While many people think of meditation in silence, when one practices mantra meditation they are actually chanting out loud. These words or phrases can also be heard internally but generally they are spoken. Mantras are used to focus ones concentration thus they are thought of as mind protectors. The mantras may come from a historical Buddha or may have no association what so ever. They may not make particular sense as they are a mix between poetry and prayer.
One may question the power of a mantra if they don’t fully understand what it means. For many people once they learn a mantra they will explore where it came from and thus develops a closer connection with its origins. Also as one gains confidence with a mantra it will fill their mind and thus keep all other thoughts away letting you have a concentrated focused meditation that may not have been possible otherwise.
By paying attention to the sound of the mantra it can help one develop mindfulness. This would be similar to when one pays attention to their breath while they are meditating. The constant repetition of the mantra shifts our attention away from the multitasking environment we are so accustomed to and lets us now focus on one action. One should pay particular attention to how we say the mantra, thus practicing mindfulness. Make yourself very aware of how your vocal cords, tongue and lips all play a part in saying the mantra. See if you can feel the vibrations of your body as you repeat the words out loud.
While it is true that mantra meditation existed at the time of Buddha, at that time Buddhists did not practice this. Instead Buddhists had other chants such as “sabbe satta sukhi hontu” which is translated to mean “let all beings be happy”. As time would pass more and more mantras were incorporated into Buddhist practices. This can be seen as one chants the name of a deity to bring themselves closer to the deity.
Practicing Buddhists will often keep track of how many times they chant a mantra by counting the beads of a “mala”. A mala generally has 108 beads however some have 21 beads. It is not necessary to count the mantras to practice them, but some find it helpful and another way to stay focused and not break their concentration.
As you chant the mantra sing it out and let the last word hang so your body can feel the vibrations. Now is not the time to think about what the mantra means but live in the moment and focus on the feelings. Don’t worry if you don’t think you are doing the mantra correctly. In time with practice you will get better. After you finish your chanting out loud, continue with the mantra in your mind for a short period of time. Finally sit in silence and feel the energy around you that you just created through you meditation. Allow yourself to feel refreshed and energized as you recognize the power of a mantra meditation.
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