“Mantras are passwords that transform the mundane into the sacred.” – Deva Premal
Mystical words, phrases or utterances with distant and often unknown origins from deep in the past fascinate humanity today. Perhaps as our culture has evolved over the centuries and embraced science and provable facts over sensing and intuition, we’ve lost a universal and fundamental part of being human—our connection to the invisible world, to Spirit.
Just because something isn’t currently provable by science doesn’t mean it has no value or won’t be proven later. A revival is underway right now—a broader yearning—to access this connection to our innate spirituality. Adopting mantras is part of that, but what does that mean?
A mantra is a word, phrase or sound repeated continually to help concentrate or set an intention. Mantras can lift our vibration and turn our mental space around rapidly. We can chant mantras anywhere, whether in a quiet setting, like in the privacy of our home, speaking them aloud; or in a crowded setting, like waiting in line at the store, reciting them in our mind. Their power resides in our intention, and thoughts hold just as much power as spoken words.
The concept of uttering these simple words or phrases to reach enlightened states of consciousness dates back thousands of years. The word mantra comes from ancient Sanskrit in India. Its meaning has many interpretations, which is another reason why it’s so mystical. It most likely came from combining two words: manas, meaning “the mind,” and tra, most likely meaning “a tool.” Various religions and cultures have adopted mantras over time. They’re our bridge to the invisible world, connecting us deeper with the pervasive energy of the Universe, where manifestation arises.
I’ve always been fascinated by the mystical origin of mantras. However, it wasn’t until I made mantras a regular part of my daily meditations that I started to see the impact these repeated sounds have on my overall well-being. I notice a tingling, elevating, peaceful feeling when I repeat these words or phrases. I repeat them in my mind and out loud throughout the day. The process is similar to giving gratitude, where repetition keeps us focused on positive thoughts and connects us more deeply with the realm of Spirit.
Repeating a mantra stills my mind while pulling me into my heart’s centre and into a greater awareness of the buzzing energy around me. In this energetic space, I’m highly focused, my consciousness expands and my chakras activate.
I’ve used mantras for many years. Often I use simple phrases for what I want to experience within my reality, such as “I am love,” “I am healthy” or “I am limitless.” I see mantras much like an outfit. I start each day by looking in the closet and pulling out what I want to wear that will make me feel my best. I ask myself, “Which word or phrase do I want to repeat that will lift my vibration so I can experience more positivity by calling in this energy for my day?” Like “flipping the negatives,” I’m reprogramming my mind to align with my higher self by using simple, positive phrases for attraction.
While I still use mantras, I’ve been drawn toward daily chanting in recent years because of how high it raises my vibration. This led me to chant mantras, specifically Vedic chants, and I searched for as many of them as possible. Chanting mantras is often done in Buddhism and Hinduism for ascension into heightened states of consciousness and an overall sense of well-being. These ancient mantras took my meditations to a new level, deeper into the fundamental vibration of sound.
Most people are familiar with the word om, which is a mantra. Om is often used in Yoga. It’s uttered at the beginning or end to achieve a peaceful balance of the mind and body. It’s believed to be the vibrational sound of the Universe, the all-encompassing background sound of everything. You can use it on its own or at the beginning of other mantras, as there are many more to choose from. Om gives me an acute sense of awareness, and the vibration reverberates throughout my third eye—clairvoyance—keeping it clear of any energetic debris.
Ganesh and the mala
By 2015, I’d been practicing meditation for many years, but I yearned for something that would take me deeper into it, which is when I discovered chanting. My path to this practice was paved by signs that led me to it. During meditation one day, I saw an elephant. From there, I soon saw elephants everywhere throughout my day. Intrigued by what this could mean, I investigated the symbolism of elephants, which led me to the Hindu deity Ganesh.
Ganesh has the head of an elephant, four arms, and is known for removing obstacles and bringing wisdom, good luck and new beginnings. I’d heard of Ganesh but didn’t fully know who he was and what he stood for. Understanding the power of Ganesh for transformation drew me deeper into chanting these mystical mantras.
As I learned more about Ganesh, I discovered the chant “Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha,” which is for removing obstacles and bringing peace, clarity and abundance. The discovery of this chant inspired me to extend my meditative practice to include chanting. The power I felt from this mantra was transformative. It created within me a new and more positive state of mind. My days unfolded more frequently with ease, and I noticed roadblocks dissolved.
Eventually, I increased this practice until I was reciting 108 chants per day, the number of beads on a mala. From a practical standpoint, the beads are used to keep track of how many mantras we’ve recited. I see their purpose as a way to bring the spiritual into physical form. Once I began this new way of meditating, it felt like all stagnant energy debris around me was swept away. With this new state of mind, I was cleansed of worries and had created an atmosphere of positive energy around me.
Today, I don’t limit my chants to 108 if I feel the need to do more—and that’s especially true when I travel. I’ve always been a nervous flier, so as soon as I board the plane, I close my eyes and chant in my mind. Even recited in my head, the mantras take on a harmonious sound that brings a sense of calm and peace, where I feel a deeper support from my spiritual web. I pulled out my mala beads once while travelling on one of my regular trips to New York, and the lady next to me noticed.
