Is there a Catholic version of Mantra?

[Alex1]

I like the general idea of a mantra, a prayer/thought you keep on your mind (not the new-age version). However, I hate calling it by the Hindu word ‘mantra.’

Is there a Christian or other Western word that corresponds to this?

 

[bpbasilphx]

As I understand the Hindu practice of mantras, one is not supposed to concentrate on the meaning, but the mere sound of them.

This, of course, will induce a state similar to, if not identical with, self-hypnosis. (I’ll leave aside the obvious danger of contantly invoking pagan deities, which the Bibls says are demons.)

The Orthodox practice of hesychasm (and not unknown to other Christians, thank God) is based on an attentive (though repeated) repetition of the Jesus Prayer.

For any advancement in this practice, a spiritual director is essential. Obviously the beginner can be led into self-hypnosis (or worse!) without guidance.

For an introduction, read THE WAY OF A PILGRIM.

 

[DavidMark]

I like the general idea of a mantra, a prayer/thought you keep on your mind (not the new-age version). However, I hate calling it by the Hindu word ‘mantra.’
Is there a Christian or other Western word that corresponds to this?

I realize you’re asking for a Catholic ‘mantra’ but, for us, after we wash our face and hands and seat ourselves, we repeat The Greatest Name, the long-promised New Name
“Alláh -u- Abhá” (God is Most Glorious) 95 times.
When I say it, my heart is turned to the Abhá/Abba Father.
This is the converse of the Tetragrammaton, which was not to be pronounced.
Interestingly, we believe that a new calendar marks the age that has begun.
The first day was the 1rst of Nisan, or 21 March, 1844.
What passes as new age in the popular culture is a mishmash of ancient myths like re-incarnation. Still, I love those people as well, and feel less oppression around them.
Even the Hindus had prophecies about the coming of the 10th or Kalki Avatar, who would unify mankind and establish justice. This is not hard for God.

May you find peace and tranquility…

 

[beafedor]

I like the general idea of a mantra, a prayer/thought you keep on your mind (not the new-age version). However, I hate calling it by the Hindu word ‘mantra.’

Is there a Christian or other Western word that corresponds to this?

As far as the semantic, I usually use the word motto when other people use the word mantra. I sometimes use the word credo. It’s used in french, “it’s my credo” meaning that’s my faith and my hope.

 

[Red_Meg]

It is not uncommon at all for a Catholic to select an “aspiration” or have a running set of aspirations, that one tries to call to mind frequently throughout the day as a means of maintaining presence of God during normal workaday activities.

These would frequently be short snippets or pieces of longer prayers or bible verses, like:

• Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine
• Have mercy on me, a sinner
• Omnia in Bonum (a Latin shorthand from Rom 8:28)
• O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
• He must increase, I must decrease

etc…

Aspirations are not mantras, per se, but certainly a very acceptable part of Catholic spirituality, and very helpful. Is that what you had in mind???

Margaret

 

[JaMc]

How about the Rosary? If you want to pray, without focusing too much on the words, but on an image, how about the Rosary in Latin?

 

[Joe_Kelley]

As I recall from The Way of a Pilgrim the Eastern Church uses:

“*Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner.”
*
with the prayer rope.

I also like the Divine Mercy Chaplet:

“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

 

[GeorgeSword]

If, as bpbasilphx stated, the point of the Hindu Mantra is not to concentrate on the words, but to reach something like hypnosis… wouldn’t that fall into the vain repetitions category?

 

[bpbasilphx]

\ If you want to pray, without focusing too much on the words, but on an image,\

The Fathers teach that in vocal prayer we are SUPPOSED to focus on the words of the prayer, and to be as IMAGELESS in our minds as possible, lest we pray to a mental idol or something/one that does not exist, but that we’ve simply made up.

 

[Hesychios]

The Fathers teach that in vocal prayer we are SUPPOSED to focus on the words of the prayer, and to be as IMAGELESS in our minds as possible, lest we pray to a mental idol or something/one that does not exist, but that we’ve simply made up.

An excellent point.

’Indeed, our true task is always the same and is always accomplished in the same way: to call upon our Lord Jesus Christ with a burning heart so that His holy name intercedes for us.'
Saint Hesychios the priest* [on watchfulness and holiness]
*

 

[Alex1]

*“I usually use the word motto when other people use the word mantra. I sometimes use the word credo”

“It is not uncommon at all for a Catholic to select an “aspiration” or have a running set of aspirations”*

Thanks, that’s what I was seeking.

Thanks All. I am aware of the problems of self-hypnosis, etc, and have no intention of doing anything like that.

 

[GeorgeSword]

\ If you want to pray, without focusing too much on the words, but on an image,\

The Fathers teach that in vocal prayer we are SUPPOSED to focus on the words of the prayer, and to be as IMAGELESS in our minds as possible, lest we pray to a mental idol or something/one that does not exist, but that we’ve simply made up.

Sorry to go off topic, but aren’t the mysteries of the Rosary sometimes ‘mental images’?

 

[bpbasilphx]

Sorry to go off topic, but aren’t the mysteries of the Rosary sometimes ‘mental images’?

