Mantra meditation is one of my absolute favourite things to do. It’s incredibly simple – all you need to do is repeat a mantra over and over in your mind. You can combine this with a visualisation of yourself saying the mantra or just focus on the sound in your mind. 

When it comes to what mantra you should use, the possibilities are limitless. You can use a single letter, syllable, string of syllables, word, phrase, or even several sentences together. Examples include A, Om, Om Mane Padme Hum, Calm, or Thank You.

Traditional mantras are derived from ancient Sanskrit, but they may also be Chinese, Sikh, Tao or Vietnamese. In addition, Buddhist mantras have their own origin. For some people, using a sound where they do not know the meaning works well because they can simply focus on the vibration rather than considering the meaning, while others like the reassurance of knowing what they are working with. However, even if you do know the meaning of a mantra, the best results will come if you treat it as a sound with no inherent meaning.

If you’ve never worked with a mantra before, for today’s meditation, I recommend starting with the simple words, “Thank You.” You do not have to direct this thanks towards anyone or thing in particular. Set a timer for however long you want to meditate and repeat the words over and over in your mind. You can connect them with your breath or allow them to sound at a pace which feels right. If the volume or speed changes, that’s okay. Simply let your experience be your experience, whatever that may be. If you find your mind wandering away from the mantra, gently pull it back – and say thank you to your mind for whatever thought it gave you! You can always come back to it later. 

Let me know how you get on in the comments – I’d love to hear how this went for you.