The Purpose of Mantras In Meditation

Although there are many different meditation techniques, methods, and theories, the end goal of meditation is always the same: to quiet the mind and establish a closer connection with your true Self (or soul or God). There are different schools of thought on what exactly the most efficient ways to do that are.

As a refresher, the value of quieting your mind is that you are consciously (even if it's for a short while) redirecting energy away from negative thoughts or beliefs that are not serving you. When you withdraw your focus and energy from negative thoughts, you immediately shift into a more positive, higher energy field. When you stop thought, you stop negative thought, and your energy frequency naturally rises.

This has beneficial effects on both the body (lower blood pressure, deeper breathing, relaxation of muscles, healing in cells, lower anxiety levels) and the mind (increased clarity, focus, and concentration, as well as better sleep and improved mood).

So how do you get to a place of non-thought?? And once you're there, how do you maintain it? This is something the yogis of thousands of years ago struggled with, and out of which the knowledge of mantras was slowly developed.

"Mantra" is a Sanskrit word comprised of the root "man" which means mind and "tra," or instrument. So mantra literally translates to "instrument of the mind." Mantras were a tool that the yogis used to get from a place of scattered thought and outward focus, to stillness and inner focus. Turns out, focusing on a single thought or phrase that is neutral in nature (meaning it doesn't bring up strong emotions or connections to anything in the physical world), is an excellent way to begin to focus and tone the mind.

Repeating a mantra especially during the beginning of a period of meditation allows you to focus on a single thought or idea, which naturally prevents distraction from other random ideas, thoughts, and emotions that may keep cropping up. Also, it is infinitely easier to focus on a single thought and slowly slip into a state of thoughtlessness than to try to get to a place of non-thought immediately.

Mantras act as an effective tool to help you focus, calm, and train your mind so that you can free yourself from outward concerns, and connect to an inward space of infinite stillness, silence, and love.

Learning To Be Your Authentic Self

When we are young, most of us are taught to measure how we feel about ourselves by how others react to our behavior. When someone praised you as a child, for example, you naturally tried to repeat that smile-inducing, head-nodding behavior. When some scolded or criticized you, you were probably taught that you did something wrong.

Thus begins a vicious life-long cycle for many people of trying desperately to please everyone - parents, teachers, friends, relatives, co-workers, and even strangers that may be judging us. After all, the rules of socialization tell us that we must fit in, conform, and abide by social norms that were most likely (and ironically) set by disconnected people in a largely dysfunctional society.

Many people forgot long ago to listen to the only voice that really matters: themselves. Their real, authentic self. Not who society says you should be. Not who you think people want you to be. And not even how you were taught to be. But rather, who you want to be and are.

How do you know what your authentic self is? And why is it so critical to come from a place of authenticity? First of all, not caring what other people think, and tuning out the voices and advice of others, can be a daunting task. After all, it's not that your friends and family don't mean well. But they all have their own biases, agendas, limitations, and viewpoints - which may or may not be right for you. In order for you to discover your authentic self, you have to dig deep and do some soul-searching. What makes you tick? What makes you happy? What truths resonate with you??

Most people that are successful, happy, and fulfilled come from a place of authenticity and sincerity. They understand and accept themselves, and feel confident that the world will understand and accept them as well. Ironically, the secret is, when you stop caring about what other people think, and come from a place of truth and self-acceptance, people are usually more drawn to you. They sense your connection to Source (or soul or God) and they unconsciously pick up on your positive energy.

In fact, all your relationships with other people are simply a reflection of the one true connection - the connection with yourself. The more you do what inspires you, indulge your passions, and honor your emotions (which may seem selfish at first), the more you begin to follow the call of Source (or your authentic soul self).

You may find that being 100% authentic is not always the easiest road, but ultimately an immensely satisfying and fulfilling one.

My Favorite Tips For Making the Law of Attraction Work For You

1. Act "as if." A recent study showed that the brain waves generated and neurotransmitters released when someone visualizes sitting on a beach (for example) are exactly the same as the brain waves of a person who is actually sitting on that beach. Your mind (and the Universe) doesn't recognize the difference between what you perceive as "real" and "imaginary." It only reads vibration. The easiest way to attract something into your experience is to evoke the FEELING and VIBRATION of already having it, and then hold your attention to that feeling as long as possible, preferably until it becomes second nature. Feeling as if what you want is already here may seem like a exercise in delusion, but remember, reality is pliable. Your physical reality is constantly changing and conforming to the energy frequency you are holding.

2. Role play. When someone recently asked the entertainer Lady Gaga how she became so famous so quickly, she responded, "I knew I was famous even before anyone ever knew me." She would feel, think, and act like people she admired even before the physical manifestation of her own fame.

Who are some people that inspire you? Who would you want to be like? It doesn't have to be anyone "famous" - just someone that you admire and has had an impact on you. There are many archetypes for you to choose from. Try to get out of your own head a little bit and think and feel more like the person that inspires you. How would they think about a situation? What would they do? Aside from being a fun exercise, this can help you shift your perceptions and create new energy patterns.

3. Do what inspires you. As cliche as it sounds, some people have no idea what inspires them. They are so stuck in a rut of a 9 to 5 job, daily responsibilities, and every day issues, that they don't even have the time or energy to think about "inspiration" - the concept seems too abstract and fanciful. But every day, the Universe gives you hints and clues as to what sort of things might make you happy. Carve out even 15 minutes every day to do something, anything that makes your heart sing. Meditate. Take a bath. Listen to your favorite song. Reconnect with someone that you have forgotten. 15 minutes of being in a state of allowing a day, done every day, will at least open a window where you're allowing the Universe a chance to please you and create an opening for bigger doses of inspiration to sneak in.

4. Think back to when you were a kid. Seriously. Before you had all the problems, issues, hassles, and aggravations of being an adult with so-called "real" responsibilities, what were you like? What sort of things fascinated you? What made you feel excited? What did you dream about? Kids are generally less disconnected from Source energy and still remember what it feels like to be loving and loved at all times. They are still excited, open, curious, adventurous, and honest about how they feel on a daily basis. Would it be such a bad thing to give up being an adult for a moment and actually feel some of those things again?

5. Appreciate. The Universe LOVES it when you appreciate something. Anything. It is the absolute clearest signal you can offer that you want more of whatever it is that you are appreciating. Along with joy and love, the feeling of appreciation has the highest energy vibration on the emotional scale. Energy immediately begins to coalesce around whatever situation, person, thing, or circumstance you are holding as your object of attention, and begins to shape your future moments to bring you more experiences with a similar energy frequency.