Mantra Yoga

Lesson 34

A mantra is a word or phrase repeated out loud or silently within. It is an instrument of the mind — a focusing tool. It can be hard to get to the present moment sometimes, often because people don’t know exactly where to go. Many yoga teachers will recommend you go back to the breath whenever the mind strays to the past or future, and that is a great idea. The breath is always and forever in the present moment. The same goes for the body, which explains why exercise is also an effective present moment vehicle.

Another effective technique is to choose a mantra. This gives you something to go back to when your mind wanders off. I am not trying to throw any shade here, but you do not need to get a mantra from a magical guru. You do not need to pay $1000 for a mantra. Some of you know what I mean here, and some people I know have paid this much for a mantra. I will not mention the organization and this is not an attack, but it is ludicrous to charge someone that much for a mantra. It clearly says in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali that anything can be used as a mantra — even the word, “hippopotamus”. This is directly from the 39th verse. You can use anything as a mantra. The key is bringing the focus to a single point — in this case, whatever mantra you choose.

What do you choose for a mantra? Some people may opt to go for the classic, “om” — also spelt “aum”. However, I have found that this is typically not the best choice, because it doesn’t mean anything to most people. If you are a hardcore yogi already, the word “om” may be perfect for you because it is rich with meaning. The most important thing is to choose a mantra that you like thinking about. This will make it much easier to focus on. Here are some examples of more modern mantras.

I am building an AI system that will change the world.

I am a pioneer in the realm of AI.

I am pure focus.

I am pure innovation.

I am here and now.

I’m not saying to use one of these, but I am giving you some ideas. Realistically, I can see myself using any of these as a mantra because they are positive thoughts that I would like to focus on. However, ideally you want to create your own. Mantras do not have to be in the “I am” format, or any format. Below, you can see my most common mantra.

Thank you. I love you.

Whenever I get off track, this mantra brings me back and grounds me into the present moment. It isn’t flashy. It is not in Sanskrit. It is simple, but it gets the job done. Also, I am not one that really says the mantra out loud. I say it silently within — to focus the mind. Do whatever works best for you.