Did you ever use a mantra to boost your creativity? No, me neither. At least, not until recently. When I did, I was amazed at just how effective they are! From a place of mental stagnation and frustration over not knowing how to proceed with a particular project, clarity sprang out of nowhere right after completing a particularly intensive mantra practice.
It’s not often that I get stuck creatively. I’m not even convinced by the whole concept of the ‘creative block’. Elasticity in thinking, an ability to hold a state of open awareness, and being able to think right outside the box usually solve such ‘problems.’ But sometimes, when the rest of life is heaping on the pressure and it’s hard to focus on a creative pursuit, a little extra something can be the nudge in the required direction that’s needed.
That extra something could perhaps be a mantra to boost your creativity.
I’ve not worked with mantras as much as I would have liked, but I’m planning to. I’d certainly urge you to give them a go. Especially if you’re a creative that, for some reason, finds yourself stuck or lacking in motivation.
When you work with mantras on a regular basis, they help to quieten the mind and bring more lucidity to your thinking. Chanting mantras has been scientifically shown to calm the nervous system, improve mood, and regulate the stress response. Your inner critic is also much more muted, and mantras will supercharge your confidence.
Creativity is one of the most valuable forms of self-expression. It’s something that should be cultivated and enhanced as much as possible. When working with mantras you’ll likely notice that you feel more open and receptive to opportunities and ideas that had previously escaped you. Pay attention to how your mindset shifts during the practice. Creativity is one of the best outlets for mental and emotional well-being and is increasingly being used in social prescribing: a form of holistic healthcare that is revolutionising the way the world approaches well-being. It’s often called ‘art on prescription’.
Creativity Boosting Mantras
My favourite mantra, although not specifically aimed at boosting creativity, is a wonderful mantra for helping to remove obstacles, and blocks and resolving those feelings of being ‘stuck’. You could call it the mantra for success.
Om Gum Ganapatayei Namaha (Om Gum Gun-Nuh-Puh-Tuh-Yei Nahm-A-Ha)
This mantra is widely acknowledged as being extremely effective for clearing away obstacles of any kind and inspiring transformation, and it was this mantra that I personally worked with so effectively when I felt stagnated and frustrated over my creative projects recently. It comes from the Ganapati Upanishad, which is a long Sanskrit text from the Vedas.
Let’s look at what the syllables mean:
Om – the primordial sound of the universe and the connection between all living things.
Gam – This is the seed sound or bija of Ganesha, the Hindu deity that removes obstacles. It’s the sound of the root chakra and awakens the energy at the base of the spine which supports the energy of action in the world.
Ganapatayei – Another name for Ganesh, the deity that removes obstacles from our path.
Namaha – A salutation, much like Namaste.
The mantra translates to something akin to: “I wake up the energy of transformation and action at the root chakra so that I can easily move past any obstacles.”
Chanting this mantra represents a desire to remove or push past whatever obstacles are in your way and to move forward in life with determination, a strong sense of self, and a commitment to your success. It’s a mantra that will help you focus on your goals rather than your challenges: flipping a negative mindset into a positive one.
You could try chanting this mantra at the start or end of a yoga practice, during your meditations each day or just do it whenever you get the chance: driving to work, going shopping, washing dishes, or in the shower. Take every opportunity to train your mind to focus on this mantra so that it becomes the soundtrack to your life, forever present in your consciousness, whatever you’re doing. I like to sit with mala beads and chant 108 times each morning and evening as well as bring it into my everyday activities. Some authorities claim you should sit for a minimum of 15 minutes whilst chanting the mantra. Others say 30 minutes. Whichever way you plan to practice, try to sustain it for 40 days straight. It has the potential to help you bring about incredible results in your life.
If you don’t like to sound out your mantras, you can also do them as a silent internal practice. Either way is fine. I tend to move from one to the other as my mood takes me each day.
Another mantra to boost your creativity is:
Om Eim Saraswatiyei Swaha (Om I’m Sah-Rah-Swah-Tee-Yea Swah-Hah)
If you want a mantra to boost creativity, this should be your go-to practice. Recite this mantra daily to increase creativity and boost your confidence. It’s advised that you use a sphatik or rudraksha rosary to count the mantras. Practice continuously for 48 days, morning and evening to get all the benefits. Wearing white whilst chanting is also beneficial and you should, if possible, face north-east. Chant for 108 times at each sitting.
Let’s break down the meaning of the mantra:
Om – as before: the primordial sound of the universe and the connection between all living things.
Eim – this is the feminine counterpart to Om and can often be found following Om in various mantras. Eim works on the level of learning, art, expression, and communication.
Saraswati – the Hindu goddess of speech, communication, poetry, music, and creativity.
Namaha – as before: A salutation, much like Namaste.
The full mantra translates as “Salutations to Saraswati."
The mantra is to awaken and invite the energy of Saras
wati into our lives as she represents the creative forces of the universe. These energies can guide us through the arts, sciences, and knowledge of subtle energies.
My personal experience of working with this mantra is that it does bring great clarity of mind, allowing me to tap into my core creative and expressive energies very powerfully. It’s also said that the mantra helps with vocal expression; if you struggle to express yourself in conversation, working with this mantra will help with this too. I have never had a problem in this area, so can’t comment on the mantra’s ability to help with this. But give it a go!
Sound Creates Form
It’s true to say that the primary mechanism of creation is sound. For millennia, mystics have been telling us that sound is the source of the creation of matter. In the Bible, John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” It’s interesting to note that in the Vedas, it's stated: “In the beginning was Brahman with whom was the Word, and the Word is Brahman.”
In the first verses of Genesis in the Bible, we read, “And God said, let there be light, and there was light.” Light therefore followed on from sound. The highest expression of God’s power is sound. The speech of God was the source of spiritual light. God creates phenomena by speaking of them.
Some scientists argue that everything in the universe is arranged in clusters of regular patterns, whilst others suggest that primordial sound waves helped to create these cluster patterns.
It has long been known that passing sound through various material substances such as sand or iron filings sprinkled onto metal plates, will form complex geometric patterns.
Sound influences everything, not just material, or physical objects. It can also impact our emotions; elevating us to new heights or bringing us to tears. It resonates with our subtle energy system: the chakras or dan tiens, affecting us on all levels of being.
Boost your Creativity.
If you want to boost your creativity, then working with mantra is a good place to start. Sound influences everything in the manifest universe. Without sound, the universe would not exist. It makes sense then that when we have issues to deal with, such as developing our creativity, sound can play an active part in resolving it. When we harness the power of sound properly, we can create many positive changes in our lives.