| |
les Stress
-> Questions & Answers
<< return
to previous page
MUCH ADO ABOUT MANTRAS
Dear Les,
I am going to try meditation and am trying to decide what mantra to use. Can I just pick one or are there particular sounds/words you are supposed to use. I would hate to find out that my meditation is for naught because I’ve been using a “bad” mantra. If it is okay to pick your own, do you have any suggestions for what I might use?
Thank you,
Meditator in Waiting
Dear Meditator in Waiting,
The golden rule for a mantra (a sound or word that is recited silently or aloud during meditation) is using one that feels easy, breezy and comfortable for you—something that enhances the rhythm of your meditation practice. Stay away from things like “cow,” “condom” and other letter combos that may produce distracting images.
You can definitely pick your own mantra from Billboard’s Hot 100, or you can make one up that suits your flow. Meditation purists may disagree with this Nabster approach, but I say it’s your meditation and you can choose and change your object of focus until you find one that rolls with your meditation cycle (described in the archive Q&A Meditation For Morons? which is linked to below). That said, meditation can feel more special, personal and powerful from knowing or feeling that your mantra is unique to you and one that you come back to again and again like a trusted friend or pair of warm socks.
There isn’t any valid list of the most popular mantras, but here are some that you might try or adapt—notice all the smooth and flowing sounds that these letters produce, even when no sound is made:
- ohm
- uhm
- rom
- ing
- rama
- ahm
- mehm
- imm
- lahm
- orahm
- yan
Congrats on your decision to try meditation!
Les
4/08
|
|
|
