Introduction

Transcendental Meditation (TM) was created by a Hindu monk known as Guru Dev and brought over to the Western world in the 1950s by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, one of Guru Dev’s followers.¹ Since then, research has been done on TM and its ability to alleviate symptoms of conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and cardiovascular disease.^2,3,4 The practice of TM involves silently repeating a “mantra” in your head, for around 15-20 minutes, twice a day. The word mantra originates from the Sanskrit language and can be broken down into “man” (meaning mind) and “tra” (meaning tool). Therefore, the literal translation into English can be thought of as a “tool of the mind”. In order to be able to practice TM and get the most from its health benefits, the individual must be taught by a certified teacher who assigns the individual a personal mantra after careful consideration.

Understanding mantras in transcendental meditation

The mantra is an integral part of ™; it is what enables the practitioner to access the required state of mind that is thought to enable deep relaxation and stress relief. It is a phrase or sound that can vary in length and does not hold any literal meaning. This is so that there is no cognitive engagement whilst it is being chanted, allowing the person to remain thoughtless during meditation. Mantras are assigned to those initiating TM by teachers who tailor them to the individual depending on factors such as their age, mental state and the sound vibrations that the mantras form. It is the vibrations from the mantra used that prevent the mind from wandering and allow people to enter a meditative state. 

Meaning and origin of mantras

Mantras stem from the Vedic religion, the first branch of Hinduism whose origins date back to around 1500-1200 BCE.⁵ This religion is based on beliefs from ancient Indian texts called the Vedas, which are texts in which the first early forms of mantras were seen. Throughout time, mantras have been developed through the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain religions. In this context, mantras are used to provide spiritual safety and enlightenment and allow for meditative practices. In TM, the mantras do not hold any religious meaning and are used simply for their ability to focus the mind. 

The science behind mantra chanting

There are many papers published in scientific journals that investigate meditative practices and mantra chanting, and their effects on stress levels and brain function. Using electroencephalogram (EEG) testing to monitor the electrical activity in the brain, mantra chanting has been seen to promote brain waves associated with relaxation and reasoning.⁶ One study found that TM practice helped college students develop healthier stress responses over time.⁷ 

Another beneficial mechanism of mantra chanting is by promoting the activation of certain brain regions. Meditation has been seen to improve brain functions associated with the prefrontal cortex region of the brain, such as memory, attention span and cognitive ability.⁸ The overall scientific narrative promotes meditative practices and associates them with healthy outcomes. However, most of the scientific data available often uses small sample sizes and is not based on generalised populations. Therefore, caution needs to be taken when reading sweeping statements labelling TM as a life-changing cure to stress and anxiety. However, in combination with healthy lifestyle choices and with an open mindset that it may not work for everyone, there is little downside or risk to giving it a try. 

The role of mantras in transcendental meditation

When practising TM, the mantra acts as a vehicle to enter the meditative state that many have found to be very beneficial for their mental health. By sitting in a comfortable position in a place with no loud sounds or distractions, silently repeating the mantra for up to 20 minutes allows the mind to enter a trance-like state. Practising this consistently is what has been shown to gradually reprogram the brain, improving stress responses, sleep and mental clarity.⁹ It is thought that this occurs through the regulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which activates the body’s ‘rest and digest’ mode, as opposed to “fight or flight” mode.¹⁰ This has been linked to health benefits such as lower blood pressure.¹¹ 

Selection of personalised mantras

Each mantra is associated with certain vibrational patterns, and these will have been carefully considered by the teacher when assigning a mantra to a student. The vibrations must align with the characteristics of the individual who will be chanting them. The teacher will assess and assign a mantra based on the person's age, gender and the state of their current mental and physical health. This will aid in the alignment of the mantra to the individual's unique nervous system and brain makeup, to ensure maximum efficiency. 

Once selected, it is recommended that the mantra is not shared with anyone, so that no associations can be made to anything external when chanting is occurring. This is also why the mantras should hold no spiritual or religious meaning or association. Without proper understanding and knowledge of the meaning behind a mantra, chanting them can be deemed as misusing them and disrespecting the culture or religion that they stem from. 

Summary

Transcendental meditation is used across the world as a way to help reduce stress, improve sleep, and increase motivation and mental clarity. Mantras are a crucial part of TM, as they act as the vehicle for the mind to enter a meditative state. Making a habit of silently repeating a carefully selected mantra for periods of around 20 minutes once or twice a day has been linked to various health benefits in many studies. These studies use brain scanning techniques and measure hormone levels to assess the direct effects that TM has on people's mental and physical states. As it stands, most studies are assessing the effects of TM on specific populations, such as college students and healthcare workers, people who tend to be under more stress than the average person. This may lead to slightly unreliable results, and further studies on more general populations would be useful when trying to quantify the benefits of TM.