Let's uncover and bring some insight into a mantra. An age old tradition in many eastern cultures, mantras have much significance in meditation practice. What’s great is they are also easily accessible for anyone to use, any time.

Let’s start with the basics of what a mantra is.

Simply put, a mantra is word, sound, or phrase repeated to aid in your concentration while meditating.

Lots of people are curious about the origin of mantra. With their origin in the Vedic times by Hindus in India, earliest mantra use dates back to over 3000 years ago.

Today, mantras are found in use across various schools in Hinduism, Buddhism and beyond.

Notable Mantra

Some of the oldest mantra recorded and most notable ones in use today are the Gayatri Mantra, Pavamana Mantra and Shanti mantra.

Each mantra is universally used and, although a specific interpretation is accepted by different cultures, each possesses its own unique intent and invocation.

For example, the Gayatri mantra is said to fill your life with happiness after using it regularly, firmly establishing it in the mind and carrying out the work that is ordained for you.

The Pavamana mantra is a purifying mantra that gives us access to realizing our intentions, and Shanti Mantras are all about calling in peace.

Present Day Use

While traditional mantra is written and thought or spoken in Sanskrit—an ancient Indian language—mantra today has many sounds and words.

A mantra can be as simple as the word 'love,’.

It can be something you are thankful for or something you are looking to cultivate more of.

You can also meditate on an affirmation, such as 'I accept myself.'

It can also be a phrase such as 'om shanti, shanti, shanti' which represents all encompassing peace.

We hope this article helped you understand mantras and maybe even offered up a mantra to try!