An excerpt from Quieting the Monkey Mind: How to Meditate with Music
Many years ago, I was dealing with some health issues. I had hearing loss in my right ear, and I was having bouts of dizziness and nausea that were very debilitating. These episodes went on for a year or so. I did all the medical diagnostics, yet no one could tell me what was wrong. I was under a lot of stress at the time, but with no medical answers, I realized I had to figure it out for myself.
I slowed down my work schedule and improved my diet, but nothing seemed to alleviate my symptoms. In the process of trying to figure out my situation, I read a couple of books on the power of the mind and its role in making us sick or making us well. I knew there was something going on in my mind that was contributing to my ailments. Another thing I did was to sign up for several toning workshops offered by sound healing pioneer Don Campbell. I thought working on my hearing issue from the inside might help, and I knew that toning created vibrations in the head itself so perhaps it could vibrate my hearing back.
One of the books I read asked the questions, “Are you singing every day? Are you feeling joy?” Pondering these questions, I realized that I was too busy worrying about my business and trying to fix everything. On top of that, I was swamped with a slew of self-deprecating thoughts.
Something had to change.
I decided to create a mantra for myself that dealt with my own issues. For many years, my husband Dean and I had been using the Green Tara Mantra we had learned from the Dalai Lama, and we had really appreciated its centering effects. But now I needed something in English that spoke to my issues. I needed to clear the cobwebs of self-judgment and worry from my mind. I wanted to open my heart to love and let go of judgments about myself and others. In essence, I wanted to feel well again. In fact, I wanted the whole world to feel well!
The mantra I came up with was this: “Clear my mind. Open my heart. Heal my body. Heal my world.”
I added a little melody to it and would sing it as often as possible. I went for walks in the woods while singing it. I also praised the trees, the birds, the air, and even the people I passed along the trail. After singing my mantra for a week to 10 days, I noticed that my dizzy spells had gone away and not returned. In fact, they were completely vanquished after nearly a year of tormenting me. A few months later, I noticed that my hearing was starting to improve and now years later my hearing is still much improved. To me it was a miracle, and I attribute my healing to singing my mantra!
This sort of mantra is like a “spiritual jingle,” the kind you wouldn’t mind replaying over and over in your mind, because its message is for the purpose of healing. If we can heal ourselves, then it is only natural that we can also heal our relationships and the world around us. This was my personal prayer, and I knew I had to begin with my own priority project — my mind!
Your Personal Mantra
You can also create a personal mantra that speaks to your soul and sings to your heart. It can be a prayer, an affirmation, a simple song, or just two or three words. It can affirm what you want to empower in your life. It can invoke the support that you want on your journey.
If you want more peace in your life, you could say, “I am peace.” If you want more love in your life, you could say, “I give and receive love” or “Love flows to me and through me.” Remember to keep it short and sweet and easy to repeat. It should also be positive and in the present tense.