Yoga Mantras: 4 Affirmations to Set Intentions

Yoga mantras are the vocalization of positive affirmations, prayers, and statements of intention during yoga practice. You can use mantras in an Ashtanga, Vinyasa, or Kundalini yoga class or during an at-home meditation practice to stay focused and gain clarity on the goals you hope to manifest. When reciting a mantra, state or chant the specific word or phrase that helps you tune in and connect with the energy of the universe to attract what you desire.

Manifestation goals aren’t always material in nature, as many practitioners use mantras in hopes of manifesting inner peace and calm. Yoga mantras and the underlying intentions can be anything the practitioner chooses to focus on, from releasing emotional blocks to strengthening emotional well-being. When spoken during various yoga poses, mantras help yogis stay in the present moment while mentally focusing on their intentions.

Mantras serve various purposes, ranging from achieving mental clarity and releasing negative emotions to setting specific material intentions and helping yogis shift their focus to stay grounded in the present moment at all times in their daily life. For example, a yoga teacher may ask a student who struggles with self-consciousness to chant or recite the mantra, “I am enough.” When spoken out loud and combined with yoga poses (asanas) and deep, calming breaths, the yogi starts to train their own brain to believe this statement.

When practiced on a regular basis, mantras promote body positivity, an overall sense of well-being, and inner peace. Mantras serve as helpful life tools to anyone who chooses to use them, not just those who practice yoga, as the phrases, affirmations, and statements spoken always help bring the speaker back to the present moment.

Yoga mantras have connections to the Vedic period in India when practitioners performed sacred rituals of chanting mantras while holding mala beads, or prayer beads. Yogis continue to use these mantras, though some practitioners opt to create their own words and phrasing. Here are some yoga mantras you can use to promote inner peace:

1. 1. “Om.” One of the most well-known mantras, ancient texts state that “om” or “aum” may have been the very first sound of the universe. Practitioners recite this powerful mantra with the intention of improving communication with themselves and others, as well as the universe itself.
2. 2. “Om shanti.” This mantra is a variation on “Om.” While “Om” is about opening oneself to the universe, “shanti” is the Sanskrit word for “peace.” Yoga instructors may utter “om shanti shanti shanti” at the closing of each practice to bring peace into the three levels of existence: physical, spiritual, and mental.
3. 3. “I am grateful.” Reciting this mantra helps yoga students express gratitude for every experience in life, whether positive or negative. Chanting "I am grateful" also allows practitioners to let go of expectations and focus solely on their present situations.
4. 4. “I am a magnet for miracles.” This mantra uses the power of intention and positive thinking to help practitioners raise their vibrations. When repeated on a regular basis during yoga practice and in everyday life, the speaker retrains their consciousness to believe they are in the presence of miracles at all times and fully capable of receiving everything their heart’s desire.

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