The Healing Power of Mantras & Intentional Sound
In this closing chapter of our March series, we explore the transformative power of mantra—how simple sounds and repeated affirmations can reshape your mindset, regulate your nervous system, and awaken a deeper, more authentic self-expression.
We dive into the origins of mantra in ancient traditions, its connection to meditation and energy healing, and how you can integrate mantra into your daily life to create lasting emotional resilience. From understanding how repetition physically rewires the brain to practical exercises that shift your inner dialogue, this episode gives you tools to use your voice as a source of healing and empowerment.
Whether you're looking for more confidence, inner peace, or creative flow, this is a powerful foundation for making your voice your greatest ally.
✨ Episode Highlights:
🔹 What is a mantra—and how it differs from prayer
🔹 How repetition rewires the brain and anchors new beliefs
🔹 The link between sound, energy, and emotional healing
🔹 Personal stories about using mantra to overcome self-doubt
🔹 Practical ways to integrate mantras into daily life and music practice
💡 Takeaways:
🌟 Your words have the power to heal or harm—choose them with love
🌀 Repetition creates new neural pathways and emotional resilience
🎶 Music, meditation, and mantra work hand-in-hand to awaken expression
🌿 Growth begins with self-awareness and intentional practice
- 📝 Mantra work is a daily devotion to your highest, most authentic self
Transcript
Welcome back to Music is My Mantra.
Speaker A:This is episode 12 where we are going to wrap up this mini series of March episodes which is all about awaken your expression.
Speaker A:Today we're going to talk all about mantra and intention.
Speaker A:What if a simple phrase or sound could change the way that you feel all day long?
Speaker A:We're going to dive into repetition.
Speaker A:Mantra.
Speaker A:What is it and why?
Speaker A:Using this intentional type of phrase or sound can help you in your day to day life as you dive deeper into wanting to express yourself in a more authentically you kind of way.
Speaker A:Mantra is a sound or a phrase that traditionally comes from the Vedic tradition in Buddhism and more of the Eastern cultures.
Speaker A:By chanting a sound like a beach mantra, Om, for example, you can connect to something greater than yourself.
Speaker A:You can connect to the higher consciousness, to the universe.
Speaker A:Repeating these sounds can help focus the mind, which then can help the body or the nervous system to heal.
Speaker A:Mantra is kind of like a prayer out into the universe, but it is based on repetition, whereas prayer is typically.
Speaker A:It could be also in repetition, but it's not necessarily always in repetition.
Speaker A:It could be asking for something specific or praying for guidance or worshiping or something like that.
Speaker A:The term mantra, like I said, originated in the Vedic text.
Speaker A:It's part of a integral ritual when it comes to meditation.
Speaker A:For example, if you've ever heard of TM or Transcendental Meditation, this is where you actually are given a mantra.
Speaker A:It's like your life mantra that you, oh, you don't share with anyone and you just think about it, meditate it on it for forever.
Speaker A:If you go to a different style of meditation or if you go to a different practice of Buddhism, then they'll have different mantras.
Speaker A:Some are based on sound like the beach mantras, some are actually Sanskrit words that have a lot more specific meaning, but they are similar to prayers in that regard, where sometimes you are meditating on a prayer.
Speaker A:So I'll give you a personal example.
Speaker A:I didn't grow up Catholic.
Speaker A:I grew up in a Lutheran church, so we never used the rosary.
Speaker A:However, when I got into Buddhism, we had prayer beads.
Speaker A:And furthering my practice with yoga, I learned about mala beads, which are prayer beads.
Speaker A:It's a specific type of prayer beads and there's 108 beads on this necklace, whereas the rosary has 59.
Speaker A:You can't compare them one for one, but essentially when you move from bead to bead, you are saying a mantra or you're saying a prayer and you're thinking about something.
Speaker A:I'd say the main difference is that With Catholicism and the rosary, there's a lot more intention and symbolism within sections of the rosary.
Speaker A:Whereas malabeads, I was taught that you just use the entire necklace to really integrate one single intention or mantra or affirmation.
Speaker A:So, for example, mine was I am enough.
Speaker A:This was a really powerful transition for me because I came from a broken home and I always believed that I wasn't good enough.
