World Mental Health Day 2022: We all chant something on a daily, sometimes hourly basis that brings us comfort and a bit of good luck. Most commonly, we find ourselves chanting ‘Mantras’. Although they are largely associated with prayers, religious offerings and proverbial incantations, mantras or ‘chants’ play a vital role in our daily lives in order to keep us centred and grounded. It may also appear that these mantras we chant daily have some distinct advantages that set them apart from other religious rites. Mantras were developed as a transcendental vibration to affect specific aspects of human well-being. It is a form of meditation a tool that helps you release your mind and connect more deeply with yourself and the higher mind by finding a sense of stillness in the repetition. (Also read: Why is it crucial to know the root cause of mental health issues? Expert answers )
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Prakriti Poddar, a devoted mental health advocate and Global Head, Mental Health and Wellbeing at RoundGlass, a Wholistic Wellbeing company says that “chanting mantras is a great introduction to meditation if you have ever felt frustrated by your inability to keep intrusive thoughts at bay during silent sitting practice.” Adopting this practice also offers many other benefits that help us find order in our routines. Chanting a phrase or a word, over and over again allows us to become more self-aware, reduces our stress and allows us to gain a greater sense of calm. Here are five benefits of chanting mantras:
1. A calmer mind
The physiological benefits and effects of mantras are not magical in nature. Many physiological effects have been scientifically documented. When you chant mantras, you fall into a sort of repetitive trance. This in and of itself helps regulate your breath, deepening it and training it into a consistent rhythm. This rhythm helps calm the mind and the nervous system, increasing overall wellbeing and health.
2. Optimised flow of energy
Many mantras were also designed to affect the body’s specific chakras or energy points. Everything in the known universe is made up of vibrating energy. The vibrations from chanting particular sounds and mantras can help activate or balance the different chakras, aligning them or helping to improve the flow of energy throughout the body. When you chant a mantra, the ancient sound vibrations carefully designed by the sages impact your vibrational frequency.
3. Enhanced mental wellbeing
Just as mantra affects the body, it has a pronounced effect on the mind, as the two are deeply intertwined. The mind follows matter — as you create different vibrational frequencies in your body, you also affect your mind. Just like how certain breathing techniques positively affect your physical wellbeing, manifesting itself as wellbeing in mind, mantra chanting has a similar effect.
4. Enabling a meditative state of mind
Meditation can be a challenging endeavour. Attempts to quieten the mind and find stillness may often overwhelm beginners. Chanting mantra is an amazing way for beginners to shift into a meditative state of mind, as it provides your brain with something to focus on, allowing your other mental chatter to quieten.
5. Listening to mantras also helps
One of the most amazing mantras is that you don’t have to chant to experience the positive effects. Simply listening to mantras as an ambient companion sound will offer some benefits from the vibration sound frequencies. You can listen to mantras when you are cooking, in the shower, or driving and still feel the positive effect of these ancient vibrational frequencies.
In some scientific studies, chanting has been shown to improve attention, contribute towards a positive mood and increase feelings of social cohesion. Incorporate chanting mantras in your daily routine to calm your mind and become one with yourself through sound.