In the last Post...

we talked about how MANTRA is Magic for calming an overactive mind

(check the blog post HERE if you missed it)

Now, lets look at the BEST way to learn mantras & enhance their impact on the Brain & Nervous system

MUSIC!

+ my FAVORITE Mantra Song to Calm & Focus

In order to remember something...

To make it STICK in the brain

we need practice (aka utilize neuroplasticity)

& when we practice with an element of fun or enjoyment...

The brain learns FASTER & remembers longer (amazing, I know!)

Why Music Helps Us Learn (and Feel!) Mantra

Let’s be honest—memorizing mantras by rote can feel like cramming for a quiz you didn’t sign up for.

But the moment you sing them? Everything changes.

When we hear mantras set to rhythm and melody, we naturally remember them more easily.

Our brains love patterns. Add repetition, melody, and emotion, and suddenly you’re humming sacred sounds without even trying.

This is how I learned every mantra I know & practice!

Mantra = A Workout for Your Mind-Body Connection

Singing mantra out loud in a kirtan style does more than help you remember syllables. You are working with BREATH, using your VOICE and the vibration activates your vagus nerve, which is like the body's built-in relaxation switch.

When the vagus nerve is stimulated (especially by chanting, humming, or singing), it tells the nervous system:

Hey, it's safe to relax now.

Just think...you would not be humming or singing if you were hiding from a hungry tiger...we only do these things in times of SAFETY so it is a strong indicator to your nervous system that you can relax :)

Mantra + Music = Laser Focus

If you struggle with mental fog or overthinking, mantra chanting with music can give your brain something specific to focus on.

Chanting gives your thoughts a rhythm and direction.

And over time, that repetition carves out new neural grooves—making it easier to return to clarity and calm, again and again.

We PRACTICE so we know the way back to relaxation- just the same way you learn to drive to a new destination.

You Don’t Have to Be a “Good” Singer (Thank goodness!)

Chanting is not about performance.

It’s about PRACTICE...just as you are

It is not about sounding good, it is about connection

Using the BREATH, Feeling the POWER of your voice

Teaching your nervous system how to shift back into a relaxation response

Go ahead...Put on your favorite mantra playlist,

sing along in the car,

hum in the shower,

or come to a group chant—

even quietly mouthing the words affects your nervous system and mind.

Remember- when you do VIRTUAL practice with me- you are muted...so chant as loud and off key as you like, you wont bother anyone!

In Short…

• Music makes mantra stick in your brain...you might just find yourself singing it later in the day without even realizing it
• Chanting regulates your nervous system & sends happy signals to the Vagus Nerve (the main channel of relaxation)
• Chanting (out loud or in the mind) improves focus and reduces mental chatter.
• You don’t have to “do it perfectly” to feel the benefits.

The next time the mind feels scattered, worried or just wont focus

Play your favorite mantra music for a few minutes

Sing along, Humm along or just let the soothing sounds vibrate in the mind

Notice how you feel afterwards.

Just like all nervous system training...practice makes the pattern STRONGER

The more often you associate RELAXATION with a specific song, the stronger your relaxation response will be, as soon as you hear that song!

Music + Mantra really is MAGIC for the Nervous System

My Favorite Mantra Song:

Check out my personal favorite: AAd Guray Nameh on Spotify by Jai Jagdeesh

And join us for our Sunday Evening THERAPTUTIC Meditation Practice to learn a new mantra each week

Take good care of yourself!

(no one can do it for you)

-Laura

Laura Goellner

Focused Wellness Therapeutics, LLC

Occupational Therapist

Yoga Therapist

www.LauraGyoga.com

@LauraGyoga