The Healing Power of Mantras
By Stepy Kamei
You've more than likely heard about people who use mantras during meditation or yoga before, but did you know that you can start using your own personal mantras in everyday life? Mantras can be great for encouraging mindfulness and reducing stress and anxiety, which can lead the way to better life quality and satisfaction overall for many people. The most succesful mantras and statements which improve mental and physical health serve to stress the importance of using positive words and thinking in the form of mantras and short repetitive statements. When it comes to staying positive and maintaining your mental health, here's at least one super easy and super effective way to achieve this health goal.
Find the Right Mantra For Your Needs
Depending on your life experiences and the goals you have for yourself in the future, you will want to come up with mantras that fit your specific experiences and needs in order to get the most benefits out of them. For people who struggle with continuing with a task or obligation when the going gets rough, saying “Never give up” may be highly beneficial for them. It can be an inspiring and encouraging reminder that seeing a task through to the end virtually always results in a positive outcome.
If you're currently stuck in a hard time, it will be helpful for you to remember that everything is temporary, and that this tough time will pass. Try reminding yourself of this fact by saying phrases such as “It gets better” or “This too shall pass.” Repeating these phrases to yourself when things get tough is a great way to keep yourself focused on the larger picture for yourself, and to keep yourself from wallowing in self-pity and therefore holding yourself back.
If anxiety is particularly difficult for you to shake off, you may find great benefit in being reminded to breathe slowly and deeply. Place reminders on sticky notes that say “Stop and breathe” or “Take three deep breaths” in order to keep yourself grounded and calm in the face of a stressful situation. Follow these instructions by stopping everything you may be currently doing and inhaling slowly through your mouth for five full seconds, holding the breath for five seconds, then slowly releasing the air over the course of eight seconds. You may be surprised at just how calming this simple breathing exercise can really be in the face of a trying or difficult time.