“Oh, wow!” she exclaimed. “You use mala beads?”
Not too many people I run into know what they are. When I told her that I use them to chant to Ganesh, she was shocked. She said she does the same thing every time she flies, since she’s a nervous flier, too. What were the odds that we’d be seated next to each other? Before that flight took off, we chanted to Ganesh out loud, and the additional support made me feel even safer. It was nice to have my practice validated by someone who understood how comforting such a ritual could be.
Mantras can bring radical change
With what I do every day—channelling Spirit for others—I’m undoubtedly affected by the heavy hearts of those I work with. I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world, but I must be careful to clear out those heavier energies and find balance by releasing that energy while restoring my own. That’s why I also chant in the evenings if I feel tired or drained, to remove old energy and bring in the new.
Given my music background, adding this sound element to my daily meditation feels natural, since it’s an extension of something I’m already familiar with—how to reach higher vibrations through sound. But you don’t need to have a music background to appreciate reciting mantras. Chanting mantras can be used by anyone to tap into the unlimited energy source of the Universe through the vibration of sound for a more positive state of well-being.
Mantras give us in-depth focus. They help direct our energy into the presence of Spirit by disconnecting us from our ego. Mantras bring about a feeling of uninhibited flow from within, something truly magical. They help us see life as it was intended, that we’re an eternal soul manifested into human form. Many use mantras to elevate their souls and connect with higher energy vibrations. Some use them to manifest something tangible, like wealth. It’s all about using that vibration to attract desired elements toward us.
Mantras can bring radical change on many levels. Because they pull us into the present moment, they can help us recognize the beauty all around: a gorgeous sunset, a beautiful flower or a graceful bird soaring above. These moments of appreciation are priceless in all their forms and can heighten our awareness of the connection between us and everything around us.
Daily practice: Intro to 5 mystical mantras
Below is my list of go-to chants. Through the mysticism of these ancient mantras, you raise your vibration after each reciting to bring about positive attraction, overall well-being, transformation and peace.
When reciting any mantra, it’s important to set the intention for transformation. Like turning the key in the ignition before driving, it ignites the spark necessary to bring about change. When possible, I like to create a sacred atmosphere for reciting a mantra, like lighting a candle or incense and dimming the lights in the room. But mantras and chanting can be recited anywhere.
I highly recommend investing in a mala and using the 108 beads to keep track of the mantras. However, it’s possible to use rosaries or other strings of beads, but these might make it more challenging to keep track of all 108 repetitions of the mantra.
With your mala or beads, sit comfortably with your feet rooted to the floor. Keep your spine straight, as if you were an antenna for energy to flow from the top down. I recommend closing your eyes to leave the physical sense of self behind while chanting your mantra.
Om
This is the pervasive sound of the Universe that brings about peace, positivity, stillness and focus. This is a great starting place to sense the hum of the Universe flowing within and outside you. Within seconds, this simple mantra can clear your mind, detach you from the worries of the external world, open your awareness to your higher self and activate your third eye (clairvoyance).
Om Namaha Shivaya
[pronounced: om-na-ma-ha-shi-vai-ya]: The Shiva mantra, a bow to the all-knowing self, clears karmic energy from the past, connects you with your divine self, brings about confidence and strengthens from within.
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha
[pronounced: om-gam-gan-a-pat-ah-yay-na-ma-ha]: The Ganesh mantra removes obstacles from within and outside of yourself and attracts success, good health and happiness. This is an excellent mantra to use when you’re looking for a successful outcome to something, like starting a new business, before an important meeting or embarking on a new move.
Om Shanti Om
[pronounced: om-shahn-tee-om]: The peace mantra brings a sense of peace to mind, body and spirit, affecting all areas of one’s life—including the past. This isn’t limited to yourself; you can use it to bring peace to others. This is a great mantra to use before going into meditation or prayer.
Soham
[pronounced: so-hum]: The “I am that” mantra balances mind and body, inspires happiness and redirects you to your eternal self and existence in many realms at once while creating presence through physical harmony. It’s often used in Yoga and repeated internally as a reflection of our breathing process (“so” for the inhale and “hum” for the exhale). Repeating it out loud, you may feel a powerful resonance in your crown or third-eye chakra
I encourage you to research other mantras that inspire you. These are a few of my favourites. Let your intuition be your guide for expanding upon these.
Psychic Medium Bill Philipps is the author of Expect the Unexpected, Signs from the Other Side, and most recently, Soul Searching: Tune In to Spirit and Awaken Your Inner Wisdom. His life’s mission is to help people deal with the grief of losing loved ones by bringing through validations, evidential information, and beautiful messages from Spirit, which heal and bring a sense of peace. Visit him online at www.billphilipps.com.
Excerpted from the book Soul Searching: Tune In to Spirit and Awaken Your Inner Wisdom ©2023 by Bill Philipps. Printed with permission from New World Library—www.newworldlibrary.com.
images: Depositphotos
