By: Steve Leland
We don’t hear as much about mantras these days, but in my growing-up years we ran into the concept now and then. It generally was attached to a group that was defined as a cult. In those contexts, it was a word or phrase that the group, or an individual member, would repeat over and over, expecting there to be a spiritual benefit.
While some mantras were sounds or phrases designed to aid in concentration, other mantras were affirmations centered around positive thinking or assertions. It has been proven that affirmations do have an effect on people. The bad side of the equation would be negative statements towards others, especially towards those that are young. Then again, too many positive affirmations heaped upon those that haven’t earned them also have negative consequences. (I am all for encouragement, don’t get me wrong, but there is a balance.)
But beyond the psyche, have you ever spoken something into reality? I’ve just had this experience where for some months I have teased the people that I work with about whether they had a certain lucrative opportunity available. (These situations are short term.) A couple of months ago they did have one that hit one of the qualifications perfectly and was great, but a bit short on the financial part. It still paid pretty well, I’m not at all complaining. This month they had an opportunity that fully hit the target in all aspects and provided me the time to do something that I needed to do in the middle of it. I had only been kidding with my continual positive question, but it surprised me by bearing fruit. Who knows, maybe angels are able to arrange things sometimes?
I’m told that some people have been known to bring their own blood pressure down by speaking calming words to themselves. The first time that someone told me that they could, I was quite surprised. But it makes total sense when you think about it.
Mostly, my most consistent “mantra” is lifted from two prayers. I have mentioned this in one of my previous columns. The first part is from the prayer that our Lord, Yeshua, taught His disciples to pray and the second part is from His final prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will, not mine, be done.” Sometimes I add the rest of the phrase in the first prayer, “…on Earth as it is in Heaven.”
I pray this often over my life, over my family, and over many situations where I am not exactly sure what Yah’s will would be. How much effect it has. I will leave to the Almighty. But I’m not rich and famous yet… so I’m probably not rich and famous in Heaven either.
By: Steve Leland
April 19, 2024
