--Oh phewww ... I saw a video on youtube a few days ago where someone (sorry I don't know who) was lecturing a group in a temple about how best to chant & he said that Prabhupad said that you shouldn't take any longer than 2 hours to do 16 rounds & that this worked out to a bit over 8 minutes ... so I have been trying to attain that speed since then but oh brother it just seems too fast for me - kinda leaves me breathless with a feeling of being rushed - not so nice :-( ... is this really necessary OR do you get used to it somehow???
Reply; Heres the thing; you obtain all mystic powers including breath control through the chanting process. At a certain not so far off time, you will sacrifice the incoming breath into the outgoing etc, as described in mystic yoga literature. You will chant nonstop. Your third eye will become the place of focus of your inner eyesight, then even deeper, the forms of Godhead will fix your attenton to a realm beyond the material body alone.
Kindly also chant the panca tattva mantra, as it is the source of absolution for all offenses, and thus we can make progress even as new chanters. I humbly suggest alternating rounds. Panca tattva mantra is also maha mantra.
With attentiveness, one's rounds get much much quicker, which is OK so long as you do not sacrifice either attentiveness or pronunciation; Krish Krish, ma, ma is not the maha mantra! I tend to agree, i prefer to chant for a period of time as opposed to rounds, but if you chant with actual attention, i get my rounds done, 16, in about one and one half hours max. The sampradaya used to chant 64 rounds, so if you wanted any time left at all, speed became a factor.
Put lots of energy into the chanting, and you will find both attentiveness and speed. but speed is not the goal; the goal is chanting feelingly. For now, feeling out of breath is apparently part of the yoga training process !
Kindly also chant the panca tattva mantra, as it is the source of absolution for all offenses, and thus we can make progress even as new chanters. I humbly suggest alternating rounds. Panca tattva mantra is also maha mantra.
With attentiveness, one's rounds get much much quicker, which is OK so long as you do not sacrifice either attentiveness or pronunciation; Krish Krish, ma, ma is not the maha mantra! I tend to agree, i prefer to chant for a period of time as opposed to rounds, but if you chant with actual attention, i get my rounds done, 16, in about one and one half hours max. The sampradaya used to chant 64 rounds, so if you wanted any time left at all, speed became a factor.
Put lots of energy into the chanting, and you will find both attentiveness and speed. but speed is not the goal; the goal is chanting feelingly. For now, feeling out of breath is apparently part of the yoga training process !
PS; I or any devotee here has tons of hints ands tips for the chanting process. But no one ever asks us except a rare sincere soul !
For now, develop good pronunciation and attentiveness, and please read literatrues extolling the virtues of chanting. This is obviously very motivating.
Full surrendered motivation is readily achieved by giving away all one's posessions and becoming a simple penniless mendicant wandering the holy places of the world... but, maybe we'll just wait a couple months on that one.
Chant aloud for now, so you can hear each sylable crisply, ( its not actually Har-ree Kreesha , its Huh-rrray krish nuh.) Aso chant a few rounds very very softly, and then a couple silently and internally, without moving even your astral lips. Chant from the bead bag in your spiritual hands in the spiritual sky, or at least not with the gross form for a round or two also. Keep up your attentivenesss and inner pronunciation. At first, it is like walking through mud up to your knees, but after a while the mind clears and becomes empowered to chant. Try and see ! We all of us devotees have made our Home there with Them, our shelter from the storm, our place of security and safetey, our connection point with all the devotees and all Their purposes. It is only found by doing, and the Mantra will chant us ! We will become attuned to Hare and Krsna by being with Them in the form of Their Names.
For now, develop good pronunciation and attentiveness, and please read literatrues extolling the virtues of chanting. This is obviously very motivating.
Full surrendered motivation is readily achieved by giving away all one's posessions and becoming a simple penniless mendicant wandering the holy places of the world... but, maybe we'll just wait a couple months on that one.
Chant aloud for now, so you can hear each sylable crisply, ( its not actually Har-ree Kreesha , its Huh-rrray krish nuh.) Aso chant a few rounds very very softly, and then a couple silently and internally, without moving even your astral lips. Chant from the bead bag in your spiritual hands in the spiritual sky, or at least not with the gross form for a round or two also. Keep up your attentivenesss and inner pronunciation. At first, it is like walking through mud up to your knees, but after a while the mind clears and becomes empowered to chant. Try and see ! We all of us devotees have made our Home there with Them, our shelter from the storm, our place of security and safetey, our connection point with all the devotees and all Their purposes. It is only found by doing, and the Mantra will chant us ! We will become attuned to Hare and Krsna by being with Them in the form of Their Names.
