A really useful skill for your wellbeing toolkit is chanting.
Chanting is the singing of a phrase. Often with a spiritual or religious meaning. Let's discover the benefits of chanting.
Scientific studies have found that chanting for 10 minutes can decrease stress, anxiety and depression, as well as increase positive mood, feelings of relaxation and concentration although 20 minutes or 108 times are the optimal times.
Why do we chant? Because it brings us to the present moment. It's a form of meditation. It calms us and raises our vibration. It focuses the mind and offers us a sense of connection.
There are three main ways of chanting and they are:
Chanting out loud, with your voice and throat open.
Chanting quietly, like a whisper that you can direct to your heart and let it flow from there.
Chanting silently, internally, so that your attention remains focused only on the mantra.
It's helpful if you can breathe through your nose or find a comfortable rhythm where drawing a breath doesn't interrupt the pattern of the mantra.
These are some of the mantras that I like to use along with an explanation and a little demonstration.
So hum. This means I am and helps us to free ourselves from the shackles of our identity as we are declaring that we are part of the energy of the universe , nothing else and that, that is everything and enough
Om Shanti means peace and can be used as a greeting. The shanti part is always repeated three times
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo comes from Nicheren Buddhism which is a Japanese form and can express our intention to embrace our buddha nature and to be of service to others while constantly striving to develop ourselves.
Om mani pad me hum means the jewel in the lotus. The om represents enlightenment and the following five syllables are thought to embody the path to our enlightenment.
You don't have to ascribe to Buddhist sentiments to benefit from chanting. The vibration of the words and your intention to be kinder, nor compassionate and gentler in the world will ensure you reap the benefits, not only energetically but in the reduction of your stress, the improvement in your concentration and your improved wellbeing.
Chris.