Training Your Mind: Recite Your Favorite Prayer
Most of us have heard from a priest or parent to find solace in prayer when you are worried or stressed. In this approach, a prayer does not mean a religious song. It could be any song or verse or passage that inspires you or holds deep meaning to you.
Repeating a song or verse while paying full attention to the words is training your mind, to move focus from the racing thoughts to the words that hold deep meaning to you.
For example, most of the time I recite the word “Om” because it has deep spiritual meaning for me. At times when I need comfort, I recite a prayer that I have heard my family sing from my childhood. It fills me with the feeling of safety that I felt when I sang as a child with my family.
Remember to be kind and patient with yourself. Remember we are humans and not perfect. Don’t expect yourself to be stress free as soon as you are done reciting your favorite verse. Over time you will see the calm this approach brings you.
You can do this while sitting in a comfortable position or lying down.
- Close your eyes.
- Put your hands in prayer position if that helps or keep them in any position that is comfortable to you.
- Start saying the prayer or passage consciously, paying full attention to each word.
- If your mind wanders, don’t worry, gently and kindly bring your attention back to the prayer or passage you are reciting.
- Keep repeating the prayer or passage until you feel that your mind has slowed down and relaxed.