Mantra: The Power and Science behind Mantra
What is Mantra? In simple language, MANTRA is a word or a group of words in Sanskrit which has got great spiritual and religious powers. The word mantra comes from the ancient Sanskrit language. ‗Man means mind, and ‗tra means release. So a mantra is a combination of transcendental sounds meant to release the mind from all the anxieties of material life.
The universe or BRAHMAND has got unbelievable powers. We can only get access to those powers if we are in a superconscious state. But our mind is so disturbed and stressed up that we never really reach that superconscious state. On average a person has around 60,000 thoughts in a day.
It is very important to understand the importance of Mind and Brain if we have to understand the POWER OF MANTRA. There are in total 84 billion neurons in our brain. And there is a direct relationship between our number of thoughts and the patterns of the brain.
Now scientists have identified that there are 4 kinds of brain waves present in us.
- Gamma Waves:[31+ HZ]waves. These waves are the fastest and most subtle brain waves. Gamma rhythms modulate perception and consciousness.
- Beta Waves[14-30Hz]. Beta brainwaves dominate our normal waking state of consciousness when attention is directed towards cognitive tasks and the outside world. Beta is a ‘fast’ activity, present when we are alert, attentive, engaged in problem-solving, judgment, decision making, or focused mental activity.
3. Alpha brainwaves (8-12 Hz.) are slower and larger. They are associated with a state of relaxation and represent the brain shifting into an idling gear, waiting to respond when needed. If we close our eyes and begin picturing something peaceful, there is an increase in alpha brainwaves.
4 Theta brainwaves[3-8 Hz] occur most often in sleep but are also dominant in deep meditation. Theta is our gateway to learning, memory, and intuition. In theta, our senses are withdrawn from the external world and focused on signals originating from within.
5.Delta Waves[.5 – 3 Hz] Delta brainwaves are slow, loud brainwaves (low frequency and deeply penetrating, like a drumbeat). They are generated in deepest meditation and dreamless sleep.
Now people whose brain stays continuously in Beta state have a greater chance of facing stress and depression. So it is very important that we make sure that we reduce the waves of the brain and develop a uniform pattern. For this, we need to find methods that will help our brain generate alpha and theta brain waves.
Scientists of late, have shown remarkable interest in meditation and mantra chanting. Live EEG tests are done on people to check their brain waves prior to meditation and monitoring is done when they are actually doing meditation. It has been proved with live examples that a person who does meditation, his brain gradually starts to generate alpha and theta waves.
Mantra meditation has been found very useful to calm down our nerves and take proper control of the brain. The word OM is the root of all mantras. All the letters of Om have their own importance. The individual words of OM have got specific meaning.
When you chant AA: You will experience the vibration around your navel and abdominal area. It is related to the waking state.
When you chant UU: You will experience the vibration in and around your chest cavity. It is related to the dream state.
When you chant EEMM: You will experience the vibration in and around your throat. It is related to the state of deep sleep.
Swami Vivekananda said the following on OM, “
Swami Vivekananda said about OM, “Ishvara is the Atman as seen or grasped by the mind. His highest name is Om; so repeat it, meditate on it, and think of all its wonderful nature and attributes. Repeating the Om continually is the only true worship. It is not a word, it is God Himself.”
Now when we chant MANTRA, our breath becomes deep, our patterns of brain slow down and it results in the release of HAPPY HORMONES from our brain: SEROTONIN, DOPAMINE, OXYTOCIN, ENDORPHINES.
A person who does meditation or chants mantra, his PREFRONTAL CORTEX becomes dominant and it controls AMYGDALA and makes the person mentally strong and prevents the person from facing anxieties in life.
You can watch my YouTube Videos on different Sanskrit Hymnes. It will give you proper guidance on how we should chant mantras and you will see very quick results as your brain waves will become regulated and it will start releasing HAPPY HORMONES.
