WHAT’S A MANTRA? AND DO I NEED ONE? CAN I MEDITATE WITHOUT ONE?
Okay, so that’s three questions but they all kind of run together and did come from one person.
First a definition. And the best way to really define it is to give you an analogy, or better, an image for what it is. Visualize yourself about to walk through an open bazaar in India. You just happen to have your elephant with you! Knowing elephants as you do, you know that in walking by all the beautiful, interesting stalls, your elephant will swing his/her trunk around trying to grab onto anything that looks GOOD! What do you do? Since you are an experienced “elephant owner” you simply hold out the trusty baton you just happen to have with you….the elephant curls his/her trunk around the baton. AND is occupied. And can’t grab onto anything in the bazaar stalls. YOU can focus and be mindful because your “elephant” is occupied…at least temporarily.
A mantra is your own mental baton. It’s a word or phrase, or perhaps a couple of words that you run silently in your mind/thoughts. As you breathe, you repeat the mantra silently to yourself. It’s a focus that you use to quiet your thoughts about ” whatever.” NOT as a control. But a word or set of words you gently and regularly return to when you “notice” you are THINKING. It’s also a “substitute” or alternative to counting your breaths.
Is one approach better? No. Experiment and see what works best for you. Some people are most comfortable counting as they breath — normally — in and out. So counting from one to four as you breathe in and one to four (OR six) as you breath out IS in fact a form of a mantra. Other people find that simply focusing on and counting breaths “doesn’t do it for them.” That’s the reason I simply suggest you do whatever fits — or works for you. AND if you want to switch back and forth until you find your workable pathway, that’s just fine. Just return to the idea that MEDITATION WORKS AND I ALWAYS SUGGEST YOU TRY IT.
The baseline is having a procedure that helps you become mindful of when you are thinking and when you are letting go of thoughts and focusing on breathing, either through counting your breath or using a mantra. Try to stay clear on the idea that stopping thinking is not the goal. Being mindful of WHEN you are thinking and noticing the thoughts, and gently returning to a focus on the breath is the goal.
Let’s pause a minute and imagine that you WANT a mantra. So what do you do? In some forms of meditation, when you are, for example in a TM (Transcendental Meditation) class, the teacher gives you a mantra. And other meditation teachers may do the same. However, you can easily create your own. Sit quietly for a moment and see if there are words or phrases that come to mind that have meaning for you. Examples would be something like these: as you breathe in you say “I am” and as you breath out “relaxed” …. or breath in with “peace or love” and breath out with “joy” or use a Buddhist phrase: “I am home” “I have arrived.”
The thing you are looking for is a word or a phrase that has meaning for you. It’s simply YOURS. And remember, if the focus on breath and counting breath works for you, stick with that.
So, another part of the question raised with me, is what do I do? And I have a mixed response to that. I began meditating in the 70’s when the one form of meditation I knew about was TM. Consequently I began meditating with a mantra given to my by my teacher. I meditated using that for over 8 years. Gradually I explored other ideas/ways of meditating, and today I use both old and new. A mantra, ingrained for over 8 years, pops into my mind regardless of whatever form I’m focusing on. That’s the main reason I tell you to do what works for you. You are truly your own best resource when you are trying to figure out what works…assuming that if you truly get confused, you ask for help.
So, try it on a regular basis. Once it becomes a part of your daily routine, you will see the impact of the practice — reduced stress, more focus and ability to concentrate, and hopefully a far more positive outlook. One of the things I most notice about meditation? You can become more clear on the things you are able to handle on your own and the things you might need help with — either by talking to a friend, a trusted colleague, a family member, a minister, or a therapist. And my bottom line is always ASK when you feel you need something.
And for sure, stick with meditating!