A repeated word, phrase, or sound used in meditation or prayer. In modern usage, any frequently repeated phrase or principle that guides behavior.
From Sanskrit मन्त्र (mantra) meaning 'instrument of thought', composed of मन (man) 'mind' + त्र (tra) 'tool' or 'instrument'. The word entered English in the 19th century through British orientalist studies of Hindu and Buddhist practices, becoming popularized during the 1960s counterculture movement.
A mantra is literally a 'mind tool' designed to focus and transform consciousness through repetitive sound! What's remarkable is how this ancient Sanskrit concept for spiritual practice has been adopted into modern self-help culture, where people have 'personal mantras' for motivation.
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