Do you use mantras?

[Dustypuppy]

if so, wich do u find effective for calming purposes etc?x

[cheddarsox]

Yes, I do use them for calming, centering purposes. I think that the regulation of breath that comes from reapeating the mantra helps at least as much as the words of the mantra itself.

One basic "chant" (maybe too long to be called a mantra) is


"Divine Is, Things are, I am"

I also have others that use the title of the Divine, or ones which relate to my place in the Divine.

I don't usually do still or silent meditation. I like to do walking/moving meditations and often incorporate movements (sort of like tai chi) with the words, which also tend to regulate the breathing even more, so it becomes a total body/mind/spirit alignment.

cheddar

[Dustypuppy]

sounds good, ive found just reciting 'shanti' sanskrit for 'peace' works really well, i used to live in India and picked up a few ideas from there, usually i focus on the actual sanskrit terms,ive never used English as you suggested,so im going to give that a crack and see how it flows, maybe it will be a completely different experience with the various phonetic sounds and association of the words,cheers for the input!x

[Toby Stimpson]

I use a lot of mantras...usually either Hindu or Buddhist. English mantras just dont work for me even if I try. I think though the power of chant and mantras is quite useful.

I usually use several main ones:
Om namah Shivaya
Jai Kali Ma
Om Mani Padme Hum

and a lot more.

Namaste

Tobias

[misschief]

if so, wich do u find effective for calming purposes etc?xno

[elfmage]

I use a couple... mostly ones that I have musical versions of, eg. "Om nama Shivaya," "He Ma Durga," and "Govinda Jaya Jaya."

I also like the chorus from Emerald Rose's song Freya Shakti:

"Freya, Shakti, Hathor, Rhiannon
Rhea, Maat, the Morrigan,
Freya, Shakti
Aaaii, raising up the Goddess
Oooo, fill my soul
Aaaii, raising up the Spirit
Oooo, make me whole."

[arianrhods_daughter]

I have a few poetic verses I state sometimes but usually I find just teling myself to breath is enough :)

[Mouse]

I usually use baisc words, for example "Breathe, focus, concentrate" if I'm getting off track during meditation, or if something really needs my attention. Most of the time though I'm relitivly placid, but when I'm not I'll opt for another basic one like "let it be". It's not much, but then if you're talking to yourself it doesn't need to be. :p

[Kudzu]

I do use mantras, and I do often find them calming and useful to help me centre.

[Rin Daemoko]

Om Mani Padme Hum (Avalokiteshvara's Mantra)

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha (Tara's Mantra)

Tayata Om Bhaykandze Bhaykandze Maha Bhaykandze Radza Samudgate Svaha (Medicine Buddha's Mantra)

om vajrasattva samaya manu palaya - vajrasattva deno patita - dido may bhawa - suto kayo may bhawa - supo kayo may bhawa - anu rakto may bhawa - sarwa siddhi mepar yatsa - sarwa karma su tsa may - tsitam shriyam kuru hum - ha ha ha ha ho - bhagawan - sarwa tatagata - vajra ma may mu tsa - vajra bhawa maha samaya sattva - ah hum pey (Vajrasattva's 100-syllable Mantra)

[Agaliha]

I use them from time to time....

Tara (Goddess) Mantra
Saraswati Mantra
OM
Hail Mary

[coeur]

Yes...only one and not for calming purposes. It was given to me by a friend and it's for walking.

[jcldragon]

I use internal, non-vocalized Mantra focused in Chakras & energy centers for private work. I like to use external vocalized Mantra, when working with groups.

Back in 1968 I was at a party, when suddenly somebody began a long chant of AUM. Within moments everybody in the house was singing AUM together. It was wonderful.

[Vincent Verthaine]

I use discordian mantras when i need to relax and stop taking things so seriously.

one of my faves is

Ohhwah Tafoo Lie Am

(say it fast,and you will be enlightened)