Mantram Meditation - Handout

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What is mantram meditation?

Mantram meditation is one of many types of meditation. A mantram is a specific word or phrase. This word or phrase is the object of focus during meditation. You may also have heard of the word mantra before. The word mantram/mantra originally comes from the ancient language of Sanskrit, the language used in ancient religious texts from India. The reason there are two English spellings has to do with how the word is adapted into English. Both words have the same meaning, and this handout will use mantram.

Meditation practitioners in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism use mantrams. Hymns and chants in other traditions such as Christianity are often used in a similar way. One example is reciting the rosary. Modern teachers of meditation may include non-religious mantrams, using any word or phrase their student chooses. So, a mantram may have religious or spiritual meaning, but not always.

Dr. Herbert Benson, from Harvard Medical School, has studied what happens during meditation. He discovered that when people meditate, their heart rate slows, their blood pressure lowers, and their breathing rate also slows. He called this effect “the relaxation response.” The relaxation response is the opposite of the “stress response,” which is what the body does when it’s under stress. The stress response is often referred to as the “fight or flight” response.¹

Dr. Benson found that there are many ways to produce the relaxation response. Over the past 40 years, research has taught us more about how being in a state of relaxation improves health.² Dr. Benson found that there are 4 basic parts to practicing the relaxation response:

1. A comfortable posture—for example, in a chair or on a cushion on the floor
2. A quiet environment—someplace where no one will bother you
3. Object of focus—this can be a word, sound, or phrase you say out loud or to yourself, the breath, or gazing steadily at something
4. Returning to the practice – when distracting thoughts enter the mind, you bring the mind gently back to the object of focus

Dr. Benson emphasized that it does not matter so much what the object of focus is. The important thing is how you use this object. All you need to do is bring the mind back to this object each time the mind “wanders off” in thought.

In mantram meditation, the object of focus is a word or phrase. A mantram may serve two roles. The first is as something you focus on. The second may be as a “spiritual anchor” if the word or phrase also has a personal, spiritual meaning. Refer to the handout, “Spiritual Anchors,” for more general information. Reference below for examples of mantrams.

How can mantram meditation help me?

There are more and more studies being done on the benefits of meditation. Research shows that meditation can help you deal with mental stress and improve well-being.³ Refer to the resources linked in the Mindful Awareness and Mind & Emotions sections of the Osher Center’s Resource Library to learn more.

One research group has studied the effects of slowing down the breath to about 6 cycles per minute. That’s about 10 seconds each time you breathe all the way in and out. They found that when the breath becomes slow and regular, the natural rhythms of the body start to work together better. The heart and nervous system come into harmony. This gives you a feeling of calm and well-being.⁴ They found that repeating a mantram or praying the rosary are two methods that slow the breath to 6 cycles per minute.⁵

A mantram may be used in meditation practice for 10-20 minutes a day, for example. A mantram also can be helpful in daily life. For example, before doing something that may be stressful, you can repeat your mantram silently to yourself a few times. This does the following things:

1. It is like hitting the “pause button” for your mind.
2. It brings you into the present moment.
3. It reminds your brain and body of the feeling of calm—the relaxation response—created by your regular meditation practice.
4. It helps you focus.

Our minds tend to get lost in thought and often are not in the present moment. A mantram serves as a “touchpoint”—something that reminds you to be here now.

Which mantram should I use?

Some meditation traditions may use a specific mantram. If you practice meditation with a specific method, such as yoga, you may use a mantram from that tradition. However, you do not need to take a class to learn mantram meditation. As Dr. Benson teaches, you can choose any word or phrase as the object of focus. For example, in an oral communication, Dr. Benson (October 2008) suggested that students can simply use the word “one.”

While the mantrams above may be in languages such as Sanskrit, Hebrew, or Latin, there are many possibilities in English. For example, you can simply use words such as “peace,” or “love.” One meditation offered by the Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh is to say “I am” as you breath in, and “at peace” as you breath out. Even simpler is to say, “in” when breathing in, and “out” when breathing out. You can choose a similar word or phrase in your native language if it is not English.

Thich Nhat Hanh suggests repeating the following poem during meditation.⁶ This is one example of a mantram in English. It can be repeated with each word or phrase together with each breath:

In, out

Deep, slow

Calm, ease

Smile, release

Present moment, wonderful moment

How do I practice mantram meditation?

1. Find a quiet place where nothing will bother you. Silence your cell phone.
   
   
2. Sit comfortably, on a supportive chair or on a cushion on the floor. Your spine should be straight but not stiff. Rest your hands gently in your lap.
   
   
3. Close your eyes, or lower your gaze to soften your focus. “Soft focus” means not focusing your eyes on something.
   
   
4. Begin repeating your chosen mantram. You may say it out loud at first. You may mouth it without making an actual sound. Or, you can repeat it silently in your mind. Depending on how long your mantram is, you can work with the breath in several ways. You might repeat part of the mantram when you breathe in and part when you breathe out. Or, you might say the whole thing both breathing in and breathing out. Or, you might say it only when you breathe out. Do whatever feels right to you.
   
   
5. The mind normally tends to wander. When it does, simply notice. Then, without judging or getting upset, gently bring it back. Continue repeating your mantram. The mind will wander over and over again. This is normal and is part of the practice.

How long do I need to practice every day?

The most important thing is not how long you practice. The key is to practice regularly. A little bit every day is more effective than doing it for a long time every so often. Choose a period of time that is realistic for you. Starting with as little as 5 minutes once or twice a day can be helpful. Try using a timer or a meditation application on the Internet or on your smartphone to help set aside the time.

For you to consider:

• Did anything surprise you as you read this handout? If so, what did?
• Would you like to try mantram meditation? If so, what mantram will you choose?
• Would you like to set a goal to practice meditation every day? If so, what length of time will you start with?

The information in this handout is general. Please work with your health care team to use the information in the best way possible to promote your health and happiness.

What we know about integrative health care has come to us thanks to the efforts, experiences, and collective wisdom of people from many cultures and backgrounds. We wish to acknowledge all the healers, researchers, patients, and peoples who have informed the content of this tool.

Author(s)

This handout was adapted for the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from the original written by Jonathan Takahashi MD. The handout was reviewed and edited by Veterans and VHA subject matter experts.

Date Created: April 2020

References

1. Benson H, Beary JF, Carol MP. The relaxation response. Psychiatry. 1974;37(1):37-46.
2. Park ER, Traeger L, Vranceanu AM, et al. The development of a patient-centered program based on the relaxation response: the Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (3RP). Psychosomatics. 2013;54(2):165-174. doi: 10.1016/j.psym.2012.09.001.
3. Goyal M, Singh S, Sibinga EM, et al. Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(3):357-368. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018.
4. Bernardi L, Gabutti A, Porta C, Spicuzza L. Slow breathing reduces chemoreflex response to hypoxia and hypercapnia, and increases baroreflex sensitivity. J Hypertens. 2001;19(12):2221-2229.
5. Bernardi L, Sleight P, Bandinelli G, et al. Effect of rosary prayer and yoga mantras on autonomic cardiovascular rhythms: comparative study. BMJ. 2001;323(7327):1446-1449.
6. Nhat Hanh T. The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching : Transforming Suffering Into Peace, Joy and Liberation. London, UK: Rider; 1999.