- Beautiful suggestions - thank you so much Tamoharadasa.
I am printing them out so I can refer to them more readily.
Oh, we have tons more, mataji ! Once you have established mental clarity and speed wth attentiveness by removing karmas through the mercy of the Names, you will likely continue go through many phases and levels and change and improve your japa naturally, many times, in fact for eternity. You will look back in this lifetime though, and see the changes, and these will reinforce your faith and in delighted amazement yu will want to chant and otherwise be engaged in devotional services always more and more.
For example of a tip; for condensing or attaining some nectar when one is too dry or too new; try to chant nice rounds and simultaneously watch the videos, in sequence even, at the morning program group, here. This is very useful for establishing Vaisnava emotionality and imagery when the mind is lacking in these things. It is useful for us who have not yet established a routine of internal devotional services, as it may help us stay awake and attentive and actually relishing our japa when we start to nod or are offenseively inattentive , and wish to establish a nectarean state instead..
Steady, Vaisnava ideally, musical rhythms can add to one's japa session. Srila Prabhupada liked shenai music during japa period occassionally. This particular music employes the traditional Vedic musical moods and raagas.
Don't be afraid to have a tune or songfulness to your chanting, too ! It can be rasic and increase the attention too. What is tasteful and the right mood for us born-Westerners may be different from what is tasteful to someone born in India or China etc., no surprise. Our natural tastes will fully emege in due course.
The chanting has its life changing effects; sometimes we do not notice this so much due to being in the thick of it anyway, but the effects are there, even if it is not immediately noticed at first. Immediate benefits are there, but there are longer term benefits which accumulate even if we are not aware of thisat the time. My point being that in dry periods, keep on, as it is a test and an instruction, we should continue with the process with patience. I have not had this problem for years, knock on my wooden head, but I recall it was problematic sometimes.
Chanting japa to a "moving" bhajan or kirtana etc will blossom into bhava given even a drop of Radha's mercy. If you want spiritual pleasure, which is vey motivating and addictive, you must remember Her lotus feet at some point in the process, or it will not even be possible. It is magic; Radha Krsna magic. Her lotus feet are the url address for Krsna prema! The lotus feet of Nityananda are a sure shelter, definitely go there when you need protection and unjudgemental loving acceptanceand bestowal of service and bliss. Srila Prabhupada should be remembered first in the day, and serve his instructions thereafter. Our goal is contant remembrance and service internally and externally; this is trance and samadhi for devotees.
Time will make you also more familiar with the Holy Names. They will become your steady companions, even when the rest of the world goes to hell. They will also become your personal barometer for your state of being, as you will become aware of your consciosness more, and this can be allowed to be adjusted positively more and more over time. Thus there are gradual life-changing effects as well as immediate ones.
Each person is different, and what is helpful for one may may not be the preference of another. There are no strict rules.
Don't try to do it all at once. Just be little expectant, like a child calling its mother and father, or a composer living the very breath of his composition, patient yet also passionately attentive, and naturally all required things wil be added, no seperate endeavors required.
For example of a tip; for condensing or attaining some nectar when one is too dry or too new; try to chant nice rounds and simultaneously watch the videos, in sequence even, at the morning program group, here. This is very useful for establishing Vaisnava emotionality and imagery when the mind is lacking in these things. It is useful for us who have not yet established a routine of internal devotional services, as it may help us stay awake and attentive and actually relishing our japa when we start to nod or are offenseively inattentive , and wish to establish a nectarean state instead..
Steady, Vaisnava ideally, musical rhythms can add to one's japa session. Srila Prabhupada liked shenai music during japa period occassionally. This particular music employes the traditional Vedic musical moods and raagas.
Don't be afraid to have a tune or songfulness to your chanting, too ! It can be rasic and increase the attention too. What is tasteful and the right mood for us born-Westerners may be different from what is tasteful to someone born in India or China etc., no surprise. Our natural tastes will fully emege in due course.
The chanting has its life changing effects; sometimes we do not notice this so much due to being in the thick of it anyway, but the effects are there, even if it is not immediately noticed at first. Immediate benefits are there, but there are longer term benefits which accumulate even if we are not aware of thisat the time. My point being that in dry periods, keep on, as it is a test and an instruction, we should continue with the process with patience. I have not had this problem for years, knock on my wooden head, but I recall it was problematic sometimes.
