Mantra For Mental And Physical Health

Did you know that mantra singing was an original branch of both Yoga and Ayurvedic medicine?

It was used as a physical way to treat depression and mental health.

According to Dr Harrison Graves, mantra meditation (singing) can be an antidote to anxiety, stress and depression, reducing the need for medications, while the sound vibrations can even have an effect on your physical body- harmonising your cells, lowering cortisol and blood pressure and boosting your immune system.

Dr Graves also tells us that the sound healing created by singing repetitive mantras can help create new neural pathways through the powerful and energising, uplifting vibrations created in your body while singing (aka chanting), which can help shift deeper traumas and stress that is held in the body. They can also help create better insight and a calm approach to problem solving in our lives and increased creativity and spiritual growth.

Dr Alan Watkins in the UK suggests that chanting mantras normalises brain waves pattern, normalises adrenalin levels and creates a feeling of healthy bonding with others.

WHAT IS MANTRA SINGING?

Mantra singing- the melodic chanting of certain sounds, prayers or spiritual sayings- has become popular in the west in the form of call and response Kirtan singing, which is often held at yoga studios in a group with a few musicians playing harmonium, guitar and percussion instruments.

This music connects on a more heart or soul level, as opposed to most popular music which sings of desire, heartbreak or loss and can have negative or detrimental lyrics. This music has a place in the world too- it can take us deep into our suffering so that we can recognise and release it, or it can provide wonderful fun dance beats or funky rhythms so that we can let loose, or take us to interesting and dark places within our psyche. Nothing wrong with all of that.

But for healing, energising and creating positive vibrations of healing in our body and mind, it is really worth trying out listening and singing to music that is designed for this unity, depth and desire to overcome human suffering by connecting with the divine that resides within all of us that mantra singing will usually promote.

In 2016 I myself was encouraged by a friend to go and see Kevin James- a popular Australian Kirtan artist who travels the world with his music- when he was touring and had come to Bondi beach. I was quite amazed at how physically better my body felt after singing the beautiful songs with uplifting, harmonious lyrics (as opposed to pop songs which often feature lyrics about desire and loss).

At the time I was suffering the effects of auto immune disease (Hashimoto’s) and as I kept singing with the group I had a warm and beautiful feeling energising through my body. It felt as if all this crystallised hardness and tension that had developed through having physical discomfort and low energy all flowed away and I was better able to manage my health after that.

If felt like a warm, soothing, loving, hug, and had a dissolving effect on the hardness of my disease just like it feels when someone is really loving to you or gives you a genuine, long hug. Or you have a moment of deep recognition when talking to another. When you have been coping with a lot in your life it can bring tears of softness and sweetness to your eyes, with the newfound awareness of how much you had been holding. That kind of experience.

Ever since then I have sought out this beautiful music and lifestyle and have sung with many beautiful Kirtan artists and worked on retreats in Bali, India, Magnetic Island and many beautiful places in Australia.

It’s always a beautiful experience to watch all of our faces transform over the time of the retreat from stressed, busy life faces to looking younger, softer, more radiant and beautiful.

The people I have met through this work and in these communities are always more positive and less stressed by daily life than people I have met in other circles, and it is easy to see the kindness, compassion and lack of backbiting and criticism that the music promotes.

For many of us with busy minds in the modern world, mantra gives us a physical way to anchor our anxiety and be present in our bodies.

If you have entertained the idea of meditating but feel like it is too difficult to meditate without a guide or find it too boring to sit still for too long, mantra singing might be just the meditation practice for you!

Most Kirtan music events begin and end with singing the most foundational sanskrit mantra of all mantras- the Mantra OM. The sound comes out like A-U-M and is incredibly energising and calming for your mind.

If you think about it, when you cry, or laugh, or sigh even, what is the main sound that comes out of your mouth- an AHHH sound. So it is the primal sound that we are born with and express our joys and sorrows with.

You can actually do it at home on your own but the true magic can be felt when you sing it with at least one other person, and the more in the group, the more amazing it will feel.

You can also play mantra music through your headphones if you are awake at night, or commuting to work, to your children at night to help them sleep, or while house cleaning or driving or whenever you like to enjoy music.

There are many beautiful Kirtan musicians in the world- a few of my favourites are Sacred Earth, Kate B music, Kevin James Carroll, Lulu and Mischka, Deva Premal and Mitten, Daphne Tse, Snatam Kaur, Tina Malia, Jai Jagdeesh, Jai Uttal, Krishna Das, and many more, but you can start exploring with these and see what else comes up.

Even if you think you can’t sing, you’ll be surprised how beautiful it feels to sing along to these beautiful artists.

And I’m sure if you check around in your local community or suburbs, someone, somewhere, is running beautiful Kirtan nights that you can attend.

This can be such a beautiful and energising addition to any self care or stress management practice you can add for your true wellbeing and physical health.

Take care and enjoy the beautiful ride that this loving music can take you on!