Speaker A:I didn't have enough time, I didn't.
Speaker A:I didn't have enough money.
Speaker A:I wasn't enough.
Speaker A:By changing the narrative in my mind that my brain would always find default patterns of finding me, not having or being enough, I would take time to intentionally say, I am enough with these molla beads.
Speaker A:And slowly but surely this mantra would come up so I could identify where my mind was starting to stray and come back to my awareness and change the narrative from I don't have enough, I am not enough, to I am enough.
Speaker A:And when you start to think about negative things or tell yourself negative things about yourself, you get into this negative spiral.
Speaker A:So by noticing when you start to go there and changing the voice inside your head to something positive, you can totally change your life that way.
Speaker A:For me, a mantra is something that you have to have intention with because you do come back to it.
Speaker A:But it's also one of those things, like music, where if you practice it enough, it becomes second nature that you're able to switch from one way of thinking to the other because you've practiced into this new way of thinking.
Speaker A:And scientifically speaking, you're literally making new brain systems, synapses, new connections in the brain.
Speaker A:When you start to practice these positive affirmations.
Speaker A:I believe I've mentioned it in one of the past episodes, but positive affirmations don't always work.
Speaker A:If you put, you know, I want a Ferrari on your fridge, I deserve a Ferrari.
Speaker A:I now drive a Ferrari.
Speaker A:Like, something like that.
Speaker A:You, you might get the Ferrari one day, but you have to start with recognizing your mind and the beliefs that you already have so that you can shift them into the beliefs and becoming the person that you want to be to then be able to get and drive the Ferrari.
Speaker A:For example, I am enough.
Speaker A:If I don't believe that down to my core, then I will never be enough or have enough to buy a Ferrari.
Speaker A:There's lots of nuances and steps into it, and I think the easiest place to start is, how do you talk to yourself?
Speaker A:How do you talk about yourself to yourself?
Speaker A:You know, we all have this inner voice, this inner monologue that is going on and on.
Speaker A:And if you're anything like me, it's very critical and it can be very judgmental.
Speaker A:That's about myself and everyone around me.
Speaker A:Recently, I've been more aware of how I'm judging other people.
Speaker A:And it's.
Speaker A:I could look at it and just say, oh, it's just a passing thought.
Speaker A:Or I could say, that's not very nice.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:I don't need to think that.
Speaker A:I can let that go and I can say something positive about that person.
Speaker A:Intention and mantra are very connected.
Speaker A:And when I started doing the belief work that I am enough, it wasn't easy all of the time.
Speaker A:At the last.
Speaker A:The last episode that I did in February, I talk all about self love and mirror work.
Speaker A:Mirror work is something where you are saying these affirmations to yourself in the mirror.
Speaker A:So mantra is used in that type of mirror work.
Speaker A:But mantra doesn't have to be used with a mirror.
Speaker A:It can be used in meditation.
Speaker A:It can be used in song.
Speaker A:It can be used just in many different ways.
Speaker A:I like using it in song because for me, it's something that I can come back to and I can incorporate with joy.
Speaker A:When I put joy into these words and thoughts and beliefs, for me, it actually speeds up the process of embodying that belief faster than if I were to just say it with no emotion.
Speaker A:If you have a judgment that comes up, whether that's about yourself or somebody else, see if you can catch it and change the narrative instead of just even watching it.
Speaker A:A lot of meditation teachers will practice, just watch your thoughts, be aware of them.
Speaker A:But we're not actually creating anything different at that point.
Speaker A:We're just, you know, awareness is definitely the first step.
Speaker A:But to change the narrative is where the real work is so that we can start to believe the narrative, the new narrative.
Speaker A:We can become the new narrative about ourselves.
Speaker A:So part of saying something over and over again is that our brain actually begins to memorize it.
Speaker A:That connection becomes stronger and stronger the more that you practice it, where eventually that connection in your brain becomes stronger than the default connection, which is always going to be the negative belief or spiral, because that's our own ego trying to protect us.
Speaker A:So when we use the mantra, whether we're speaking it or we're singing it, when we're using it in repetition, there's four different ways that it can affect the body.
Speaker A:One is that the sound itself can find resonance within our own organs, and it actually, on a molecular level, can affect the organs to potentially increase circulation, decrease inflammation, and promote healing.
