Mantra meditation (MM), which involves chanting, shares some mental health benefits with other meditation techniques but also presents unique aspects.
Similarities:
Stress Reduction: Like other meditation practices, MM is effective in relieving stress12. Studies show that practices like Transcendental Meditation (TM) and mantra-based meditation reduce stress and anxiety.
Anxiety Reduction: Mantra meditation can significantly reduce anxiety, similar to other relaxation techniques. Studies have found that regular mantra meditators have lower anxiety scores.
Improved Cognitive Function: MM can enhance cognitive functions, such as awareness and concentration, which aligns with the benefits of general meditation practices.
Mental Health Improvement: Mantra-based meditation (MBM) produces small-to-moderate reductions in mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression, stress, and post-traumatic stress, and improves mental health-related quality of life, similar to other meditation techniques.
Accessibility: Similar to other meditation techniques, chanting is a safe and inexpensive practice that can be easily integrated into daily life1.
Differences & Unique aspects of MM:
Focus on Sound and Intention: MM uses repetitive sounds or phrases to focus the mind. Choosing affirming phrases during mantra meditation guides awareness to intentions, potentially increasing the likelihood of achieving desired outcomes3.
Brain Synchronization: Chanting may synchronize the left and right sides of the brain and promote relaxing alpha brain waves, which might not be emphasized in other meditation forms.
Altered States and Quality of Life: Chanting is associated with cognitive benefits, such as increased mindfulness and decreased mind wandering, which in turn could enhance perceived quality of life.
Neurological Effects: fMRI studies of TM practitioners showed increased blood flow in attention areas of the brain and decreased blood flow in arousal areas, suggesting a unique impact on brain function.
Potential for Mystical Experiences: Chanting can induce altered states of consciousness, potentially leading to mystical experiences and flow states, which may not be as commonly reported in other meditation techniques.
While some studies suggest mantra meditation is more effective for individuals with higher anxiety levels, the overall evidence remains inconclusive1. Some studies have not found significant differences between TM and control groups in reducing anxiety.