chanting

Should I Mantra Silently Or Out Loud?

Chanting a mantra can be a very helpful aspect to spiritual practice. But should you mantra out loud or in your head? Typically, chanting a mantra out loud will provide more benefits such as increased focus and auditory stimulation over chanting silently. However, when in a public location or somewhere you need to be quiet, a silent mantra is best. What is a mantra? A mantra is a sound, word, or phrase that is repeated during meditation or by itself as spiritual practice. A mantra’s purpose is to direct your focus on a specific idea or sound for a long period of time. This can aid in concentration during meditation, or be used by itself simply for spiritual gain. Benefits of chanting out loud 1. Auditory focus Chanting a mantra out loud can help engage your sense of hearing. If you are meditating on a specific mantra, the auditory stimulation can become the focus of your attention. In this way, chanting a mantra out loud can deepen your meditation practice and improve focus. 2. Physical sensation Chanting out loud gives the added bonus of feeling the physical vibrations given off by your voice. The vibrations themselves can become a target of your focus during meditation. Losing yourself in the physical sensation during a mantra meditation is really a cool experience that you should try for yourself. 3. External expression The externally oriented nature of chanting out loud can aid in your expression of spiritual devotion and intention. This is helpful for people who are introverted and in their heads most of the time. Chanting a mantra out loud can help get your spiritual practice out of your head and into your body and the external world. Benefits of chanting silently 1. Inner focus A silent mantra will direct your focus inward rather. Where the out loud mantra directs focus externally, the silent mantra directs that energy inward. Silent mantras make for an intimate spiritual practice that directs your focus inwards. As you chant with your mind instead of your mouth, you will be putting focus on the internal. 2. Quieter environments Silent mantras are ideal for public places or locations where you should be quieter. Let’s say you are on a break at work and want to do some spiritual practice, this is where you will want to use a silent mantra. You definitely don’t want to be chanting out loud in the break room after all… When to use each type of mantra see also How Long Should I Chant A Mantra? Chanting a mantra out loud is best in the following cases: Chanting a mantra silently is best in these situations: Conclusion When choosing your type of mantra it’s important to look what your intentions are with your practice and to notice your surroundings. Both silent and out loud mantras have their unique benefits, however chanting a mantra out loud is traditionally what is thought to be most useful.

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How Long Should I Chant A Mantra?

Chanting a mantra is a foundational part of a well rounded spiritual practice. Actually understanding how to mantra and how long you should mantra is important for your practice. The duration that you choose to mantra is entirely up to personal preference. However, some gurus suggest repeating a mantra 108 times or roughly 10-20 minutes at a time. What is a mantra? A mantra is a phrase, word, or sound that you repeat out loud or in your head. The purpose of a mantra is to aid in concentration in meditation and raise your consciousness. Lots of different types of meditations use a mantra as a concentration aid such as transcendental meditation, however mantras may also be used simply by themselves as spiritual practice. How long should I chant a mantra? There are several ways of you can choose for counting the duration of your mantra. Here are some ways that you may want to try for yourself. Counting by number of rounds You can choose a specified number of times that you want to repeat a mantra before you begin your practice. A common number of rounds used for chanting is 108. There are several types of mantras that follow this format. For example, the Hare Krishna mantra is said 108 times and is counted using a set of 108 mala beads. Other mantras like the Navakshari mantra are required to be repeated 9,000,000 times over several sessions. Different mantras may call for different numbers of repetition. You can choose whatever number is best for you, or try the commonly used 108 times. Counting by time Another way to mantra is by setting a timer for a specific amount of time. Yoga Journal recommends chanting a mantra for 5-20 minutes. I personally find that it takes at least 5 minutes to get into a meditative state with your mantra. The longer you mantra the deeper into the practice you will get. One way isn’t necessarily better than any other way. Whether you want to mantra for a specified amount of time or number of times, either should do the trick. How long do mantras take to work? There is no set amount of time that it takes a mantra to get you to your end goal. The important factors with chanting a mantra are the quality of the sessions and your consistency of practice. Quality over quantity Mantraing extra fast just to get through it quickly does absolutely no good. Take your time and get deep into your mantra work. There’s no rush when chanting a mantra. Your results with chanting a mantra will mimic the quality and depth of your mantra practice, not necessarily how fast you complete it. For this reason, you should focus on deeply understanding your mantra and learning quality chanting over quantity. The importance of consistency You may not see spiritual or mental results from your mantra right away. This is why it’s important to consistently practice chanting your mantra every day. As you mantra every day you will deepen your practice and get more and more spiritual value from it. If you don’t feel particularly good about one day of chanting, just try again the next day.

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