Mantra Mom

 

So you know... I currently write articles on yoga stuff and try to have them published.  I love writing. But sometimes the things I write don't get published so I write them for my own Waterfall Yoga Community group on Facebook (Probably another social media dinosaur by the time you read this, that might actually be the destruction of humanity.) But I digress. As I was writing and hearing comments that what I am writing has value, I thought it might be great to include my own teachings and some of the things I continue to learn here through my practice that might come along at just the right time for you as you read them.  Here's to hoping...

Mantras

The Sanskrit translation of mantra is mana (spirit) and traya (to free). Mantras can be sounds, words, or short phrases in any language that facilitates a sense of peace and calm. Mantras help to keep us centered in the present moment and aid in keeping the mind focused. They help to cultivate self-care and influence a more positive outlook on life. Mantras assist in changing negative thought patterns or worrisome thoughts into something more beneficial to the body, mind, and spirit. A mantra will reconnect us with deeper self and help to change the brain, removing deep seated and well-traveled worrisome thoughts, to create new pathways of positive thinking thus releasing anxiety and stress.

You may have heard of the phrase, “Where your attention goes, your mind flows.” If we are anxious, worried, or consistently negative, our mind will learn to go to more negative thoughts without our conscious effort. By utilizing mantras, we can begin to change that patterning and draw our thoughts and mind to more positive thinking, helping to bring us out of a mood, anxiety, or the sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, freeze response).

As a yoga therapist these are my most common go-to mantras for myself and my clients:

“Just this is enough” As a yoga therapist, this is one of my favorite go to phrases for men and women who have insomnia. The restless nights and flow of worrisome thoughts and to-do lists in the middle of the night, can leave people feeling frustrated and angry, which only increases the anxiety that sleep will not come. When reciting “just this is enough” the person with insomnia can welcome a more calm, relaxed approach to not being able to sleep. Instead of trying to force sleep, the person recognizes that just relaxing and staying in bed, reciting this mantra is enough to feel rested in the morning. With this letting go through mantra, the client usually falls back to sleep!

 

“I breathe in, I breathe out” It is common to see people in my yoga classes forget to breath. Breathing is innate and doesn’t require our conscious thought. When I ask a client to focus on this mantra, they automatically start paying attention to the rhythm, length, and temperature of the breath. This phrase is simple and easy to remember. I encourage them to focus on this mantra, especially in moments of particularly strong emotions, pausing to recite the mantra, “I breathe in, I breathe out” to regain composure and a sense of peace before reacting or going into a full blown panic attack.

“So hum” In Sanskrit, So is “that” and Hum is ”I.” ‘That’ representing the universe, Divinity. When I chant ‘so’ on the inhale and ‘hum’ on the exhale, I am reciting “I am.” I am one with the universe. I am connected to the Divine, or God, or whatever entity you believe in. So hum gives me a sense of calmness and peace and a feeling of connection to something larger than myself.

 

“Idam na mama” – Is translated from Sanskrit as “this is not mine.” I use this mantra when I recognize cultural bias and belief systems affecting my thought processes, or when I feel attachments to ideas, people, places or things. “Idam na mama” reminds me that none of this is ‘mine’ but that these beliefs and attachments are a part of my ignorance and unknowing. It brings me back to reality and to the Truth of who I am with the knowing that when this life ends, none of these beliefs or attachments will come with me.

 

Someday I hope you read these, use them, and tell your old mom how they help you in your life.