7 mantras for Halo Straw™ breathing
The use of mantras is highly recommended when using the Halo Straw™. Mantras are specific words, sounds or phrases that help to reprogram our thinking and habits with repeated use and act like a performance boost when paired with the breath.
According to U.S. News and World Report, “The feelings and symbolic representations of [mantras] will differ from person to person because, like any tool, the effects of the sounds depend on the user operating them and the object of use, namely the condition of the body and mind. The practitioner should first develop a state of relaxation through proper breathing. It is also important to take interest in or to have a healthy curiosity for the practice so that the effect of actually enjoying the learning process may help the mantra get a foothold in the system.”
7 Recommended mantras for use with Halo Straw™ breathing
Breathe out Breathe in
I’m connected. I’m open
Breathe out Breathe in
Let go. Lift up.
Breathe out Breathe in
F*ck this bullsh*t It’s all good.
Breathe out Breathe in
Not mine. I am here.
Breathe out Breathe in
I can do this. I am strong.
Breathe out Breathe in
Ground down. Rise up.
Sanskrit mantra
Breathe out Breathe in
Namaha (Not mine) Namo (I bow)
… Or chant Om on both the inhale and exhale.
Simply put, Om or Aum is a primordial sacred sound able to produce calming effects.
So Hum is a widely used mantra and effective for beginners. A primordial mantra (meaning fundamental or preceding human understanding), So Hum is quite literally the words made from the sound of the breath: So being the sound of an inhale and Hum being the sound of an exhale.
Translated from Sanskrit it means “I am that” or one can “invert it” and exhale first (Halo Straw™ style) with the mantra Ham Sa, which is equally beneficial.
Why it works
On a purely physical level, the exhale is responsible for letting go of that which is no longer needed, and the inhale brings in new energy.
Breathing mantras work the same way: letting go and allowing in. By consciously tying a thought or mental phrase to the exhale, we actively work on letting go of thoughts, feelings, judgements and impulses, just as we invite new ideas, feelings, and curiosities with the inhale.
Perhaps the best part: with a mantra, what you focus on is your choice! The above mantras are simply suggestions. You can make up your own. Let go of whatever you don’t want on the exhale and invite something new and positive with your inhale.
Mantras change habits
By repeating the same choices (or mantra) over and over again, after time the sheer repetition of the mental experience will result in a new habit or way of thinking. It really is that simple.
It can be challenging at first, so a gentle suggestion is to go slow and easy. It’s your breath, so it’s not like anyone is there to time you or judge you (but you, of course).
This practice is 100% invisible. Tracy Cielto, a 20-year veteran yoga teacher in Minneapolis, instructs her young students in all seriousness to practice while on the toilet, since that’s one place you’re guaranteed to be several times a day!
According to The Breathing Book, by Donna Farhi, “Any activity that promotes self-reflective consciousness has the potential to be life changing. Take the time to breathe and to absorb and assess what is important to you is one of the most politically and socially powerful actions you can take in your life.”
To learn more about mantras, click on the following links:
https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en/wisdom/article/mantras-explained-mantra-to-transformation