Personal Mantras and Oriki
A mantra can be very effective in building self-confidence, but the key is fully believing the idea behind it. I’m also aware that faking it until you make it can be effective as well. So, the more you repeat and own your mantra, the stronger the belief and the stronger the effect.
Here are some tips to get you on your way:
Brainstorm: take a piece of paper and write down the words/ideas you want to immerse yourself in; words that resonate with the best parts of you. Brainstorm, including everything that comes to mind, you can edit the list later. Create sentences or phrases where you can. However, keep the mantra short. Up to 10-15 words.
Start with one word and expand from there: Begin with the word that most clearly describes how you want to live and who you are at your core: ‘Peace.’, ‘Joy.’, ‘Love.’, ‘Faith.’, ‘Brilliant.’, etc.
Keep it in the positive: For example, instead of saying ‘I am not worried,’ say ‘I am peaceful’.
Repeat often: For beginners, it may feel strange and unnatural at first. Just relax and get started. Repeat your words and/or phrases daily – repeat the list several times each morning, afternoon and evening. However, since the ultimate goal of a mantra is to block the world outside, the more you repeat and concentrate on the mantra the further you will dive inside your consciousness. Don’t count; instead aim for a certain amount of time as opposed to a certain number of repetitions.
Incorporate the FEELING into your practice. Repeating the words/phrases without connecting to the feeling will make the experience flat and ineffective. The key is to repeat each item on your list until you FEEL as if you are the very words themselves.
Examples:
‘I am loved’
“Peace surrounds me and my loved ones’
‘Joy’
‘Abundance’
ORIKI – A variation to this is an absolute favorite of mine and a challenge you can share with your closest friends - the West African tradition of Oriki. Oríkì includes both single praise names and long strings of “attributive epithets” that may be chanted in poetic form. According to Yoruba historians, Oriki expresses what a child is or what he or she is hoped to become.
…Here’s mine as an example J
Monet Kristi of the House Farr, First of Her Name. Boss Babe of Brilliance… Mind, Body and Spirit. Strong Sister Souljah. Seeker, Seer and Creator of Light. Queen of Resilience. Hot with Jamaican Spice. Peace at The Core.
Monet Cole