Mantras contain and spread powerful sound vibrations that can balance energies and purify the mind. But not only. Their beneficial effects are strengthened through meditation practice. Sometimes, however, mantras are explained in too academic terms and this can be difficult to understand for those who have never approached this ancient oriental knowledge. Just to clarify this topic, the book ” Introduction to the Science of Mantras ” was published by Om Edizioni . The Author, Federica Gorni , has been holding Yoga and Mantra classes, conferences and seminars for years, teaching yoga and meditation and is President, as well as founder of the Mantra Yoga Center .. To deepen the themes of her book, we asked her some questions.
What is the correlation between sound vibrations, mantra and health?
«The healing properties of sound and music have been known since ancient times. In various parts of the world, for centuries, sound, especially of the voice, has been used to heal and heal people. In modern times, the therapeutic effects of sound were discovered by medicine in 1896: some musical genres stimulated the cerebral and peripheral circulation, while others influenced mental clarity. More recent scientific studies have shown that certain sound waves have the ability to activate cellular healing when targeting wounds in the body and are capable of promoting and speeding up healing.
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This happens because everything that exists on earth is immersed in a vibrational field, which changes continuously according to the stimuli it receives. Numerous scientific researches have now amply demonstrated this. So each organ, bone or tissue in our body has its own distinct resonant frequency. In the event that the naturally perfect vibratory frequency of organs, tissues and cells that make up our body is altered, a disease appears. It is possible through the use of vibrations and sounds,
to bring the organ or the diseased part back into the right harmonic model to obtain a healing effect
The powerful vibrations of mantras are used for this, to find and maintain our balance, living more in health and harmony. Mantras are like a radiant mass of energy composed of particular frequencies, with sequences of sounds and vibrational fields that affect the body, mind and psyche.
Mantras produce vibrations in the body that act internally in a profound and effective way , reaching the DNA, helping us to regain a state of health and well-being. For this reason, mantras have been used for centuries in various spiritual traditions, not only in India ».
Why are mantras so powerful? What are their main beneficial effects?
«The repetition of a mantra is a powerful means to increase not only one’s physical and psychological well-being, but above all a tool for personal growth and spiritual evolution. The effects of mantras manifest themselves on various levels: physical, mental, emotional, energetic and spiritual . The first benefits that are recorded are a pleasant state of relaxation, a deep sense of peace, calm and lightness. In fact, mantras help to reduce anxiety, tension and stress and to have more awareness and confidence. With practice, negative thoughts decrease and you see things more positively.
On an inner level thanks to the repetition of mantras:
- we improve our breathing
- we awaken our intuitive abilities
- we find serenity and courage
- we reduce the whirlwind of our thoughts
- we eliminate stress and states of fear and anxiety
- we increase our willpower
- we free ourselves from attachments and desires.
On an energetic level with mantras we cleanse the nadis ( our subtle energy channels) and activate the Chakras (energy centers) in order to let the prana (vital energy) flow freely. This allows us to dissolve the energy blocks that cause various types of discomfort and discomfort, gradually bringing us back to having more energy and vitality.
On a spiritual level the constant and correct repetition of mantras purifies our consciousness and the subconscious , awakens the Kundalini and lightens the burden of our “bad” karma. It annihilates our samskaras , or the traces of experiences accumulated in the past and in previous lives recorded in our unconscious, which condition our current life, often without us noticing it. Meditation with mantra brings us ever closer to the awareness of being One with all Creation, gradually making the sense of separation disappear. A state of bliss pervades us more and more often, until we reach self-realization ».
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What is meant by Mantra Purusha?
«The Mantra Purusha or the“ body of sound ”is one of the main healing systems of Ayurveda (ancient Indian medicine) and represents a therapeutic method based on the use of mantras. It helps to unite our individual self with the universal self and to receive insights, knowledge and deep understanding.
The practice of the Mantra Purusha consists in chanting the fifty letters of the Sanskrit alphabet , each of which corresponds to a specific part of the body, to specific energy centers ( chakras ) and energy channels ( nadi ).
This practice frees us from blocks, both physically and internally, to return to a state of calm and serenity . It supports our spiritual growth by strengthening our Sattvic qualities of harmony and balance.
It acts on our three bodies: the physical, the astral and the causal. The causal body ( jivatman ) is our Soul, our Higher Self, which with its magnetic force creates the astral body, also called the subtle body. The subtle body is a field of light, of vibrations, which thanks to its electrical force, gives life to the physical, gross body. The Mantra Purusha serves to harmonize the astral body and ensure a constant and adequate flow of energy to the physical body, to keep it healthy. Thanks to the Mantra Purusha we also cleanse our causal body, where the samskaras reside, the impressions that make up our karma, and we gradually change subconscious habits. In this way we can remove the negativities from the mind, increase our awareness and our well-being ».
Can the effects of a Mantra vary depending on the time of day when it is invoked?
«The effects of a mantra do not change according to the time of day in which it is recited, but there are more favorable moments in which to practice them. Generally speaking , the best moments for meditation are sunrise and sunset due to the energy quality present . In these hours, meditation has a different quality and benefits are obtained more easily and quickly. If you are unable to meditate at sunrise and sunset, it is advisable to choose the time of day when you are most peaceful, without haste and without being disturbed. The effectiveness of a mantra depends on many factors, including: intent, concentration, pronunciation, the place where one meditates, the presence of certain objects, the activation of the mantra, trust, passion ».
Among the best known mantras there is certainly the OM mantra. Can you briefly explain its origin and why it is so full of energy?
«The mantra OM is the primordial sound from which all creation derives. Every thought, every language, every energetic vibration of the universe is born from the OM . It is the root of all sounds and letters of the alphabet. This mantra appears for the first time in the Rig Ved a, dating back to 3900 BC for some scholars. OM is the essence of everything, it is the manifest symbol of the primordial vibration ( Shabdabrahman ). Speaking in more modern terms it could be equated with the Big Bang, the sound that scientists believe gave rise to the universe.
In the Upanishads it is written that OM is Brahman himself, that is, the Supreme Being in the form of sound, from which all creation has manifested, that is why it is so powerful.
Its power must be contacted so that the mantras that are recited after It can work and their specific meanings are revealed. The OM mantra vibrates within us and opens us to the frequency of a higher reality, facilitating the fusion of individual inner energies with universal ones.
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The OM mantra acts in particular on the nervous system, with positive effects on the whole psyche
By pronouncing it correctly, it transforms every cell in our body, generating new vibrations and awakening dormant faculties within us. If practiced at the beginning and at the end of each mantra repetition, the OM mantra helps to harmonize the two cerebral hemispheres. The pronunciation of the letter M by closing the lips, symbolically leads us to close the door with the outside to go into our inner depth. If done in low tones, the sound of the M is similar to the noise of a hornet’s flight and makes the cerebral cortex resonate at the top of the head, expanding our ability to memorize information ».
