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How Chanting Mantras Has Positive Effects On The Brain

17 January 2026

How Chanting Mantras Has Positive Effects On The Brain
How Chanting Mantras Has Positive Effects On The Brain

Mantras are devotional chants, well known in yoga, that hold great physical and mental power when vocalized. The word mantra literally means “instrument of thought” and is connected to vibrational waves capable of influencing the body and mind. Simply surrounding yourself with mantra sounds can have a profound effect on your state of being.
Incorporating mantras into daily practice helps you tune into the vibrational energy they create, opening the mind and heart to higher states of awareness.

Reduces stress and calms the nervous system
Chanting mantras activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and creating a sense of calm.
Over time, consistent practice can build emotional resilience, improve sleep quality, and strengthen the mind-body connection—allowing you to live with greater balance and presence.

Creates beneficial vibrational effects
The sound vibrations of a mantra resonate through the body—especially within the skull and chest cavities—stimulating the vagus nerve, which connects the brain to several organs such as the heart, lungs, and intestines.
This nerve begins at the brainstem, travels down the neck, and extends through the thorax into the abdomen, playing a key role in regulating relaxation and internal balance.

Activates brain regions linked to focus and attention
During mantra chanting, areas such as the prefrontal cortex (responsible for concentration) and the hippocampus (associated with memory and learning) become more active.
This stimulation enhances focus, reduces mental noise, and helps quiet the mind.

Mantra to calm the mind

Gayatri Mantra
Text: Om Bhur Bhuvaḥ Swaḥ / Tat Savitur Vareṇyaṃ / Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi / Dhiyo Yo Naḥ Prachodayāt
Meaning: An invocation to the inner sun—asking for clarity, wisdom, and spiritual awakening.

In the yoga and meditation sessions I guide on São Miguel Island, we begin by chanting or softly humming mantras to let go of external distractions and immerse ourselves in the present moment.
Yoga offers countless tools to support this inner journey, bringing deep benefits to the body, mind, and spirit.

When we weave mantras into this process, we create a bridge between inner silence and universal vibration—a simple yet powerful path to cultivate serenity, clarity, and presence.
Chanting mantras is, at its core, a form of sound meditation that awakens awareness and harmonizes the whole being.

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