In the past few months, I have been working deeply with the mantra Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. This is a Sanskrit mantra that I learned in a yin class and it means:
May all beings everywhere be happy.
May all beings everywhere be free.
May the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all.
I was not ‘given’ this mantra by a guru and I don’t feel like it has any sacred powers because it is my special mantra, but I do think it is a really powerful tool for anyone who is searching for something to repeat. Like any kind of lasting change, the power comes from the repetition of the action. The more that you repeat something, the more it becomes a new habit and the neural pathways or samskaras are formed.
Japa
I’ve been chanting this mantra using my mala beads, breathing in and saying the mantra on the outbreath for each bead. There are 108 beads and it takes me about 15 minutes to work my way around which is the right amount of time for me in my morning routine. This form of meditation is known as japa and can be very calming and great for people who are just starting to meditate and want something to focus on. You can focus on your breathing and the sounds of the words and the movement of your fingers, giving you a few tasks to think about to try and stop the monkey mind. Japa literally means muttering in Sanskrit.
I’m getting there, but my mind still wanders! The good thing is, that where ever my mind wanders, my response is the same- Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. So if I think of regrets from the past, I send the blessings there and bring myself back to the sound of the words. If I think of someone who has wronged me, I send forgiveness to them and also back to my former self. If fears or anxieties arise, I just send the mantra to that situation. It really works for everything.
Beditation
I’ve also found that I can take my mala beads and put them on my bedside table. If I find I wake up with thoughts that threaten to keep me awake, I can reach for my beads and do a ‘beditation’. I just keep sending the blessings of this mantra to whatever thoughts arise. I never make it all the way through the 108 beads before falling back to sleep. It’s way better than counting sheep.
The nice thing about using a Sanskrit mantra is using words that don’t have a familiar meaning to me. This stops me from making it into a cerebral practice, rather than focusing on the meaning, I focus on the sounds of the words. There is said to be power in repeating words that have been polished over the years by billions of repetitions by so many people. Repeating the same words over centuries is common practice to many cultures.
Walking Meditation
I’ve found that I’ve naturally started using the mantra throughout the day as well. It helps to calm my mind, reduce stress and help me get into a more positive mental state if I need it. I simply focus on bringing myself into the present moment by focusing on my breathing, my steps on the ground and the sounds of the mantra as I mentally repeat it in time with my breathing. It’s good to disconnect from the headphones too! No matter what I’m thinking about, this mantra is an excellent response.
As time goes by, I feel as though I’m on a lifelong journey with my mantra as I commit to the discipline of wishing all beings (including myself) happiness and freedom and intending for my thoughts, words and actions to contribute to this happiness and freedom for all.