Mantra Therapy

By M.P.BHATTATHIRY 

Handed down since ancient times by religious seers who had attained
self-realization by chanting them, mantras are words or syllables in
Sanskrit which when repeated in meditation helps you transcend into a higher
state of consciousness. As sound energies that have always existed the
universe, they cannot be created or destroyed and command the power to heal
you physically & spiritually. At the very basic level mantras help you to
concentrate in meditation. And once you enter its auspicious circle, the
mind instantly gets focussed and you discover a new realm of peace and
tranquility.

The original of all mantras, Om, is the root of all sounds, thus letters and
therefore of all language and thought. The "O" is generated deep within the
body, from inside the navel, and slowly brought upward joining with the "m"
which then resonates through the entire head. Chanting Om in a whisper
correctly for twenty minutes relaxes every atom in of every cell of your
body.

A mala (garland of Sandal or Rudraksha) is often used in accompaniment. It
has one hundred and eight beads plus the larger `meru' beads. Holding it in
the right hand, start at the meru and roll the beads along one by one
between your thumb and third fingers while repeating your mantra. When you
reach the meru, roll the mala in the opposite direction. Do not cross over
the meru bead.