Meditation Chants: Wordless Music

If you want to take your meditation sessions to the next level, you should try incorporating meditation chants. People also call meditation chants mantras or wordless music.

Practitioners use mantra meditation for different reasons. Some people find it helps them block out distractions, while others find it helps them achieve a much deeper state of relaxation.

Whatever your reason, if you’re interested in meditation and want to try meditation chants, here’s everything you need to know about the history of this practice and how to perform your own mantras while meditating.

What Are Meditation Chants/Mantras?

A mantra is a word, syllable, or phrase that you repeat while meditating. Repeating certain sounds sends vibrations through different parts of your body. This causes various effects that enhance the spiritual and health benefits associated with meditation.

You can trace the technique of chanting while meditating back thousands of years, and it’s still a popular form of meditating today. In Christian and Hindu traditions, practitioners use mantras to focus their mind-heart and make a deeper connection both within and without. In Buddhism, mantras enhance mental focus and foster greater awareness of the present moment.

Mantras work because certain sounds create vibrations in different areas of the body. This then affects the chakras situated in these areas, which then has a different health benefit according to Indian traditions.

The main sounds used in mantras are:

• Aaa
• Eee
• Eye
• Ooo
• Uuu
• Umm
• Mmm
• Nnn

How to Perform Meditation Chants/Mantras

Everyone has their own reasons and techniques for chanting while meditating, and you’ll find what works best for you over time. If you are new to this, try practicing meditation chants while following these traditional principles:

Find Somewhere Comfortable and Quiet

Just as you would with normal meditation, you need to find somewhere comfortable and make sure no one will interrupt you.

Learn the Position

Maybe you saw this meditation position on TV or in movies. You sit with your legs crossed and your back straight. Your rest your hands on your knees with your first fingers touching your thumbs and close your eyes.

This position helps your body absorb the vibrations from your mantra. Sitting up straight also allows you to take deep breaths.

Focus on Your Breathing

When chanting mantras, it’s important to be aware of how you are breathing but to allow yourself to breathe naturally. Take big, deep breaths, but don’t force it any more than what is coming naturally.

Chant Your Mantra

Now that you’re in a quiet and comfortable place and maintaining good posture, you can start chanting your mantra. Chant at a pace that’s comfortable for you and for as long as you want. There are no set rules. The goal is to find out what works best for you.

4 Examples of Powerful Mantras

“Aum” – Aum means “it is,” or “to become.” People consider it one of the most sacred mantras and they use it to improve communication and reduce stress.

“Sat Nam” – Sat Nam means “truth is my name.” You have to extend the word “Sat” so it’s 8 times as long as “Nam.” So, you chant “Saaaaaaaat Nam”. You can use this to help you find your intuition.

“Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung” – This mantra means “Sun, Moon, Earth, Infinity, All that is in Infinity, I am Thee.” Use it to promote healing.

“Neti-Neti” – “Neti-Neti” means “not this, not this,” and you can use it to rebut something in your life.

“Oong Namo” – This mantra means “I bow to the creative energy of the infinite. I bow to the divine channel of wisdom.” Use it to give strength and open up communication between student and divine teacher.

Why “Aum” Is so Important for Mantras

The word or sound “Aum” is in many mantras and people refer to it as the most sacred of mantras. This is because “Aum” (pronounced as “aa-uu-eemm”) creates three sounds that cause vibrations in the body that perform specific actions relevant to meditating and healing.

When you make the AA sound, it creates a vibration around your navel and abdominal area. This relates to the waking state.

When you make the UU sound, it creates a vibration in and around your chest cavity. This relates to the dream state.

When you make the EEMM sound, it creates a vibration in and around your throat. This relates to the deep-sleep state.

As you can see, each syllable of the word “Aum” performs a specific function. They promote a flow of energy from your pelvic floor to your head through vibration. This results in a number of health benefits, which includes a decrease in stress and anxiety, a greater state of relaxation, and being more attuned to your communication with others.