6 Steps To Help You Find Your Own Personal Mantra
I had an incredible experience with the divine source. It was Purim, and my dad was performing as a surly guard on the Bimah in a Purim Hamilton-style musical at my Synagogue. After the standing ovation, I had a mango margarita in the social hall with chocolate Hamentashen and loads of fried foods and word vomited at my older Libra sister how proud I am of her journey and how much I admire her. On our drive home, dad said it was a full moon and my 5 minutes of research throughout the day was wrong.
I thought the full moon was tomorrow. I quickly researched “full moon” on Instagram and found an incredible post about this full moon of March 20, 2019. It said that this Libra full moon was all about letting go, being direct about our needs and desires, big changes ahead, things moving quickly past where we have felt stuck and to pamper ourselves.
Upon reading this, I went into hyper speed mode, drew myself a bath with kitchen-boxed rosemary, shake-on sage, shake-on tarragon, Doterra massage essential oils, full moon medicine music and a cup of turmeric tea. I gave myself a Dead Sea face mask and dipped in.
This was my first time doing a solo ritual for the full moon. Wondering what to do next, I closed my eyes and hoped that I would not fall asleep face forward in the tub. Folding into the music, some phrases popped up in my head:
“Fuck it. This is my journey. I don’t need permission.”
My unexpected full moon mantra. Each of these phrases has a near and dear story connected to my confidence and self-discovery.
“Fuck it.”
I chanted this to myself during one of the most difficult times in my life when my mental and physical health were compromised. While I was in college, my creeping eating disorder developed into something that kept me from focusing on my dreams and instead on what was on my plate and what was not in my body. When I sought out treatment, I chanted, “Fuck it,” with a dear fighter friend to give ourselves that little push that we needed. Every bite we would cheer and say, “Fuck it,” and live out our dreams.
“This is my journey.”
This is a new phrase for me. In a society with so much social media, life feels heavily focused on competition, followers, success, and image. It’s hard not to compare where you are to where someone else is. Does that help anyone identify their life path? No. It hurts and distracts from starting what you are set out to do or what you sense is drawing itself to you. What I’m learning about the divine source is that it keeps you grounded in the present and the process. Focusing on these two things keeps you from seeing your world as a specific end goal and reveals to you what gets you going, what gets you passionate, what your positive path is. This is synonymous to letting go. Fully letting go and giving into the process on your journey can be challenging, but it does not have to hurt.
“I don’t need permission.”
This lyric is by Lady Gaga in her epic song, “Born this Way.” The full lyric is “If you are a strong female, you don’t need permission.” It is safe to say that I am a fan and a little monster. I grew up a traditionally guilty East Coast Jew and goody-two-shoes, always asking for permission and seeking the guidance from others to lead me to my right path. At easy as that sounds, that’s not how life works. If someone else guides you, it could keep you from your destiny.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” — Steve Jobs
Now, I am almost at my quarter life and I am done asking for permission. When you ask permission, sure, it is proper and “cute,” but it is not as empowering as acting first. How else will you learn and live?
Finding your mantra is a deeply personal experience.
To me, that is the beginning of divine source — creating your own sacred space to make aware of the phrases and events that have impacted your life in a positive direction and that guide you along your own path of life.
Follow these steps to find your mantra:
1. Connect to the elements
Draw yourself a bath, sit outside or lay somewhere safe and comfortable for you.
2. Ambiance
Light incense, candles, and put on some calming music or bask in the silence.
3. Meditate
Follow and connect to your breath. If your brain veers off into your daily thoughts, reconnect to your breath.
4. Visualization
Imagine you moved into an unfurnished new room. There is an empty wall. What do you want it to say? What do you want to wake up and see every morning? Is it framed in a painting, neon lights, a chalkboard? Create the details and chant whatever comes to mind with your breath.
5. Write it down.
Keep a pen and paper nearby so you don’t forget it.
6. Reflect on its significance.
What comes up for you? It may be a mantra or a life-realization, which is a step toward finding your phrase.