Re the law of attraction and so on – really, I would say that one should work first on clearing subconscious programmes and belief codes which hold us back. The subconscious is 90% of our brain, and you may think (with your conscious 10%) that you want something, but the hidden iceberg of the subconscious can be very powerfully kicking in the opposite direction. Meditation and increasing self-awareness is key to discovering these blocks. I would also recommend EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique – google it) and kinesiology for helping uncover the blocks. I would highly recommend the work of Michele Fitzgerald in finding and clearing these blocks and changing your programmes.

A mantra is a religious or mystical syllable or poem, typically from the Sanskrit language. Their use varies according to the school and philosophy associated with the mantra. They are primarily used as spiritual conduits, words or vibrations that instill one-pointed concentration in the devotee. Other purposes have included religious ceremonies to accumulate wealth, avoid danger, or eliminate enemies. Mantras originated in the Vedic religion of India, later becoming an essential part of the Hindu tradition and a customary practice within Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. The use of mantras is now widespread throughout various spiritual movements which are based on, or off-shoots of, the practices in the earlier Eastern religions.

Mantras are interpreted to be effective as sound (vibration), to the effect that great emphasis is put on correct pronunciation (resulting in an early development of a science of phonetics in India). They are intended to deliver the mind from illusion and material inclinations. Chanting is the process of repeating a mantra.

Khanna (2003: p.21) links mantras and yantras to thoughtforms:

Mantras, the Sanskrit syllables inscribed on yantras, are essentially ‘thought forms’ representing divinities or cosmic powers, which exert their influence by means of sound-vibrations.