The power of mantras
Surfers await the last waves at sunset - Pismo Beach, July 2021
Mental and emotional wellness have been in the spotlight a lot this past year - whether it’s an athlete revealing their interior struggles, a healthcare worker breaking down on live tv or a teen struggling with depression caused by the ill effects of social media. It’s brought an important topic to the surface.
The pandemic and other world events have pushed people’s brains into overdrive, keeping many in a near-constant state of anxiety. The Wall Street Journal even coined the term “doom scrolling” to describe people’s anxious tendency to search for the day’s bad news. Yikes!
At the same time, the WSJ has featured numerous articles on the mental health benefits of spiritual thinking, and the importance of mantras to quiet the mind and relieve tension. As people of faith, we’ve known about the benefits of prayer, mediation and mantras for 2,000+ years, but recent events and our “always on” culture have prompted even the secular media to reconsider these ancient practices.
I’ll admit I’ve done my share of doom scrolling and my mind can easily go down the slippery slope of anxious thinking, but I’m trying to break the habit, and a powerful tool I’m using is to repeat one of my trusty mantras. Here are my top four.
Jesus I trust in You - Taken from the Divine Mercy devotion and St. Faustina, this phrase is simple yet profound. Jesus, I trust in you. I place my entire life in your hands - my past, my present and my future. It’s all yours Lord.
Veni Sancte Spiritus - Come Holy Spirit…Breathe life into my day and fill my soul with peace. Help me to turn everything over to God’s providential care.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner - Known simply as the Jesus Prayer, this mantra is popular in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. It “helps us to focus our mind exclusively on God, [where] we discover a very personal and direct relationship with Him.”
Fill me, feed me, forgive me…and set me free - This mantra popped into my head during adoration and I just love it. Thank you Holy Spirit!
Mantras are an invaluable tool in the Christian toolbelt. They help us counteract the anxious thoughts that threaten to undermine our peace and they refocus our attention on the only One who truly can help us: Almighty God who made heaven and earth! So next time the latest news brings fresh reasons to fret, let’s take a deep breath and repeat this mantra: Jesus I trust in you, Jesus I trust in you, Jesus I trust in you!