How Mantras Work: Using Sanskrit Mantra Therapy for Practical & Spiritual Growth

Sanskrit Mantras are sound formulas that echo the language of Creation, ranging from single-syllable “seed sounds” to more extensive, lengthy compilations of sounds designed to have specific effects. We have been told that “In the beginning there was The Word…” and the scriptures from many world religions testify that sound was the originating manifestation of the Universe as we know it. y world religions testify that sound was the originating manifestation of the Universe as we know it. This "Word" can be understood as Sanskrit, and delving into Sanskrit mantra is ultimately a process of understanding Creation itself. However, the less subtle layers of this sacred language can also serve those of us with more practical concerns.

The word “mantra” can be translated as “that which sets free from the ordinary mind.” The regular use of Sanskrit mantra helps us to transcend the ordinary faculty of the mind and its limited scope, helping us access illumined intellect, the storehouse of our soul’s wisdom and powerful creative energy, and eventually awaken enlightened consciousness.

Because Sanskrit mantra is an energy-based language of light, it works whether you fully understand it or not. Many mantras are untranslatable, and the translations that do exist are subjectively drawn sketches of a deeper meaning that supersedes our ability to convey it with the English language.

The best way to understand a mantra is to work with it. Each mantra has a direct, specific effect on the chakra system. (In fact, the 50 seed sounds of the Sanskrit alphabet correspond with the 50 petals of our chakra system.) As the mantra formulae are intoned, the petals on the chakras vibrate in sympathetic response and the bridge to healing, from the gross physical level to the eternal cosmic consciousness, is awakened. More simply put, the mantra creates a forcefield of such positive energy that you cannot help but be affected positively.

There are powerful mantras that address every possible area of personal growth, and every possible dilemma of the human condition. The “seers” of these mantras were sages with profound understanding of human evolution, and they set out the mantras like a trail of stars for us to follow Home.

Each issue that we face, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, brings our attention to something that we do not yet understand. The learning process (aka “healing”) can take days, months, years, or lifetimes, depending on the depth of the lesson. Working with the Sanskrit mantra for a particular issue links our awareness to its root in cosmic consciousness, ultimately transcending space and time to access the pure knowing that is inherent to our own higher nature. Through this knowledge, we are empowered to unravel our personal knots and unleash the dormant creative power that had been trapped inside.

Working with a personal mantra for practical or spiritual intentions is like releasing an arrow straight to the core of the matter. It puts your destiny of soul evolution within reach, and your empowerment only as far away as the tip of your tongue.

It’s generally advised that you learn mantras directly from a teacher, rather than from a book. Since there are millions of mantras, it’s also important to choose your mantras wisely depending on the result you’re intending. Are you wanting the mantra purely for spiritual growth? Then one of the great liberation mantras such as the Gayatri, “Om Mani Padme Hum,” or “Om Namah Shivaya,” could resonate with you. Are you wanting a mantra for a more practical issue? Then one of many more focused formulae could be better; the well-known “Om Gum Ganapatayei Namaha” is great for transcending obstacles of all kinds. Regardless of how you learn or which of the great mantras you practice, you are treading a well-worn path in the company of many illumined souls.