Speaker A:At a Microscopic level.
Speaker A:How cool is that?
Speaker A:There's also your energetic field and the idea of the chakras, as well as your nervous system.
Speaker A:So when you are repeating something with a very positive intention, your nervous system can start to trust in that intention because it's being fed it over and over and over again.
Speaker A:So it's like it's.
Speaker A:It relaxes your nervous system to work on memorizing this new phrase.
Speaker A:So for instance, especially with sound, we have rhythm.
Speaker A:If you have a melodic, soothing rhythm and sound, that can help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which can help you to relax.
Speaker A:Obviously, with sound and any kind of vibration, if it's too much, if you might get a little blown out, right?
Speaker A:Like if you are listening to really intense or heavy music and too much, that could actually wear you out or make the body more dysregulated, in which case you could be more angry or something.
Speaker A:So music has the ability to do both.
Speaker A:We can become more angry, we can get amped up, or we can cool it down, relax, reset, regulate.
Speaker A:And this is how energy works as well.
Speaker A:So if you have.
Speaker A:If your field is not fully balanced, let's just say, or if there's blocks or there's areas of your chakras that are slightly more congested, then music can help to regulate and disperse the energy.
Speaker A:It can clear blockages, it can help things flow, it can allow for your life force to move smoothly and help to recalculate your whole body's ecosystem.
Speaker A:So there's a ton of studies out there about this music healing and how music helps with depression and how it can help with not feeling so lonely.
Speaker A:And it all comes down to the discernment that we choose to have for ourselves, which is why self awareness is so important.
Speaker A:Everything begins with self awareness so that we can know ourself, so that we can sort of choose the medicine that we need when it comes to sound healing or music therapy.
Speaker A:We can express ourselves, we can express our different emotions, or we can strive to be better at making beautiful sound instead of just chaotic sound.
Speaker A:You know, there's no right or wrong way.
Speaker A:It just is listening to your body and seeing how you evolve over time with music.
Speaker A:So to give you a little bit of an exercise to take away, we're gonna do a quick three to five minute meditation where you can choose your own personal mantra.
Speaker A:Every time that you start to get stuck, we're going to do some deep breaths and then I'll have you think about a personal mantra.
Speaker A:And then I want you to Go ahead and write that down.
Speaker A:Write it on a piece of paper, write it on a sticky note, write it on your mirror.
Speaker A:So someplace that you see this often, more often than not.
Speaker A:And if you do have beads of any kind or little stones or decorations in your house that you can use, I would highly recommend using something visual to be able to sit down and stare at and repeat the mantra over and over.
Speaker A:Because it is just a good to have a visual or to have the mala beads where you're saying it over and over again.
Speaker A:Or if you have an instrument like guitar, for example, if you find a riff, just a few notes and then you just kind of repeat this or the, the mantra over and over again.
Speaker A:All of these ways are ways that we can start to build those brain connections of what that mantra is and what we want to bring in and wire in to our system.
Speaker A:Let's take a deep breath.
Speaker A:Exhale.
Speaker A:Inhale.
Speaker A:Exhale three times.
Speaker A:Inhale.
Speaker A:Exhade.
Speaker A:Now, I want you to imagine yourself in a year from now.
Speaker A:You're not afraid to speak your mind.
Speaker A:You're not afraid to put yourself out there on social media.
Speaker A:You're confident to show up in your friend group and speak what your opinion is, whether or not other people may agree or disagree.
Speaker A:You are confident in telling a story.
Speaker A:You're not afraid to get up on stage and do karaoke, even if you suck.
Speaker A:That's in quotes for my non YouTube listeners.
Speaker A:You are just doing you and making sound and you are happy with who you are.
Speaker A:Now, if there was one mantra that came to mind, if there's one word that can encapsulate this version of you, what is that word?
Speaker A:And it helps.
Speaker A:You know, it might not be you could be.
Speaker A:It could be I am enough.
Speaker A:That's a nice simple one that I feel like we all need to master honestly.
Speaker A:But it could be I am compassionate, I am patient.
Speaker A:I am dedicated.
Speaker A:I am devoted, I am resilient.
