Mantra: From the Sanskrit mantrah, the word mantra refers to a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation. It has traditionally and historically been used to denote words used in prayer and incantation.
So you’re asking yourself what does repeating words have to do with power?
This is where I slip in my own personal advertisement for meditation, the enigmatic but powerful and transformative practice of adding calm to your daily routine. 
Thirty years ago I enlisted in a course in Transcendental Meditation associated with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
I believed it would cure my headaches, which it did, convincing me I was far too stressed out about everything in my life.
The headaches disappeared but over the years I gradually cut back on the meditation—simply couldn’t find the time to meditate twice a day—until I eventually stopped completely, with the exception of a few band-aid cures, usually waiting for moments of tension to pass.
After a serious bout with a deadly strain of the flu, I began meditating again to regain my health and instantly remembered why I took it up in the first place.
Today I honestly do not know one solution for relaxation and stress relief that begins to compare with meditation, all in only twenty minutes twice a day. We don’t always think of a peaceful frame of mind as a source of power until we own it, but then we often don’t know what we’re missing until we experience the amazing benefits.
— Susan O’Connor
Susan O’Connor is an English teacher at Annunciation Orthodox School in Houston, Texas. She writes books, a website, online articles, and blog posts. When not writing or teaching, Susan is spending time with her family, her cats, and her garden.
This article on the power of mantra is an excerpt from Susan’s blog post “Big Power from Five Little Words”
