How are you doing these days?  The current state of the world’s really requiring us to take a closer look at ourselves and to see how we truly are doing.

Over these long weeks, we have come to see how closely we’re connected to everyone in the world.  And how a crisis can affect all of us in our everyday lives.

During these days when we’ve been at home, we’ve become more aware of our own fear and anxiety and how we manage that in our lives. We’ve become more in touch with our inner self as we are isolated from others.  We’ve even become more aware of others’ suffering and pain around the world.

​How are you doing in accessing your own inner strength to support yourself in this time?  Are you able to step away energetically from the chaos that exists out there and find your own center and place of peace within?

Your thoughts, your way of being, and your engagement in this time do make a difference.  A big difference! When you are able to shift to a grounded and more positive place when needed, you’ll experience less suffering.

Even while this crisis in the world continues into the summer, you CAN find your center and inner peace — with the help of a spiritual practice.

Chanting mantras is one of my favorite practices to support me in difficult times!

Mantra chanting, practiced for centuries in wisdom traditions, has been used as a way for people to find a deeper presence.
It helps you stay focused… and in the present moment – using the mantra as the place for focus. It supports you in letting go of your negative thoughts and emotions and what you cannot control in the world.

​By continuously repeating a mantra, we introduce the vibrational frequency of that mantra into ourselves and sustain it for a period of time.  After a little while, you begin to resonate with the vibration of the mantra and also the words.  Since mantras have sacred and deeper meanings, you resonate at the vibrational frequency with the Divine, with healing power, with your Higher Self.

As you come to resonate at the same frequency as the mantra, over time, the mantra gains its own strength and momentum.  At this point, you shift from chanting the mantra to the mantra having an effect upon you. This is the space in which a mantra can be deeply transformative.

Some say that mantras connect us to a universal archetypal energy field far greater than ourselves that reflects the nature and meaning of that mantra.  We then vibrate with a higher level of consciousness that purifies the body and mind. These fields have been strengthened over many, many years by those who have repeated the mantra in the past, and they have tremendous potential for our healing and development. So, it’s important in choosing a mantra that you do so consciously, whether it’s for spiritual practice or healing.I’ll share some guidance on how to use a mantra.

1. Take a few deep breaths, in through your nose, out through your mouth fully. Focus on your breathing and let go of all other thoughts and distractions.
2. Set your intention for doing the mantra. Remind yourself of the meaning and why you chose that mantra.
3. Begin saying the mantra, either aloud or internally.  Some people find it helpful to coordinate the mantra with the breath.  Explore and see what works for you.
4. Stay connected to the meaning of the mantra as you repeat it. You may find that, with repeated practice, you experience the mantra in new and deeper ways and the meaning of it may shift some.
5. If your mantra is associated with a deity, then visualize the deity and the attributes of the deity.
6. If the mantra is specific for healing or balancing a chakra, then place your awareness on that part of your body. You can visualize the associated color, if desired.
7. Once you have repeated the mantra for a period of time, slowly let the mantra reach a whisper until it finally stops. Experience the silence and peaceful emptiness that resonates within you and touches the primordial wisdom within the universe.

Mantras can be used anytime and anywhere when said internally.  When you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed with your emotions or your thoughts, using a mantra can calm and center you.  Bringing you to a place of groundedness and peace.

Not sure what mantra to choose to get started?  A good place to start is with OM.  Read about this mantra in my post here.  Then explore guided mantra chanting for the chakras in my Free Healing Library.

Ready to dive in and bring this transformative practice into your spiritual practice for this unprecedented time in the world?  Check out my guidebook, How to Bring Life to Your Chakras: 7 Healing Mantras.