Mantras for Meditation

Step 1

Using Mantras

If you're new to meditation it, using a mantra can sometimes feel like a silly or even scary. But mantras are really just ways to help you calm the thoughts of your mind and focus your attention. It's not dissimilar to prayer, really.

We've provided some simple mantras that we hope will help you grow in your practice.

Step 2

The Kingdom is Within. Seek First the Kingdom.

This is a meditation on Luke 17:21 and Matthew 6:33.

In Luke chapter 17 Jesus tells us that the kingdom of G-d is not external or physical and that we shouldn't look for it with our physical eyes. He says, "The kingdom of G-d is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of G-d is within you."

In Matthew chapter 6, as he is explaining the Beatitude, "Blessed are the humble (or poor in spirit), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven", he tells the crowd not to be anxious about anything and that G-d already knows what they need and will naturally provide it. He says not to be anxious, "But seek first the kingdom of G-d and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Instructions:

Find a quiet place, preferably with dim light, where you won't be disturbed. Sit in a posture that is comfortable to you with you hands rested naturally on the top of your legs, with palms upward or downward.

Focus on your breath. Pull it up slowly from the bottom of you stomach to the crown of your head.

Place your attention in the center of your forehead, just above your eyebrows.

Once you've gotten to a calm state, repeat the following mantra either out loud or silently to yourself:

Step 3

Truth, Life, and Love

John 14:6

Jesus is preparing his disciples for a different type of relationship. Soon, he will no longer be in the world and he tells them that he'll be going away. However, he assures them, "you know the way to where I am going." The disciples, taking this literally, are confused by what he's saying and reply, "Lord we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus tells them, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me." The lesson here is that Jesus is telling his followers, "I've shown you the Way. Follow my teaching. Do as I've done."

In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus is having a discussion with the Pharisees who challenge him with the question of which commandment is the greatest. And Jesus replies, "You shall love the Lord your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

To love is know intimately and perceive the unique beauty and divine essence that resides within. Every living thing has this essence within it. Every living thing is a unique expression of a divine whole. You can love anyone and anything by focusing and concentrating your energy on the person or object, seeking to perceive its true essence and potential, which is the divine light inside. The light may be dim or it may be blinding. But it is there. And when you see it, it is like seeing in a mirror the same essence of life that resides in you. And by concentrating the energy of love upon another, you reflect that love back upon yourself, bridging the barrier that was really just an illusion. Now you see clearly - them and yourself - and you know that to hate another would be to hate yourself. And to love another is to truly know them. Then love becomes the most natural thing.

Instructions:

Find a quiet place, preferably with dim light, where you won't be disturbed. Sit in a posture that is comfortable to you with you hands rested naturally on the top of your legs, with palms upward or downward.

Focus on your breath. Pull it up slowly from the bottom of you stomach to the crown of your head.

Place your attention in the center of your forehead, just above your eyebrows.

Once you've gotten to a calm state, repeat the following mantra either out loud or silently to yourself:

Step 4

Seeking G-d

In Matthew 6:7-8, Jesus says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."

In Genesis 32:22-32, there is a story about Jacob wrestling with G-d. It's an allegory for seeking the blessing of G-d and understanding the mysteries of G-d. As the story goes, Jacob was taking his family across the river Jabbok. He sent his entire family across all of his possessions and was by himself beside the water. And a man comes out of nowhere and he and Jacob wrestle all throughout the night until the break of day. Once morning came, and they were still wrestling, the man says to Jacob, "Let me go, for the day has broken." But Jacob replies, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." The man asks for his name to which he replied, "Jacob." And the man says, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with G-d and with men, and have prevailed." Jacob goes on to name the place Peniel, because he had "seen G-d face to face, and yet [his] life has been delivered."

"Peniel" is a word made up of two parts. Pana, which means "to turn inward" and El, which means "G-d".

The story of Jacob is a story of inner struggle with seeking G-d. We must turn inward if we are to find G-d. And the promise of Jesus is that if pursue G-d in meditation, the truth will be opened to us.

Instructions:

Find a quiet place, preferably with dim light, where you won't be disturbed. Sit in a posture that is comfortable to you with you hands rested naturally on the top of your legs, with palms upward or downward.

Focus on your breath. Pull it up slowly from the bottom of you stomach to the crown of your head.

Place your attention in the center of your forehead, just above your eyebrows.

Once you've gotten to a calm state, repeat the following mantra either out loud or silently to yourself:

Step 5

AUM

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with G-d, and the Word was G-d. He was in the beginning with G-d. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:1-5

"The Tao that can be understood is not the eternal, cosmic Tao, just as an idea that can be expressed in words is not the infinite idea." Lao Tzu, Tao te Ching.

"The word which expresses Him is OM" Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras

Words and ideas or conceptions are inseparable. It is to speak or even to think a word without imagining the concept that the word represents. The word itself is not the idea, but it is a representation of the idea. This is why so much of Jesus's teaching is in parable and allegory. It's impossible to fully portray the spiritual reality with words from the physical, temporal world. But you also cannot have a concept without a word to express it. Its the paradox of spirituality. Patanjali held that the word which best expresses the concept of G-d is OM or as it would be properly pronounce, AUM, the primordial sound. The idea is that AUM, properly pronounced covers the full expression of language. Press your tongue into the bottom of your mouth. Make every sound that you can. You'll see that A-U-M are the only three. So, AUM then, represents the phenomena of producing sound. It is the primordial word.

The writer of John's Gospel found the very essence of G-d fully represented in the life and teaching of Jesus. This is why he opens his gospel by referring to Jesus as "the Word."

AUM chanting can be a deeply meaningful way of focusing your mind on the nature of G-d. It's also a great way to start contemplative meditation.

Instructions:

Find a quiet place, preferably with dim light, where you won't be disturbed. Sit in a posture that is comfortable to you with you hands rested naturally on the top of your legs, with palms upward or downward.

Focus on your breath. Pull it up slowly from the bottom of you stomach to the crown of your head.

Place your attention in the center of your forehead, just above your eyebrows.

Once you've gotten to a calm state, repeat the following mantra either out loud or silently to yourself, with contemplation upon its meaning:

For this meditation, we'll simply follow our breathe on the inhale. And on the exhale express AUM throughout the length of the exhale breathe, while giving each sound equal share of the breathe. So it might sound like, "AAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUMMMMMMM"