What Is Mantra?

Mantra… A topic that I truly believe has no end. But it has come to have a profound meaning in my own life recently, one that I feel propelled to share in the hopes that others may discover the magic of Mantra, in a way that feels true to them.

I thought I’d start with the literal definition of the word but, on second thoughts, I think sharing the meaning from my heart, followed by the literal meaning, would serve the purpose of this message deeper.

So - what is Mantra, to me?

Mantra takes me into another world; one of purity, of certainty, of mystery and of candid beauty. I feel so lucky that I have access to this presence; through my voice; through continual understanding; through intentional expression. It’s a beautiful way to connect to loving energies - whatever is needed in the moment. Whatever invocation asks to be tapped into, it is there for all of us to realise. Whether we sing it or not, it is there, and it isn’t dormant. Mantra is already singing. That’s why, when we come to sing it, we can hear our voices harmonising, atuning, to the collective Voice. Because we’re igniting and sending that energy where it’s needed, and we’re opening ourselves - notably out hearts - up to the natural beauty that lies there. Our focus is - can be - on nowhere else. Even outside of space-time. Our focus IS Here & Now, without concept. And yet we are so connected to our physical body, intertwining it with the Cosmic Body of the Goddess, becoming one with the Soul of the World, and infusing every element of our own Being with the Totality that exists without definition, beyond form. It feels like accessing a beyond, without transcending the present but by plunging deeper into it by extracting the most divine human part of ourselves: our voice. To me, that is beyond beautiful. It’s contentment; it’s bliss; it’s unfaltering knowledge that worry and concept and judgement exist only in the mind, because Here and Now we are experiencing the dissolution of the prior illusion. We are no longer separate. We are One - unified with Existence and its Truth, it’s deep intention for us on this planet. Maybe that is the “Beyond”.

I just feel light, more “me”, without feeling any type of grandeur. Even here, I feel the illusion of the veil to be gone and I am simply returned into the world in which I began this meditation - anew. That’s it; I am anew. While my body was rejoicing, my heart singing, my Soul was flying - I was being polished; dusted off; purified in a way that has brought out the shine and the glistening of the parts that have perhaps gathered dust and remained untouched. Now they see the light. And I remain - knowing that I travelled no place to “achieve” this, I simply dove into the vast open space around me and explored the Now; in full surrender, without goal. I possessed a simple, single internal knowledge of where I was, of what I was accessing and the sheer potency of it, sans attaching a concept to the fact of its Being. To me, that’s what it truly feels like to become One. And I don’t wish to never leave, because I Am… Already Here. And so it is, and so it is, and so it is …

So there we have it: my definition of Mantra. You can always count on me to jump into the esoteric poetry of a feeling, but when it comes to describing the depth of an energy, one that has been turned into a concept through beliefs, practices and ways of living, a little esotericism is required, n’est pas?

Moving to the definition of the word. The word “mantra” literally translates to “tools of the mind”. MAN (root: “manas”) = mind and TRA = tool. Originating from the ancient Sanskrit language, this literal translation can now take on a multitude of meanings, none of which are really right or wrong, they simply pertain to individual experience, each practice and the context in which mantra is used. In my next email I’ll go further into the semantics of it and unpick some specific short mantras and their origins, what they’re used for, but for now we’ll stick to the feeling.

What exactly does Mantra invoke in us? Why do we do it? Why do we chant, why do we sing? Why do we affirm these words that we don’t even know the literal translation of a lot of the time? In my own experience, not understanding the literal meaning of a mantra has been an amazing exercise in letting go of all attachment to uncovering exactly what something means. It allows, at times forces, the analytical mind to take a step back, to relinquish control and to enter into a space vaster than its imagination, wherein there is no impossibility, only space to explore, to wonder and to wander, and to lean into the discomfort of the not knowing and instead sink into the feeling.

A teacher of mine while I was studying for my 200-hour Yoga teacher-training, Rohil, shared with us the idea that, whilst we are chanting mantra, the mind is only ever: there. It cannot think of other things; it is so focused on the chanting; on the rhythm, on the sensations arising in the body; on the peace that is slowly sinking into the heart and spreading throughout the entire physical + energetic body. It is almost an oxymoron for the mind: in some ways, it wants to quit, wants to urge you to get back to your routine and tasks and break you out of this strangely magical flow; but it is stuck between a rock and a hard place as, on the other hand, the incredible focus that it has been plummeted into allows the mind a Drishti - a focal point, an anchor of concentration, something upon which the mind thrives. Somehow, in some bizarre, incomprehensible way, the mind feels totally and utterly… At peace.

This can then translate into a plethora of areas in our own lives; as we learn to quieten the mind where our thoughts may be overpowering our true capacity and, rather than disregarding it completely, instead placing it into its own corner, where it has a focus of its own and we, the overarching consciousness, remain unaffected. As we would give a child toys to play with when they are displaying signs of irritability or being easily distracted, that is similar to what we are doing with the mind; giving it something to focus on while, at the same time, softening it. Needless to say, this massively helps us if we suffer with brain fog or getting distracted easily during the day; if we often find ourselves scattering our energies in various places at once, trying to multitask and never finishing one thing before we start the next, and the next, and the next.

If this resonates with you in any way, Mantra may be for you without you knowing it! There are infinite - truly infinite - ways to incorporate Mantra into our own lives and fit it into a practice that suits us and meets us where we are. Though it may feel strange at first, it needn’t be a wildly uncomfortable experience; these are tools after all, designed to help us feel more present and content in our daily lives, above all else.

Some ways that you could look into exploring Mantra and seeing how it could work for you, from a beginner’s perspective are:

• Affirmations : there is a Mantra pertaining to each Chakra, both in Sanskrit and English, all starting with “I am…” that you can meditate on, or simply speak aloud. Songs : there are an abundance of Mantra songs on spotify, youtube, that you can listen to either as a meditation, to chant along to or literally to listen to as you go about your day - cleaning, studying, walking or even sleeping.

• Chanting : originally Mantras have been chanted - coming from an oral tradition where these incantations were shared via chanting in unison; you could simply chant in the comfort of your own home, using Mala / prayer beads if you have them and that resonates with you, or you could organise a time to chant with friends - perhaps in an open space like a park or in one another’s homes, perhaps creating a sacred and safe setup with trinkets, a makeshift altar or little talismans that make you all feel at home and connected. If you’re feeling up to it, you could even look at joining a local group - often known as Kirtan or Satsang - to chant together; just remember if this is the case, to be open-minded, enter in with an open heart, take what resonates with you and leave what doesn’t. :)

• Songs : there are an abundance of Mantra songs on spotify, youtube, that you can listen to either as a meditation, to chant along to or literally to listen to as you go about your day - cleaning, studying, walking or even sleeping.

• Meditation : there are many guided meditation apps that incorporate Mantra - whether it is in the form of chanting, listening, repeating aloud or in one’s head or music. A creator that I adore, Erika, has her own app and podcast called Evolve, which centre around Kundalini breathwork, guided meditation and Mantra; you can find her Instagram here. In next week’s blog, I’ll be diving deeper into the Mantras of each Chakra, explaining how you can start to use these in your own practice, as well as unraveling some other classic Mantras that are sure to have a profound impact, even if it is as “simple” as enjoying the melody of a song.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or curiosities, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can connect with me on Instagram at any time or, alternatively, reach out to me right here on Hatchpath! My podcast, Trust The Process, is available wherever you listen, where we dive deeper into topics such as these, in the hopes of expanding our spirits and venturing into the unknown through thought, philosophy and spirituality combined.

Love, blessings and light, Claudia.