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I was wondering what mantras people used and whether or not you have different mantras for different situations. I've been doing some research on them and I'm compiling a bit of a list. Would you mind lending a hand with my task?

To explain my poll question, I found in my research that some monks use beads to keep track of their mantras so they don't focus on counting while other monks use a hand gesture with every syllable. I discovered this while looking up Kuji

Thank you in advance for your help.

A request for information isn't spam. I'm as happy to help as I am to receive help.

"A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation" (cf. spiritual transformation). Its use and type varies according to the school and philosophy associated with the mantra.

Mantras originated in the Vedic tradition of India, becoming an essential part of the Hindu tradition and a customary practice within Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism." -Copied and a bit cleaned up from Wikipedia.

Basically you recite the mantra while praying/meditating for the benefits you believe that sound would give you. For example the most common one being "Ohmmmmm" or however it would be spelled. In Kuji, a combination of Buddhism and Shinto with a touch of Taoist influence, a 9-syllable (or nine word) prayer is used.

Some examples for Kuji~
English: "Celestial soldiers descend and arrange yourselves in front of me"
English: "May all evils flee me and the essential procedure present no trouble."
Japanese: "Ri Na Tan Sha Ku Chirin Raku Rau Ron"
Japanese: "Rin Pyo To Sha Kai Jin Retsu Zai Zen"

Here's a good place for getting to know a little more about Kuji. You can probably find a variety of other methods, mantras, and hand gestures through Youtube or googling a website dedicated specifically to Kuji.

Kuji-in

I use mantras on occasion as a locus of concentration, and when I do I use beads to count. Tibetan-style 108 bead o-juzu.

Om Mani Padme Hum is the one I usually use. Mantra of compassion and all that.

Others I like are Om Dhrum Svaha Om Amrita Ayur Dade Svaha (long life and purification), Om shanti shanti shanti (peace of mind, body, speech), and Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha (go beyond and establish yourself in enlightenment).

"Buddhist prayer beads are a traditional tool used to count the number of times a mantra is recited whilst meditating. They are similar to other forms of prayer beads used in various world religions; thus some call this tool the Buddhist rosary".

Yeah I was thinking something along the same lines, I knew they for praying hence the name, but when you asked I had to look it up for my own curiosity.