Can Mantras Inspire And Nourish You As A Creative?
/Mantras are well known for their calming and grounding effects but how useful might they be if you’re a creative looking for some inspiration?
Let’s explore what mantras are and how they can benefit you?
What is a mantra?
Pronounced ‘muhn-tra’, its origins are from Hinduism and Buddhism.
Originally in Sanskrit (the classical language of India and of Hinduism), the word mantra actually means ‘mind vehicle’ or ‘vehicle of the mind’: man = mind and tra = vehicle and its aim is to transport you from active left brain thinking down to more subtle layers of right brain being.
Back in the day, mantras were given to you by ancient sages who were carefully guided by the universe with crafted sounds of specific energetic properties and elements handed down through generations. Today, you can also use them to inspire how you’d like to show up each day.
By using your mantras, you’re able to slow down your nervous system activity and allow it to transport you from the left active brain to the intrinsic calm right brain. This is where you can access your bliss and here when achieved, the mind cannot conceive of anything greater than this fulfilment.
So it stops jumping, becomes less active, softens and ultimately rests.
What Are Mantras Supposed To Accomplish Or Achieve?
Mantras are sound vibrations or words repeated to aid focus, concentration, connection and insight usually during meditation. They can be seen as the anchor that grounds and keeps you present and the sounds can actually have no meaning.
They originate from the beginning of time so the value comes from the sound quality as opposed to the meaning of the words themselves. In saying that, it is important to know the translations for optimal use.
Mantras are believed to eliminate negative thoughts or intentions and cultivate positive thoughts and actions. This stills and reinforces your mind assisting you in managing it and become unattached to your thoughts.
These benefits can be extremely useful as a creative who might tap into vulnerable parts - it can really assist you in seeing your creations for what they are without emotional attachment. Repeated chanting of mantras is said to help develop your mental powers and strength, ease stress and take you to a higher level of consciousness therefore improving memory and power of concentration. Perfect if you need to remember things as a creative.
The benefits don’t stop there though. Mantras can also support your daily mental and physical health in an optimal way because they are psychosomatic. Regular chanting of mantras is believed to not only wipe out fear, anger and depression but also relieve disorders of the respiratory, digestive, reproductive, circulatory, speech, intellectual and cognitive systems.
And if speaking mantra words doesn’t appeal to you, why not simply listen to them? Research has found that listening to mantras regulates blood pressure, heart rate, brain waves and adrenalin levels.
An important note here is that sourcing a professional yoga/meditation teacher or looking at verified information online is really important when using mantras because just like medicines, there are specific chants for specific purposes i.e. cultivating peace rather than promoting energy.
How And Why Might Creatives In Particular Benefit From Mantras?
Creatives in particular can benefit from mantras because of the researched benefits associated with increased confidence, self-esteem, concentration, reduced anxiety and lower incidence of depression that can impact them.
If you’re a dancer, musician, singer, actor, artist, photographer or other kind of creative, mantras can help you bounce back from disappointment like when a rehearsal, job, or audition doesn’t go to plan or when you self-doubt it can lift your self-belief. It’s reassuring to know that there are tools you can lean on to help put things back into perspective and a way to boost your resilience against the down turns of life.
As a creative, you may have the tendency to overthink, dwell on the past, feel depressed with sadness, feel anxious about the future, have self-doubt, people please, worry and self-criticise. Perhaps you lose focus, end up being hard on yourself, lack self-compassion and get stuck in things you can’t control rather than focusing on the things you can.
A regular mantra practice can help you re-balance this by channelling thoughts on the words and sounds of what you’re saying, together with unblocking stuck energy. The repetition can be very soothing and comforting because of its familiarity especially during times of uncertainty. Additionally, it can also bring everything into focus so that you spend more time focusing on what’s really going well rather than giving mental space to the ‘wrong’ of it all.
As a result you’ll find yourself feeling grateful for what might usually be overlooked and therefore be reminded that even though, in your eyes you may have ‘failed’, you haven't really changed as a human being since yesterday or even an hour ago. You are, in fact the same person - just enhanced and full of growth with limitations that contribute to who you are today.
The Use of Mantras
Chanting mantras you know the meaning of can help you apply intention and research has shown that focusing on the pronunciation together with the desired intention is also beneficial.
When you use mantras, suggested methods are as follows:
To be in a position where you’re comfortable and able to focus on the mantra rather than being distracted by physical sensations.
Become aware of your breath. Is it fast, slow, deep, shallow? Breathe into the space you presently have in your lungs to the bottom of them and lengthen each next inhale/exhale breath. Make them deeper and fuller.
As you settle into your breath, say your mantra and repeat it with intention and purpose. You can say it in your mind or out loud.
Repeat from 3 minutes to 20 minutes and be kind in this process. If you last a few seconds on the first attempt, that’s ok. Work towards 15 secs.
Mantra Suggestions
Below are some Sanskrit suggestions I’d recommend to get you started together with their meanings. For those of you who would prefer something more practical to your daily needs, there are also mantras that are inspired by a specific theme and focus. These are referred to as Meditation Mantras. If listening to mantras sounds appealing too then you can access many online.
Examples of Sanskrit Mantras
Aum/Om - the most basic mantra and the first sound of the universe generated by the cosmic vibration that resulted in all creation. Aum/Om is believed to be the source of all mantras.
OM Namah Shivaya - Loosely translated means “I honour the God within”. This mantra not only Invokes positive energy but also helps you get rid of negative energy and can aid focus for your life.
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu -
Translation: “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all”.
Benefits: To radiate the feeling of love and happiness to the world.
Meditation Mantras
So Hum - I am
Aum/Om - The first universal sound
Shanti - Peace
Breathing in, I send myself love. Breathing out, I send love to someone else who needs it
Be a warrior, not a worrier
Be somebody who makes everybody feel like somebody
Everything I need is within me
You now know that mantras are sound vibrations or words repeated to aid focus, concentration and connection. They ground you, maintain staying in the present moment and offer support for self-improvement, acceptance and goal achievement.
As a creative, they can move you further away from anxiety, depression and fear and closer towards happiness, resilience, inspiration and focus.
These are such empowering and resourceful ways of being and I wonder how might you incorporate them into your daily regime.