Chanting japa to a "moving" bhajan or kirtana etc will blossom into bhava given even a drop of Radha's mercy. If you want spiritual pleasure, which is vey motivating and addictive, you must remember Her lotus feet at some point in the process, or it will not even be possible. It is magic; Radha Krsna magic. Her lotus feet are the url address for Krsna prema! The lotus feet of Nityananda are a sure shelter, definitely go there when you need protection and unjudgemental loving acceptanceand bestowal of service and bliss. Srila Prabhupada should be remembered first in the day, and serve his instructions thereafter. Our goal is contant remembrance and service internally and externally; this is trance and samadhi for devotees.
Time will make you also more familiar with the Holy Names. They will become your steady companions, even when the rest of the world goes to hell. They will also become your personal barometer for your state of being, as you will become aware of your consciosness more, and this can be allowed to be adjusted positively more and more over time. Thus there are gradual life-changing effects as well as immediate ones.
Each person is different, and what is helpful for one may may not be the preference of another. There are no strict rules.
Don't try to do it all at once. Just be little expectant, like a child calling its mother and father, or a composer living the very breath of his composition, patient yet also passionately attentive, and naturally all required things wil be added, no seperate endeavors required.
- Oh that is so nice to read yr tip to chant as dancing! I have found myself doing that once or twice over the years - had some wild devotee music playing, can't remember who it was now as I can't seem to find their cd ;-(, and got really ecstatic.
And sometimes while chanting I will just bust out smiling with the joy of it.
And, oh yes, this morning, having read yr tips yesterday, I did find it so much easier & smoother to achieve each round at a bit over 7 minutes - wow I was surprised! So thank you so much for being so helpful & open to me.
And sometimes while chanting I will just bust out smiling with the joy of it.
And, oh yes, this morning, having read yr tips yesterday, I did find it so much easier & smoother to achieve each round at a bit over 7 minutes - wow I was surprised! So thank you so much for being so helpful & open to me.
Replies
Listen to Prabhupada. Sometimes he does not voice so much aloud the Names ! He is chanting from inside, and the external sound of the Names is sometimes very soft or inaudible and quick to the us the listeners who are outside on the bodliy platform listening in. One who is accustomed to chanting japa and continuing the mantra nonstop despite the body's need to breath, etc is chanting from the internal , spirtual position of awareness. It is not that one does not breath , of course, or rther, one does not stop for extended periods, >; ) One says the mantra internally even if externally the tongue is engaged in swallowing a glass of water prasadam or breathing etc as tongues will tend to do sometimes.
Generally, saying the Names aloud is considered best. Haridasa Thakura used to chant 64 aloud, 64 softly, then 64 internally, I have heard. Srila Prabhupada expected us to hear our japa and that of others simultaneously. The devotees lead very long hours in the temple sadhana, and for those who perhaps foolishly repeatedly deny themselves adequate rest, staying awake, period, for hours early in the morning, required quite a sacrifice of determined effort, and a lot of walking aound !!!
Be sure to drink nice clean fluoride free maha-water to keep adequatley hydrated during your japa. I guarantee on our next life full investment return policy that you will come to relish the concentrated brahminical blissful awareness that comes with good regular japa. It is also very helpful in keeping the lacrimal ducts in good fucntional condition. >; ( >; )
Actually, I skipped describing one basic japa theme; once one is chanting little nicely, one can then begin to remember or better memorize the lotus feet of the spiritual mster, then gradualy envision the legs, waist, up to his smiling face and eyes, tilak neck beads, thread, etc then again gradually down to the lotus feet. One should be able to see this vision internally in living color. Looking at the Deities etc this same process; internalizing the vision. Later, one may engage in services internally, so the process is gradual strenghtening of the meditative states by dint of bhakti, and the process of attending the morning program reinforces this . Outside inside all devotional service. The advanced devotee goes inside to the spiritual sky in full trance. It is not exactly by your strength of sadhana, but by grace as a result of sincerity to serve.
Srila Prabhupada had the devotees play this and other similar shenai music by this very artist on a loud-speaker system at the top of the temple, that you could hear from ten miles away, during japa period at the Sridhama Mayapura Sri Caitanya Candradaya Mandira.