Speaker A:Descriptor words are great however you want to say it.
Speaker A:It could be something more tangible as well.
Speaker A:But I really like to use these character traits because I think it's something to strive towards.
Speaker A:So think of your word, think of your affirmation with that word and, and take a minute here to write it down.
Speaker A:If you have your phone, you can write it in your phone notes section.
Speaker A:You could text it to your best friend.
Speaker A:But really this is for you.
Speaker A:So don't worry about sharing it, just write it down somewhere.
Speaker A:And now every day this week, I hope that you can come back to this mantra and Even just for a minute a day, just find a rhythm and start repeating it.
Speaker A:You know, find something visually to reference.
Speaker A:Like, okay, there's three speakers right here.
Speaker A:I am wise.
Speaker A:I am wise.
Speaker A:I am wise.
Speaker A:I am wise.
Speaker A:I am wise.
Speaker A:I am wise.
Speaker A:I am wise.
Speaker A:I am wise.
Speaker A:I am wise.
Speaker A:Something so simple like that.
Speaker A:This repetition process may seem very basic, but everything in life starts with these small steps to turn into something much greater and much more worthwhile.
Speaker A:So a few practical ways that you can use this.
Speaker A:Also in day to day life, when you wake up in the morning, that's a perfect time to use a mantra.
Speaker A:And especially with something like a song.
Speaker A:You could even just take a song that you like and put your mantra into the song.
Speaker A:So sing along to the song, but with your own words of your affirmation.
Speaker A:This is something that the music helps to evoke that emotion.
Speaker A:So again, with the emotion, you'll see results faster than if you were to just say it on repetition with no emotion.
Speaker A:If you are finding that you're having a stressful day or stressful moment, you can step outside and let some of that stress go by speaking your mantra out loud.
Speaker A:And this will help to ground you and it'll help to anchor in this positive trait or characteristic that you want to be as you're in this tricky situation.
Speaker A:Now, if you practice going into these emotions, feeling into these characters, that characteristics that you want to become, when you're in that relaxed state, it'll anchor in even quicker.
Speaker A:That's why first thing in the morning and right before you go to bed are super important.
Speaker A:Because that's when your theta brainwave kicks in.
Speaker A:That is essentially the brainwave that we are stuck in between zero and seven.
Speaker A:That's why we're so impressionable, because that's sort of like the learning brainwave.
Speaker A:When you're your brainwave during the day, it's more of like a doing brainwave for not using technical terms, right.
Speaker A:Whereas you can think of maybe theta brainwave as more of a receiving type of brainwave.
Speaker A:One last way to integrate mantra into your daily life is to create a little personal ritual around sound.
Speaker A:What I like to do is especially as I'm winding down for the day, I turn the lights down, which helps your mind start to relax.
Speaker A:And then I put on some mood lighting.
Speaker A:I might light a candle.
Speaker A:I play my singing bowls for a little bit and I do some breathing, I do some stretching.
Speaker A:And that helps me to get into the space of wanting to sing because then it's like I just feel like I am safe and protected and I might be tired, but I'm already relaxed enough where I'm just releasing whatever else it is that I need to release through sound thank you for listening to our very last episode of our miniseries, Awaken youn Expression.
Speaker A:I hope that you got through all of our episodes this month and you learned so much about yourself, your own nervous system and your personal awareness of such and how music can be an incredible tool to play with and to move your wellness transformation forward.
Speaker A:If you found these episodes interesting but you still want more, check out my Awaken youn Expression journal.
Speaker A:It's the best way to digest these episodes from March and really embody this new self aware version of yourself.
Speaker A:I've got journal prompts.
Speaker A:I even recorded a special meditation that will go in with all five episodes that you'll get with the guided journal.
Speaker A:And if you want something that's a little bit more in real life vibes, then check out my class every Tuesday, Vocal Alchemy, where we create a safe and supportive container to practice singing and to practice using your voice to awaken your expression through sound and to really just learn to better regulate your nervous system so that you can be more confident and find more joy in your life daily.
Speaker A:Thank you so much for listening.
Speaker A:We'll see you next week on Music Is My Mantra.
Speaker A:Until then, stay healthy, wealthy and wise.
Speaker A:Bye.