The discursive meditation while saying vocal prayers such that the mind is NOT attentive to the words of the prayers themselves is one of the problems Orthodoxy has with the Rosary as practiced in the West today.

 

[GeorgeSword]

The discursive meditation while saying vocal prayers such that the mind is NOT attentive to the words of the prayers themselves is one of the problems Orthodoxy has with the Rosary as practiced in the West today.

The idea of the Rosary is to be attentive to both the images and the words. There are many ways of doing this. Some are able to visualize the images in their mind while saying the prayers, others say the prayers and then meditate on the mysteries.
I wasn’t aware Orthodoxy had such a problem with the Rosary, since I’ve seen a few Orthodox Christians on this forum who do practice it, but with the Eastern versions of the prayers. Interesting.
Anyway, I don’t think that there is any danger of forming a ‘mental idol’ by visualizing an image while praying, provided one treats it like an icon on paper or wood; we must never pray to it or venerate it, but what it represents.
And we mustn’t let our prayers become vain repetitions, either. Perhaps there are pitfalls such as these to the Rosary, but it is certainly an extremely profitable prayer, too.

 

[Hesychios]

The idea of the Rosary is to be attentive to both the images and the words. There are many ways of doing this. Some are able to visualize the images in their mind while saying the prayers, others say the prayers and then meditate on the mysteries.
I wasn’t aware Orthodoxy had such a problem with the Rosary, since I’ve seen a few Orthodox Christians on this forum who do practice it, but with the Eastern versions of the prayers. Interesting.

I don’t know of any Orthodox who use (many probably are unaware of… ) the mysteries.

Anyway, I don’t think that there is any danger of forming a ‘mental idol’ by visualizing an image while praying, provided one treats it like an icon on paper or wood; we must never pray to it or venerate it, but what it represents.

Visualization is extremely problematic. It is not like an icon in your head.

The dangers of this were noted long ago, by the desert Fathers, and although it seems no longer a common concern in the western church this is the joint heritage of both of our communions.

I remember first reading about the dangers of imagination in a passage by Frank Sheed in (I think) Theology and Sanity. His view meshes nicely with Orthodox ideas on the subject, and I think is probably closer to the Latin Catholic perspective of the first millenium.

 

[Hesychios]

Thanks, that’s what I was seeking.

These are sometimes called ejaculatory prayers, although it seems the term has gone out of fashion of late.

Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ του Θεού, ελέησόν με τον αμαρτωλόν

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me the sinner

Or…

My Jesus, mercy!

 

[GeorgeSword]

I also might recommend, “Jesus, I trust in Thee!” as an ejaculatory prayer. This comes from the Divine Mercy visions. And perhaps, “Jesus, Mary, I love you. Save Souls.”
Hesychios, or bpbasilphx, if either of you have any texts, preferably online and free, on the Orthodox views of ‘mind imagery’ in prayer, I would like to have a look at them. You have piqued my curiosity.

 

[peary]

I like the general idea of a mantra, a prayer/thought you keep on your mind (not the new-age version). However, I hate calling it by the Hindu word ‘mantra.’

Is there a Christian or other Western word that corresponds to this?

Sure there is - any prayer that we recite over and over, such as the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Hail Holy Queen, the Fatima Prayer, Jesus Prayer, Mercy chaplet, etc. The whole Rosary and be seen as a ‘mantra’ although that is a poor term for it. A ‘mantra’ is specific to a word formula in the Indian Vedic scriptures and therefore is unacceptable to the Church.

The Fatima prayer - “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of Hell. Bring all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of your Mercy” - or even the Jesus Prayer - “O Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner” - or even what we recite in the Mercy chaplet - " For the sake of His Sorrowful passion, have mercy on us" - or any Litany can be, in a way, similar to a Vedic mantra, but our approach to God (not gods!) is totally different.

There was or is a word that corresponds to mantra in Catholic piety, and it is called ‘ejaculation.’ However, in our day and age, it’s a rather antiquated choice, and definitely has a different connotation nowadays than what it used to mean!

 

[DavidMark]

Souls who focus their vision upon the Sun of Reality will be the recipients of light no matter from what point it rises, but those who are fettered by adoration of the dawning-point are deprived when it appears in a different station upon the spiritual horizon. (Abdu’l-Baha, BWF, p. 255)

One cannot obtain the full force of the sunlight when it is cast on a flat mirror, but once the sun shineth upon a concave mirror, or on a lens that is convex, all its heat will be concentrated on a single point, and that one point will burn the hottest. Thus is it necessary to focus one’s thinking on a single point so that it will become an effective force.(Abdu’l-Baha, SWA, p. 110)

Ye must not focus your attention upon the person of 'Abdu’l-Bahá, for erelong he will bid you farewell. Rather must ye fix your gaze upon the Word of God. (SWA, p. 294)

 

[sancte_joseph]

There was or is a word that corresponds to mantra in Catholic piety, and it is called ‘ejaculation.’ However, in our day and age, it’s a rather antiquated choice, and definitely has a different connotation nowadays than what it used to mean!

Oh! I know what you mean! I always feel awkward when I’m watching mother Angelica and she says “ejaculation” I know what she means but… hahaha