Im sure you’ve all read about Mantras and Affirmations before. But do you really know how powerful they can be ?

If you don’t know what I’m taking about this the perfect article for you to get stuck into. Below is a brief description of mantras and affirmations along side when to use them, how to use them and why we use them.

What is a mantra?

Mantras are words or sounds, repeated to help with concentration, preparing for meditation.

What is a affirmation?

Affirmations are positive statements said out loud or silently to oneself, about oneself. This is done to overcome any negative thoughts. When the affirmation is truly believed by the speaker, change begins to take place. By repeating the positive affirmation we can reprogram our minds to think and act differently about the situation ahead.

Using Mantras

Mantras are just like chanting and oh children love to chant! What’s even better is the amazing benefits they get out of doing it. It’s a loud, fun and exhilarating experience to be a part of when standing in a room full of people repeating mantras. The repeated sounds created a calming vibration that get deep into your body.

Two examples I’m going to explain to you are great ones to incorporate into you day to day life as a family.

How to OM?

Repeat OM three times. Inhale to prepare, exhale out the sound of OM for the full length of your exhalation.

Pronounced: Open lips aa-uu…. close lips(hum) mm…

We repeat Om three time to represent the past, present and the future.

When to use OM with your family?

Whenever you come together as a family! Chanting together helps to create a beautiful family bond. OM’ing raises individual vibrations and doing this as a group creates a collective vibration, bringing you all together. It is a great way to begin and end your day. 

If your child is dealing with heightened emotions, OM’ing brings deep breaths and an extended exhalation which calms the nervous system. 

OM’ing before studying is also a great habit to get into. Repeating OM improves concentration and focus. It calms and clears the mind ready for receiving information. 

Using OM as a centering tool is also greatly advised. Whenever things are getting out of control and little more mindfulness could be helpful, OM’ing brings awareness back and calms the room also instinctively. The vibrations that are created brings everyone back down to a more centred level. 

OM’ing also defuses conflict between children (and adults). As spoken about already it bring peace back into the room and individual body. 

These are just a few way to incorporate OM into your life. Some children don’t like the idea of chanting aloud and that is absolutely fine. The benefits of repeating OM silently to oneself are still completely the same. So with this in mind, I strongly recommend teaching this life altering tool to your children. Even if you don’t hear them doing it… they are still getting all the benefits.

“Let… it… go…”

This is one of my favourite mantras to repeat with children when they are dealing with conflict, stress or frustration. Or simply, any negative emotion. If one of the children in my class comes to me frustrated, I sit aside with them and tell them the story of the floating balloon.

“Lets begin by filling up our lungs all the way by taking a big inhalation.

Now we’re going to start blowing out as hard as we can to fill up our imaginary balloon. As you do this, I want you to blow all the frustration you might be feeling in your body out into the balloon. Good job!

Now, when your ready and you feel like all of the frustration you were feeling is inside the balloon, let’s tie up.

Hold the balloon high in the sky… and when you’re ready, Let… It… Go.

Repeat after me, Let it go, Let it go, Let it go.

Can you see the balloon floating up into the clouds. Say goodbye to your balloon and all the frustration you were feeling”

When to use Let it go with your family?

The same way I do in class. Whenever a member of your family is feeling a negative emotion that they need help to release. Using this repeated mantra allows the speaker to literally feel those negative emotions leaving their body. The visualisations of a balloon adds to the mantra of release.

Using affirmations

My favourite positive affirmations to share are those that start with “I am”. For children it is key to keep the explanation as simply as possible so that they are able to come up with their own positive affirmations.

Some positive statements starting with I am…

I AM KIND

I AM CARING

I AM GOING TO KEEP TRYING

I AM LOVED

I AM STRONG

I AM A TEAM PLAYER

I AM HAPPY

I AM TRYING MY BEST

I AM GREATFUL

I AM READY FOR WHATS AHEAD

When to use affirmations?

At the beginning of a new task/day. Affirmations are like starting blocks to what is to come. By speaking a affirmation before you start the activity you have already set yourself up with an amazing positive head start.

Mantras are not only used as a calming tool but also as a tool to become your best self. A mantra is a word, phrase of statement repeated frequently. An affirmation is a positive statement spoken to oneself about oneself. At the beginning of each class I ask the children to tell me their personal mantra or affirmation for the day.

How about trying this at home?

In the morning ask each of your family members to decide their mantra or affirmation for the day. Through out the day ask your children to repeat their personal mantra or affirmation aloud or silently to themselves three time.

Today my personal mantra is : Kindness

Using this as an affirmation: I am kind

We use mantras and affirmations as a technique to connect our mind, body and soul. We use this aid to becoming our best self.

You are beautiful!

Namaste,

Ella