Sound as practice
A mantra is a sound held in attention.
Each one here is opened up rather than just listed: what it means, why the tradition reaches for it, and what chanting it actually does to the body and the mind. Take the one that suits your day.
A note on the science
The thread under all of them: slow chanting lengthens the out-breath, which calms the body, and the steady sound gives a busy mind one place to rest. Sit with one for a few minutes and notice how it feels.