I m teaching in China from last 5 years, during my every class I  like to chant some Mantra(Yoga Chanting), but so many Chinese students don’t like to chant these mantras, maybe they don’t have faith in Yoga or they feel these Mantras are related with Indian Religion or whatever ! Even some students don’t like to chant Om (the father or King of all Mantras).

          Yesterday one of my student named Maggie asked me this question, and that time I decided to put a blog entry for all other students and for Maggie, hope this entry will let all you understand more about Mantras.

What is Mantra?
Mantras are single or strung together syllables. It is important to pronounce the mantra properly with an understanding of its meaning. Improper pronunciation of Mantra can inflict losses. So, one should be careful while chanting mantra. Need to chant Mantra with full dedication, devotion and inside feelings.

Mantras are energy-based sounds: The Indian metaphysical tradition explains that the body is composed of the combination of five elements and the first of them is sound. Studies in sound symbolism suggest that vocal sounds have meaning whether we are aware of it or not. And certainly there can be multiple layers of symbolism associated with each sound. So even, if we do not understand them, mantras are not meaningless; no vocal utterance is entirely without meaning.  If you don’t understand the whole meaning but you are chanting with full devotion that also very useful and also help to awaken our Vishudhi and Anahata Chakra (Throat and Heart Energy Center).

One's subconscious mind can find its solution through meditation and recitation of mantras. A mantra, when repeated constantly during meditation, first loudly and then through silent and mental chanting, changes the consciousness.

Mantras are powerful sounds and when chanted with devotion produce enormous effects. Mantras are well-off in their meanings and their meaning can be meditated while chanting. As the mind concentrates more and more on mantra and its meaning, it conditions the mind and takes up to the higher states and forms the path to salvation - the eternal bliss. 

Mantra the source of energy: Sound is the foremost content of the creation. Mantras are divine sounds. Saying any word produces an actual physical vibration. Over time, if we know what the effect of that vibration is, then the word may come to have meaning associated with the effect of saying that vibration or word. Mantras appear really powerful when this sound effect reaches the mind and the surroundings. I personally feel that whenever I m sad or feelings unstable then I chant some Mantras and feel calm and peaceful.

Mantras -Energy Waves
Mantra, when chanted sincerely produces a state where the organism vibrates at the rate completely in tune with the energy and spiritual state, represented by and contained within the mantra.

Mantra: Vital force
Mantras have fire like energy which can bring a positive and beneficial result, or it can produce an energy meltdown when misused or practiced without some guidance. There are certain mantra formulas which are so exact, so specific and so powerful that they must be learned and practiced under careful supervision by a qualified guru.

Mantras: Calm Mind
At a deep level; subconscious mind is a collective consciousness of all the forms of primitive consciousnesses which exist throughout the physical and subtle bodies. Sincere use of mantra can excavate into subconscious crystallized thoughts stored in the organs and glands and transform these bodily parts into repositories of peace.

A mantra is a powerful word or phrase that may or may not have meaning in the same way as a sentence. Mantras can only be experienced, there is no proper term to define them and phrase them. That is why; they get passed from generation to generation.

Just remember Chant Mantras with full devotion and feelings……

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om !!

Namaste Ji,

Yogi Manu.