Mantras, Wishes, and 3 Little Words

A reflection on the power of wishes, mantras, and 3 little words we utter daily.

Folded hands by Jaee Kim on Unsplash

If you could ask the universe for one wish, what would it be?

In 2013, I was sitting in the family prayer room at my parents' house and asking for help from the universe. 

I was desperate. I had big problems that needed solving and I lacked the courage to take action myself. 

I had tried running away from them by going on holidays, asking strangers and friends for their opinion, and even pretended the problems would disappear on their own before this incessant praying routine started.

I was convinced that a sincere repeated call for higher assistance would be heard. That a swooping hand would come in and erase all my troubles. 

And yes, it did. Although not in a way you may think. 

The answer to my plea would always appear right after the plea itself. It would be a voice that said "you know what you need to do. I can't do it for you". 

I cannot tell you how many times I had fought with that voice. Or how many times I had asked it to do the work for me before taking action myself one fine day.

That was in 2015, to be precise. Yes, that's how long it took me. 

My decision, however late, turned out to be the best one to date. I left a country, community, relationship, job, and a family environment for a new future.

One that I could shape by choosing a suitable environment to live, work, and get educated in. It sounds so simple when written. 

The arduous parts came right before I left and persisted for a good year after. That is the part of my iceberg under the sea. A part only a few people saw and know about. 

It was a trying time full of realisations, the biggest one being "you should have chosen yourself much earlier so you could have prevented this level of inner destruction. Then you would have been okay instead of suffering so much". 

Ah yes, the following 3 famous words tend to ring in our heads all the time and we believe them more than a mantra:

- should

- would

- could 

If only it were that simple to connect the dots of our decisions beforehand. Or to gauge someone’s reactions to help us predict an outcome. To see cause and effect as clearly as night and day.

Another issue with the 3 non-magical words is that they tend to lead to more feelings of shame, regret, and resentment around a decision/the lack thereof. 

A favour I did myself from then onwards is to let go of those 3 words. 

I have replaced that mantra with the following 3 sentences and have felt lighter, accepting, and forgiving:

- I did my best 

- I am learning

- I am growing 

Sometimes it's not the universe/higher power/however we address this energy we need for saving us. 

What we need is the realisation of being part of this higher power and not underestimating our innate capabilities in saving ourselves with the help of decisions.

Maybe we require a change of mantra rather than resisting what happens to us?

Maybe we are being held captive by our blind belief in changing the unchangeable?

I'll leave you with a question to reflect on:

What will you choose the coming week? The usual guilt, shame, and resentment-inducing words?

Or a unique set of 3 lines that support and encourage you regardless of your situation?

Remember: only you get to choose your mantra. And only you get to hear it.

I hope you choose wisely.

With gratitude,

Raksha