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by Joann Milivojevic
INSPIRE YOUR SPIRIT
OM for your mental home
Continuously repeating words or phrases has long been a
practice for religious and spiritual devotees. Studies
show that repeating a mantram (or mantra) pushes the
mental reset button, enabling you to see the world anew.
Whether recited in Sanskrit, English or Swahili,
researchers say that repeating mantras is useful for a
variety reasons.
In 2006, researchers from the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs saw positive results after a five-week
mantra course. “Veterans are well known to have many
chronic physical and mental health symptoms that
interfere with their quality of life and their ability
to live normal everyday lives. Similarly, hospital
employees have high levels of job stress, leading to
decreased job satisfaction and subsequent increases
in health care costs” explains Jill E. Borman, PhD, lead
researcher for the study. About half of the participants
said the mantra habit eased emotional difficulties and
about quarter reported it was useful in reducing traffic
and job-related stress. A primary resource used in the
study was the
Mantram Handbook
by Eknath Easwaran.
As a massage therapist, no doubt you feel the pressures
of time and physical stress. Next time you feel the
tension rise, try repeating a few simple words. In less
than five minutes, you’re likely to find your stress a
thing of the past.
Working Your Mantra
Choose a word or phrase and stick with it. It can be a
Christian prayer, Sanskrit mantra or simply words like
“peace” or “let go.” Breathe as calmly as possible as
you slowly and continuously repeat your mantra. A daily
practice of 15 minutes will make your mantra more
effective. Then when you need it most, your mantra will
be there to quickly restore your equilibrium again. Try
it in traffic, while waiting in line or in between
clients for a quick pick-me-up.
Additional Resources
A study funded by the
National Institutes of Health examined 52 people with
heart disease who practiced transcendental meditation
for four months. Another 51 participants didn’t
meditate, but took classes on controlling heart disease.
Those in the meditation group showed greater
improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar control,
and had less activation of the body’s stress system. The
results were published in the June 12, 2006 issue of the
Archives of Internal Medicine.
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American Massage Therapy Association®
