidhir Bhavathu Mey Sada|| -
विद्यारंबम करिष्यामि , सिधिर भवतु मे सदा ।।