A popular option is, “May I be happy. May I be well. May I be safe. May I be peaceful and at ease. ” after repeating this phrase once, replace “I” with “you. ”[3] X Research source You can also use a phrase like, “I will be happy, I am loved, I am loving,” or something like that to reinforce positive feelings.
You can write your own chant if you prefer. There are no hard rules here, so do whatever makes the most sense to you. For example, you can use a set of lines from a song or poem that you find meaningful. Lines like “Success is a failure turned inside out,” from Edgar Guest’s poem, “Don’t Quit” can make for a great chant.
There are dozens of popular Hindu chants. The most popular is “Om,” which represents the universal sound of God and reality. Other popular options include “Om shanti, shanti, Shanti,” (I am peace, peace, peace), and “Om Namah Shivaya,” (I bow to Lord Shiva). [6] X Research source Popular Christian options include “Praise God through whom all blessings flow…” “Ave Maria,” and, “Tantum ergo sacramentum,” which is sung in Latin. [7] X Research source The most popular Buddhist chant is “Om Mani Padme Hum,” which translates to “Hail to the jewel in the lotus. ” Other popular options include “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” (Glory to the Dharma of the lotus sutra), and “Amitabha” (remember the Buddha). [8] X Research source There are popular chants in basically every religious tradition. From the Jewish act of cantillation, to the Islamic Dhikr, feel free to browse around your religious texts or ask your local religious leader if there’s a popular chant that’s right for you.
If you’re just starting out, feel free to just read your chant off of a piece of paper until you get a hang of the pronunciation and melody. Many traditional chants and mantras are spoken in the language they were written. Since it’s unlikely that you speak Sanskrit or ecclesiastical Latin, look the pronunciation up. There’s nothing wrong with chanting a translation of a mantra in your native tongue. If something brings you peace or makes you feel closer to whatever God you worship, do it!
You can always set a timer to chant for a predetermined period of time if you prefer. Just set a timer and chant until it goes off. For many people, the loud beep or alarm at the end of a peaceful chanting period is pretty disruptive, though. You can buy a meditation mala online or at any local holistic healing shop. You can use a rosary instead of a meditation mala if you’re Christian or you simply prefer to do so.
A meditation mala typically has 108 beads on it. If you plan on using a meditation mala, choose a multiple of 108 so that you know you’re done when you’ve gone through the mala a set number of times. If you’re going to use a rosary, select a multiple of 10.
You can use any melody you’d like. Once you settle into a rhythm with a melody, focus on repeating the same pattern over and over. For example, if you’re chanting “om”, you may hold the “o” sound and slowly taper down into the “m. ” If the word “shanti” comes next, you may chant it “sha-” and hold the first a for a moment before pronouncing “-ti” and holding the “i. ”[13] X Research source Many people prefer chanting silently because it’s easier to focus on the meaning of the words. If you don’t like chanting out loud or you’re chanting in a public space, feel free to chant in your head. [14] X Research source Chanting silently for 3-5 minutes before a big meeting, test, or interview is a great way to put yourself in a positive headspace.
The first few times you chant, you may feel deeply awkward and you may struggle to get much out of it. Just stick with it. Eventually the practice will become deeply rewarding!
You can chant before your morning drink or shower if you prefer. It’s really entirely up to you!
