Criteria of successful meditation practice, Mantra Meditation

Criteria of successful meditation practice

The criteria of successful meditation practice are understood both in terms of the successful practice of a specific technique (i.e., is the technique being practiced properly) and in terms of achieving the aim of the meditation practice (e.g., has practice led to reduced stress, calmness of mind, or spiritual enlightenment).

 Five broad categories of meditation practices were identified in the scientific literature: mantra meditation (comprising Transcendental Meditation® [TM®], Relaxation Response [RR], and Clinically Standardized Meditation [CSM]), mindfulness meditation (comprising Vipassana, Zen Buddhist meditation, Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction [MBSR], and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy [MBCT]), Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong. These broad categories were used for descriptive purposes throughout the report to address the key research questions.

Mantra Meditation

The distinctive characteristic of the meditation practices included in this category is the use of a mantra. A mantra is a word or phrase repeated aloud or silently and used to focus attention. A mantra often has a smooth sound, for example, the mantras “OM” or “MU.”

74 It is thought that these sounds produce vibrations that have different effects on people, and these vibrations can be described qualitatively or quantitatively.62, 75

The three mantra meditation practices described below consist of standardized techniques; that is, the techniques have been described systematically in manuals and are relatively invariant wherever, whenever, and by whom ever they are taught. 23