The chanting of Mantras is considered to be very strong and potent form of gaining energy, cleansing environment, generating positive vibrations, developing self consciousness and hence connecting with the 'ONE'.
Mantra yoga goes hand in hand with the Vedic sciences as well as Tantra, but it has been practiced in many forms by multiple cultures throughout the world. Gregorian chants are also a form of mantra, meant to elevate the consciousness. The Vedas (Rig Veda, etc.) themselves are mantras,and those who chant or sing them are said to achieve ultimate union with Supreme Consciousness. This is the aim of mantra yoga, which utilizes sound as a means to bypass the intellect as well as emotional and physiological grooves– rote thinking – which can stilt our further advancement toward spiritual goals.
A mantra is a precise sound, a frequency that conveys a directive into our sub-consciousness. Mantras are invoked towards the delivery of very specific results and are repeated a certain number of times.These specific results could include healing, fertility, the creation of abundance, etc. Mantras are used to open the heart and the mind and to aid in accessing and entering into a state of greater awareness. They are perfect tools for reaching a meditative state.
Sound is Power
I firmly believe that the sound of Mantra can lift the believer towards the higher self. These sound elements of Sanskrit language are permanent entities and are of everlasting significance. In the recitation of Sanskrit Mantras the sound is very important, for it can bring transformation in you while leading you to power and strength.
Different sounds have different effects on human psyche. If a soft sound of wind rustling through leaves soothes our nerves, the musical note of running stream enchants our heart, thunders may cause awe and fear.
The sacred utterances or chanting of Sanskrit Mantras provide us with the power to attain our goals and lift ourselves from the ordinary to the higher level of consciousness. They give us the power to cure diseases; ward off evils; gain wealth; acquire supernatural powers; worship a deity for exalted communion and for attaining blissful state and attain liberation.
Mantras and their impact on our mind
For thousands of years, yogis have stressed the value of chanting mantra. Modern neuroscience is now beginning to discover the relationship between the way words are used and the impact on the functioning of the mind. When we hear, speak, chant or even think a mantra, the frontal lobes of our brain “light up” and the nerve endings fire up. There is increased flow of oxygen and blood. These frontal lobes are responsible for thought,learning, perception, and emotion.
How it works?
The Stronger the Faith, Will-power and Emotion attached with the Mantra, the better it is. It’s like a Dynamo effect, the more you repeat a Mantra continuously the more you get charged up with Divinity .This phenomenon is so subtle & so fast that the person chanting the Mantra does not even realize it as these sound waves or vibrations moving in the air in about 340m/sec have their own frequency while humans can hear only from 20 frequencies per second to 20000 frequencies per second.
Om: The Beginning & the End
The Bible (John 1:1) says: "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." Modern Vedic philosophers have interpreted this teaching of the Bible, and equated Om with God. Om is the most important of all mantras. All mantras generally begin and often also end with Om.
How to Chant
There are many schools of thought on the methods of chanting. A Mantra chanted correctly or incorrectly, knowingly or unknowingly,carefully or carelessly, is sure to bear the desired result for physical and mental well being. It is also believed by many that the glory of Mantra chanting cannot be established through reasoning and intellect. It can be experienced or realized only through devotion, faith and constant repetition of the Mantra.
According to some scholars, Mantra chanting is Mantra Yoga.The simple yet powerful Mantra, Om or Aum harmonizes the physical forces with the emotional forces with the intellectual forces. When this happens, you begin to feel like a complete being - mentally and physically. But this process is very slow and requires a lot of patience and unfailing faith.