1, 2, 3, repeat after me…

Awhile back I started researching the power of the mind and how we can change our mindset. And one thing that continued to come up time after time was the idea of developing a personalized mantra. While mantras are often thought of as having a sound vibration that focuses our brain, I took a more liberal approach, combining a bunch of the different things that I was reading. One of the most interesting authors for me is Dr. Joe Dispenza. According to his website, “…his passion can be found at the intersection of the latest findings from the fields of neuroscience, epigenetics, and quantum physics to explore the science behind spontaneous remissions. He uses that knowledge to help people heal themselves of illnesses, chronic conditions, and even terminal diseases so they can enjoy a more fulfilled and happy life, as well as evolve their consciousness.” One of the many things that jumped out to me was the idea of using our thoughts to change our reality. It struck a chord because it connected with other work I have done and the idea of the stories that we tell ourselves. Often times these stories begin in our childhood (around 7-9 years old) and we continue to tell ourselves these, often times false, stories throughout our lives. So much so that they often times become true – a self-fulfilling prophecy. In the education world we hear stories of adults who have always thought they were a terrible writer because they had a teacher criticize one assignment, or in counseling it can show up in how our story translates into how we interpret the way people are treating us. i.e. if my story is that I am overweight I may take any comment that a person makes to reinforce my own belief that I am fat.

So I spent sometime digging into what my story was. And after determining what I thought this was, I spent time really thinking about what I want my story to be. And from there my daily mantra was born. Now I try to state it as I am going to bed, first thing when I wake up and various times throughout the day. It sounds strange but I honestly think it has helped in fairly remarkable ways! So when the COVID-19 virus really hit I figured it couldn’t hurt to have my two boys start with a mantra too. And from that our family mantra was born – we are strong, we are healthy, we are loved and we are limitless! It felt a little strange at first asking a 6 and 7 year old to do this with me at bedtime and throughout the day, but we have all gotten into it and now we will yell it from the top of the mountain on a hike, quietly reflect on it at dinner, and repeat it together at bedtime.

So why does a mantra work? Why is it important? The word mantra comes from a Hindu and Buddhist background (two Sanskrit words meaning mind and tool) and generally was a word or sound repeated in meditation. The goal being that this word or sound it its most basic would help focus the mind and keep it from wandering. As our brain imaging technology gets better and better we are just beginning to better understand what happens in our brains when we meditate, focus on gratitude, and/or repeat a mantra. Researchers are seeing how it can reduce stress, focus our energy, and help our physical and mental health. With no negative side effects, I can’t find reason why we shouldn’t all find something that resonates with us. If you are interested in using a mantra that is already created for you, I found this article interesting and I love the series of meditations that Oprah and Deepak Copra do. If you want to create your own I challenge you to dig into what your story is and what you want it to be. Start simple and try out different things. What hits home when you repeat it is probably the right thing for you right now – because you usually feel something when you hit on the right focus area. And if you want one to start with, with no extra reading or work, I love this one from an old Deepak/Oprah meditation I did – “Ananda Hum – I am pure joy.” No go out in the world and be the pure joy that you are!