Before we examine what a mantra is, we should actually examine what a word is. A word is crystallized thought. As a thought solidifies more and more through the channels of our intentions, imagination, and desires, we express that thought through a word. The source of our thoughts is the way our consciousness experiences the world. If we only see shit in the world, then the world will be a shitty place – and our words will reflect that. By the same token, when we see beauty in the world, our words will reflect that, as well. The biggest factor in this is habit. What we habitually tell ourselves and what we habitually think. Through habit, we slowly go beyond our thoughts to where our mental health and physical appearance become reflections of what we see.
Words are our primary source of communication. They can be expressed in three different ways ; the spoken word, the written word, and the gesture. Those who are deaf rely on the gesture over the spoken word. Words are a conduit of transformation. They are the most immediate ways we can change an action, a thought, or a feeling. Look at some of the ways we communicate. We communicate with each other, with ourselves, with loved ones who have passed away, with plants, with animals, and with God.
Mantras too are words. Mantras too are crystallized thought. Mantras too are used to communicate. However, mantras go to and come from a much deeper place in our consciousness than mere words. A word is crystallized thought. A mantra is crystallized Divinity. A mantra builds bridges between our physical matter and our Universal Consciousness. A mantra is a link between The Tangible and The Intangible realms of our everyday reality.
As was mentioned in the introduction, the more we understand the meaning of a mantra, the more empowered it becomes. Mantras trigger the divine resonance we all have within us. Again, mantras are keys. They are keys in the form of a word. They unlock our resources of Love, abundance, joy, and transcendence within. They awaken our own spiritual ecstasy.
In general, mantras come in different categories – words and phrases inspired from a Saint or from The Divine, or words and phrases inspired from an ancient language, such as Sanskrit. But, just like with a word, for any mantra to work, it has to be repeated with understanding. When a mantra is repeated with understanding and knowledge, love and faith soon follow. The five world mantras trigger love and faith. It is our remembrance of God while repeating these words that allow us to emit the joy we feel in our hearts.
Words from ancient languages, such as Sanskrit, are used as mantras because it is felt that these languages were what we spoke when our societies were closest to God. We saw, lived, and viewed the universe in a different way than we do now. We thought and spoke in a different way than we do in our modern world now. These thoughts are still circulating in our collective consciousness, and we are all still able to able to tap into that collective library. During the times of their inspired inception, these mantras were born from a time when we were closer to Nature and to the wonders of Divinity. Sanskrit is one of the languages that reflected that.
But, what gives a mantra its power ? In short, we do. Our state of focused Love and profound faith during our communications with Universal Consciousness, have given mantras immense power. We live in a universe of thought. When we pray, meditate, or perform rituals, we are attemting to harmonize with the dynamic, vibrational field within and around us. Billions of people over thousands of years who have been and still are using these mantras daily have given them this power. In our ever-thinking universe, no thought is lost. We have focused enormous power into a few concentrated words.
Ultimately, the mantra becomes the meeting point where God and the aspirations of the person singing, chanting, or repeating it meet. This interaction awakens the power you feel within. You are lifted to a higher place where aspirations of the sender (us) meet Divinity of the receiver (Universal Consciousness). The mantra is the cross-point.