Mantra: meditation is not confessional

When we hear the word 'mantra' what comes to mind?

Hare Krishna?

Credit: http://www.krishnayoga.info/radhanath-swami/the-hunger-for-krishna/

Actually

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

is an old Hindu, Vaishnava, mantra, probably dating back to the 15th century CE.

A mantra is just a sentence, heavily loaded with significance, which helps us to concentrate - or meditate. Significance does not equate to linguistic meaning. What is maybe the oldest Sanskrit mantra, Om, cannot be translated.

If we slowly pronounce it A - U - M, lengthening the 'M', it induces a peaceful, insightful state of mind.

Theravada Buddhism doesn't use mantras much. However, some of the forest tradition masters recommend using the word Buddho to help in the beginning stages of concentration: thinking 'Buddh' while inhaling and 'dho' while exhaling.

And this is the key.

We aren't used to watch our breath and soon our mind runs away like a crazy monkey. Associating words with each in and out breath helps us to keep focused.

Ajaan Maha Boowa said that he spent several days repeating Buddho in every waking moment. And he didn't sleep much...

Aren't the Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary mantras, especially when concatenated in a rosary? The four largest religions in the world, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, all use prayer beads.

If, like me, you have trouble concentrating, especially at the beginning of a meditation session, use a mantra. Only two conditions: it must be meaningful to your heart and it must have an even number of syllables (or just one - OM) so that you can sync it with your breath.

Some of the mantras that I use are

OM

BUDDHO

OM NAMO BUDDHAYA

OM MANI PADME HUM

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

So, why not

MARY

or

YAHWEH

or

ALLAH

?