Somebody out there in the known internet asked me to explain Mantra because the concept seemed so confusing. So I decided to sit down and write an explanation that can be turned to anytime you get confused over mantra. So now I present to you:
A BREIF EXPLINATION OF MANTRA
Mantras are basically a power-up that is unlocked through meditation. To unlock it and develop the ability would take weeks when practiced alone, due to the lack of guidance from one who has already cultured this ability. When guidance from one who has tamed this ability is used the progress of unlocking it becomes a simple matter of following the path that they set. An example would be like trying to find your way through a corn maze, if you have a map, a guide, you can finish the maze much faster than you could without one.
These "Power-ups" are all but shifting the human body's limitation onto the spirit for a short time, which can exhaust the spirit, because its power is being pulled into the physical world. Increased strength , brain power, speed are all extensions of this and are as such, easy to create and manipulate. The only problem is that ,again, without a guide this process can be dangerous in the first. Power ups like these are the easiest and take only matter of days to start and hours to make.
These"power-ups" can also effect the world outside your body by manipulating the energies of the spirit in a manner like chakra. Spiritual energies ,however , are more malleable but with less hold. This means it take great care to mold them and hold the effects than a jutsu, but it can also create more varied effects with simple words. These are the Adept range of Mantra skills and take varied amounts of time to create and master, ranging from hours to weeks depending on how complicated it is.
The Master skill set however demands a great spiritual devotion as well as earning the favor of a spiritual being. These skills don't come the power of you own spirit, but from the combined efforts of you spirit and another. Because of the backlash of severing the connection when the mantra ends any other mantra threatens to be dismissed as well, making using master level mantras with any other a risk.
All mantras are extended from the creator or users needs, allowing them to be integrated flawlessly into their fighting style. However, the use of mantra itself is not easily integrated and can take time. Most beginners need no consciously call up the Mantras they need one at a time, but Adept users simple need to select their needed mantras for them to activate. Master level users eventually gain the ability to simply turn them on and off without any conscious thought, though this can make mantras extremely dangerous as they become more prone to slipping and falling into deep mantra, which can cause great physical damage and eventually death or spiritual deadness.
Mantras are referred to by man names, varying from practitioner to practitioner, giving insight to the basis of the Mantras abilities.
I hope this explanation was good enough for you. I will try to keep this posted and updated with new mantra lists for team seven every few chapters in story. Now here is a list of existing Mantra's
NARUTO:BATTLE MEDITATION
1: Meditation upon Motion: first appeared in chapter 4 and was meant to be the introduction for the concept of Mantra(in case you missed it when Naruto announces it as his newest technique while fighting Zabuza) allows the user better control over their body, increasing coordination as well as bringing reaction time to the Human maximum. Speed and strength are generally doubled but twice as much consumption of energy is required to fuel it( to negate its impact and extend the usefulness of this technique Naruto uses EFFORTLESS).
2: Effortless: cuts the users energy consumption by half, making motions while using Meditation upon motion feel normal, and normal becoming beyond easy . Can also numb pain, making it dangerous when the bodies' physical and structural limits are unknowingly passed.
3: Seclusion: Naruto's first adept level Mantra, his spirit exerts a constant force, making a thick sphere of energy that envelops Naruto, this lessons the impact of any projectile as well as slows down opponents in hand to hand combat. When used to stop projectiles they enter the barrier and slow down before stopping completely, failing to reach their target because it was like he was too far away. A down side is that it creates a false sense of security and when deactivated can make the user neglect projectiles.
SASUKE: WAR CRY
1:Effortless
2: Berserk: creates a varied increase of strength and drain. The effect is randomized however, making the technique somewhat unreliable as it's increase can range from 10% to 400% making it either worthless or too dangerous too use at both ends of the spectrum. This is due to the hasty development of the mantra.
SAKURA: COMBAT THEORY
1: Effortless
2: Introspection: Allows Sakura to increase her brains ability to process information and make deductions by granting her access to another 40% of her brains process power as opposed to the standard human 10%. Other than this it has no uses and is mainly used to make better use of her other Mantras that have yet to come.