Celebrities reveal that chanting mantras works as a de-stressing therapy...

Chant your way to relaxation
Celebrities reveal that chanting mantras works as a de-stressing therapy...
You'd think that anybody in search of holistic relaxation would visit a spa or a gym for a much needed recharge. While that is sure to help, the practice of chanting mantras is a much overlooked technique that provides mental peace and equilibrium. Actor Aarti Chhabria says that sometimes when her body is physically tired, her mind refuses to shut down and races with several different thoughts. "At such times when I can't sleep, I chant Om Nama Shivay and I soon fall asleep chanting." While Aarti is all for spa treatments saying that they help immensely with mental and physical relaxation she says there are other times when she prefers to chant in her room or simply to listen to the sounds of silence and her own breathing. "When I can concentrate on my breath coming in and out, it's a very privileged experience and one that too few people indulge in," she says. Actor Tisca Chopra feels that the main function of chanting is to help cleanse the mind of negative emotions and consequently equip one with a sense of control. "Chanting clears the unnecessary clutter of modern living and makes me the master of my mind," says Tisca. The actor feels that relaxation is just one of the by-products of her chanting, the others being that it equips her with a sense of right perspective on her life while also filling her with radiant positive energy. Singer Anaida chants both the Buddhist Nam Myoho Renge Kyo mantra and the Hindu mool mantra for situations that either require healing or make her connect to her higher self. "They're relaxing because one is emptying one's mind of clutter and filling it with positive vibrations. I not only feel relaxed but also energised by chanting these two mantras," she says. Anaida who also practises group chanting with Buddhist believers says that it is a more effective technique when one wants to send across healing energies; while solo chanting is more effective when she wants clarity on her own life.