Welcome,
And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.
Today I'd like to talk a little bit about mantras.
Now there are mantras as they were intended in the classical sense,
And then there are mantras as they are regarded today.
In Buddhism and Hinduism,
A mantra was usually a word or group of words that were repeated as a way to assist in the concentration during meditation.
If you think about it for just a minute,
You'll realize that it's difficult to have extraneous thoughts if you're repeating some words over and over.
In the classical sense,
These words were often taken from Sanskrit.
Saying a mantra had sacred connotations,
And those who recited them were thought to have special powers.
Mantras have always been considered to be sacred as well as calming.
Some of the best known classical mantras includes om,
The universal vibration,
And the very popular om mani padme hum.
These are just two examples.
In modern times,
However,
The term mantra has been adjusted so that a mantra can be many different things.
Modern day mantras might include statements that are self-affirming,
Words and phrases that make the practitioner feel confident or strong or uplifted.
A few examples of mantras like this would be,
I will have a good day because it's my choice,
Or I listen to my body and give it what it needs.
Obviously there are countless mantras in this type because you can say anything you want.
There are some practitioners who will only use classical Sanskrit mantras,
While there are others who will only use the New Age affirmations.
Just as I believe that the position of your body doesn't make a real difference,
I also believe that if you want to use a mantra,
You should use one that resonates with you.
Ultimately,
The purpose of the mantra is the same,
No matter what type you use.
It's simply meant to focus your attention during meditation,
And as long as it does that for you,
You can meditate saying,
Fiddlesticks or bah humbug.
For our short practice today,
I'm going to use,
Find,
Peace,
Within,
Because it seems appropriate to me in this moment.
Now with a mantra,
You can say it softly,
Or you can say it silently to yourself.
I often like saying a mantra out loud because then I can also hear and focus on the sound of my voice.
You should do whatever feels most natural and comfortable to you.
I usually say the mantra on the out-breath,
But you can do whatever is comfortable for you.
Close your eyes now,
And let's get in touch with our breath.
It doesn't matter if you're sitting,
Lying down,
Or standing,
But scan our body and begin to relax.
Relax your neck and shoulders.
Relax your arms and your hands.
Let go of any tension in your chest and belly.
Feel yourself relaxing and getting heavier with each breath.
Relax your legs and feet.
As you begin to relax,
Let's start to really focus on our breath.
Focus on your breath and as you do,
Remember that there is no place we have to be in this moment.
Nowhere we have to go.
This here,
Now,
This moment is for you.
Let your breath settle in a regular pace,
Whatever is natural for you.
Our breath gently flows in and out.
Notice your breath.
Notice as it flows in and as it flows out.
Notice the movement of your chest and your belly.
Notice the air as it comes in through your nose,
Breathing in and breathing out.
Just continue to breathe and don't force anything.
Just let your breath flow like a river,
Sure and tranquil and calm.
Let's begin to use our mantra and let's take in a breath and start the mantra.
Find peace within.
Do it again.
Breathe in and say,
Find peace within.
Remember you can say it softly,
Out loud,
Or you can say it to yourself,
Whichever pleases you.
Thoughts are a constant part of us,
But in this moment all we're concerned with is with our breath and our mantra,
Find peace within.
Just focus on your breath and focus on the mantra because those are our only concerns in this moment.
The same goes for sounds.
Do you hear anything in the background?
Just let it pass by.
Your breath and your mantra can have a powerful effect on your state of mind.
It creates a current and being able to get in touch with this current can transform your life.
It can help you deal with tension and anxiety and insecurities.
The mantra helps you focus following the river of your breath and it can help you deal better with problems in your day.
Breathing in and breathing out,
One breath at a time.
Now,
As we come to a close,
Let's breathe in and say the mantra one more time,
Find peace within.
As we open our eyes and come back into the room we're in,
Stretch,
Wiggle your fingers and your toes,
Take a deep breath through your nose and let it out through your mouth,
Letting out a sigh.
You're ready to come back and resume your day feeling calm,
Feeling energized,
Feeling focused.
And if during your day you need just a little pick-me-up,
Just close your eyes,
Take a breath and say find peace within.
Do it a few times and you'll be ready to rock and roll through the rest of the day.
I hope this has been a beneficial and calming session.
Until next time.
