Mantra has become a widely used word in popular culture. The internet defines it as everything from a “mystical formula of invocation”, “a word or sound that is believed to have special spiritual power”, and even “a sacred utterance”. All of those are true in my opinion. When it comes to being pregnancy you NEED to have a strong sense of self awareness and mantras can help you achieve that.
The mantra is silent and has no meaning so that the mind isn’t focused on any particular quality or outcome. It is simply a vehicle that helps you access heightened levels of awareness.
Tris Thorp – chopra.com
There are many ways to prepare your mind for the metamorphosis that’s already taking place on a cellular level . One is to recruit a phrase, mantra or affirmation until it is a known fully in your being.
During this time every woman goes through some kind of panic or anxiety about seemingly every little thing. Mine has been the amount of dust in the window crevices that are damn near impossible to clean!
Staying grounded can seem just as impossible as those tiny cracks in the window sill. Having a tool to come back to a remind yourself of your power, capability, and role in this process can be as valuable as an epidural. I know it was for me and I had an unmedicated first birth!
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Traditional Mantras
These stay in line with many traditional mantras that are still used today in the Hinduism religion. I sometimes enjoy these more because I love language and the sound of the vibrational tone that happens with chanting these (aloud) resonates deeply. This particular type of mantra is also very helpful with other tools such as mala beads or yoga mudras.
RA MA DA SA
Here’s a wonderful translation from the 3HO Foundations site:
“Ra is the energy of the Sun: strong, bright and hot. It energizes and purifies.
Ma is the energy of the moon: receptive, cool, and nurturing.
Da is the energy of Earth: secure and personal. It is the ground of action.
Sa is the impersonal Infinity. The cosmos in all of its dimensions, openness, expansiveness and totality is Sa“
At one point in my second pregnancy I woke up from a dream with this chant on repeat in my head. I don’t remember if the dream was evenly remotely related but I took that as a clear sign to integrate it into my life.
AUM MANI PADME HUM
This is by far one of my favorite mantras which I have used for many years, even prior to being married. This roughly translates to “Be the jewel in the lotus”. There is a much more in depth translation and if you feel called to these six syllables I highly recommend learning more about them!
For me this is a perfect metaphor of birthing a new human into the world whether you birth from the uterus or from your belly, life has arrived earth side! I loved hearing this in my head while pushing because I felt like the lotus and my baby was the jewel. Its also just so poetic when we view ourselves in the same realm as nature. After all that’s exactly what we are!
SA TA NA MA
I actually used this mantra A LOT during my postpartum days. I dove into the ways of kundalini yoga and found this mantra sooooo useful at those times of stress and despair. These syllables describe the infinite cycles of life, death, and rebirth. Perfect for the pregnancy mantras round up right?!
New Age Mantras
I have everything I need– This was stemmed from a song, yes, but that’s what I love about it. It rings so true though, because you DO have everything you need! In the song, it sort of plays out as an anthem/mantra that has few lyrics but its a spot on poem for this time in life. Music has always been an immense healing agent for me so its only appropriate that songs act as mantras for my pregnancy as well.
I am bountiful, blissful, and beautiful– Another song, yes yes! This is a straight up mantra song. I do a kundalini meditation to this song and it quickly was added to my labor playlist because of its soft, gentle tones and the phrase itself allows me to remember that I am all of those things, just as you are too!
My body knows exactly what to do– Not a song this time (PHEW!). However, this one I had my husband repeat to me every so often when I was in active labor so that I could recall my senses and allow my body move through this without my mind interfering too much.
In and through the body, in out, in out– Last song I promise! Like I said, I’m a big music junkie so what can you do but share! This isn’t the actual title of the song and the ‘in outs’ I added because that’s what labor and pregnancy is all about. Breathing in, breathing out. Baby is in, then baby is out. Its all in and through the body.
What sort of phrases or mantras helped through your pregnancy and labor? Was it more traditional or new age, perhaps scriptural? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
As always thanks for stopping by!
In gratitude, Tayler
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