Japa and my mantra, not working for me

[Jainarayan]

Yes, you can't try too hard or become too self-conscious. That's counter-productive.

 

[ratikala]

dear dread fish ,

I think any mantra sadhana usually starts out with a minimum of 40 days. Can anyone else confirm this?

I'm in agreement with vinayaka on this one , there are so many traditions and many different observances when it comes to japa ,
I think what you might be talking about are vows to chant for a specific period ?
which we discussed when talking about the yamas and niyamas , see the 8th niyama ; vrata , fullfilling vows and observances , in many hindu traditions there is a custom of comiting to a specified period of chanting , these vows are usualy taken by the lay comunity and are concidered to grant blessings one can chant for ones own benifit or for the benifit of family members , it is common place to find women chanting for he benifit and blessing of their husbands , and spiritual aspirants chanting for their spiritual advancement .
the 9th niyama ; japa , is refering more to our regular chanting , particularly for initiates who have comited to chanting a regular set of rounds per day .

although it is common to be given a mantra by ones guru but this does not mean that one canot chant without initiation , but it is prehaps better to keep to a simple mantra , as when the guru grants initiation he is symultaniously bestowing the blessing to chant and will often give specific instructions as to the meaning of the mantra ,gayatri mantra is one usualy reserved for second initiates as one needs a certain level of atainment to understand the more esoteric depths not just of the mantra but allso of the comitment itself .


however as it was touched by the lord , who asked the initial question ,

so ....

dear touched by the lord ,

having read many of your previous posts and having heard you say that krsna is your ishta deva , may I make a sugestion , you have refered before to chanting the maha mantra "hare krsna , hare krsna , krsna krsna , hare hare , hare rama , hare rama ,rama rama ,hare hare ".

this mantra can be chanted by the lay comunity and initiates alike ,and is comonly practiced amongst many vaisnava traditions ,
you can chant as much or as little as you like (it is only with initiation that you must commit to a specific number of rounds) , you can chant or sing , so you may chant with love simply concentrating on the sound vibrations of the names of the lord , take it gently and enjoy this comunion with the lord .
I think we have discussed before that the names of the lord are non different from the lord himself , so reflect as you chant that the sound it self is divinity , so take it gently and do not worry , it is quite usual that when one first starts to chant every thing seems wonderfull , then as we progress it is inevitable that we will hit peaks and troughs , this is very much a part of the process , the best advice anyone can give is go gently , build up slowly but surely , dont be over ambitious as it is easy to expect too much too soon , and whilst trying too hard one misses the beauty in the simplicity which is japa

jai sri krsna

 

[Jainarayan]

Thanks. :namaste

Yes, I chant the Maha Mantra several times a day, by myself and along with recordings. In fact, when I listen to a recording of a mantra, it will often get stuck in my head, and I find myself "going with it" hours later. I just listen to it in my head. Now that I've read all this, I think I know what to expect and what not to expect with japa.

 

[zenzero]

Friend TbtL,

No, I have no guru for initiation. The likelihood of having one is slim to none.

Personal understanding is that a true Guru comes to a true disciple and to become a true disciple is what each individual keeps preparing over many lifetimes.
First thing here is that you are allowing you mind to dictate. You have fed your mind with the idea that mantra should work in a certain fashion.
One has to keep the mind still under all circumstances and allowing the mind to be agitated is in itself symptom of the mind controlling the consciousness rather the vibration [thoughts] has taken over the stillness [consciousness].
maintaining balance is the key.

Love & rgds

 

[Jainarayan]

I've had a revelation, and I don't know if it's good or bad:

It's the mālā that is distracting me. It's something Vinayaka said (I know, I'm quoting him all morning today ) about being able to get more from sitting for hours doing japa instead of reading scriptures. I don't know if he meant with or without mālā.

I can sit virtually anywhere, anytime and mentally or quietly chant my mantra and "disappear" into it forever without the mālā. Lying in bed last night, without my mālā I began mentally chanting mantra. I think I did it until I fell asleep. Put the mālā into my hands, and it all goes up in smoke.

What's up here?

 

[Marble]

Is your Mala made from Tulasi?

 

[Jainarayan]

Yes, and the beads are very irregular. I thought they would be smooth and rounded. I do better using a cheapy mālā of unknown wood. I have a rudraksha mālā I got as a gift for ordering some items from Rudra Centre. I am also wondering if there's a bad energy using the tulasi and not being vegetarian. I wear a tulasi kanthi. I've read conflicting things about that too... wear it, don't wear it, use it, don't use it, must be vegetarian, don't have to be vegetarian.

 

[Vinayaka]

For what it's worth, I think you're doing the right thing when you start listening to your 'self''. Forget what others say, and do a little experimentation. The problem for me with this method is sometimes I use to act whims a bit too much. Now I usually let things (like not liking a particular mala) repeat a few times before making a decision. Just because you have one 'sorta bad' experience at a particular restaurant doesn't necessarily mean you should put it on your "Never Go there!" list.

 

[Jainarayan]

Thanks. I do say "always listen to your gut". I've used the tulasi mālā a number of times, and been wearing the kanthi for many months. I just don't feel comfortable with them. I don't know if it was a whim, or overzealous devotion that made me get them. Maybe a little of both. It's said that once you put on the kanthi you must never take it off. Of course if it breaks, it's going to come off. But I think I may take it off, and place it and the mālā on the altar, for Lord Hari, where I think they belong at this point.

For japa I'll try one of the other mālās, including the rudraksha mālā Mala For Japa?

I want to categorically state that using a Tulasi maalaa for Shiva or a Rudraksha maalaa for Vishnu will NOT do you any harm.

or even "intuitive japa" as it says here Nama Japa Meditation I didn't know it had a name, but intuitive japa is what I've been doing.

I think experimentation is the key; rather, it's a journey of discovery.

 

[zenzero]

Friend TbtL,

Put the mālā into my hands, and it all goes up in smoke.
What's up here?

Personally feel that One cannot focus on two areas at the same time, In your case maybe both the physical activity of turning the beads [mala] and mental chanting.
When am practcing hath yoga am with the brath i.e. incoming and outgoing] at the same time try to could the number of times that a pose is repeated. Mostly find that either figet the count or lose the breath awareness.
Two activities in sync needs practice but one has to begin somewhere and keep going!

Love & rgds

 

[Jainarayan]

Yes, I see... now I understand it's like learning to sing and play guitar at the same time... mental co-ordination. I'm going to keep at it. I've had oportunity to do mental japa, which is helping with establishing the rhythm of the chant. It doesn't come overnight. I have to remember that and just keep practicing.

 

[zenzero]

Friend TbyL,

Am touched!

Love & rgds

 

[Jainarayan]

Friend TbyL,

Am touched!

Love & rgds

:namaste

 

[LuckyKapoor]

be patient brother..

 

[zenzero]

Friend Lucky,

be patient brother..

Could you share your expeinces wih patience and how it worked??

Love & rgds

 

[Marble]

I say it again: Mantra Japa, in order to bear fruit, requires initiation.
Nama Japa is free for everyone.

 

[Jainarayan]

There are plenty of bhajans that chant Om namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya, Om namo Nārāyanāya or Om Sri Krishnāya namaha. Is that just for entertainment, and they carry no mystical "weight" assuming the singers are not initiates? I infer that's the case from Marble's comment about initiation being required to bear fruit.


At any rate, someone suggested this for nama japa:

Rāma Rāghava Rāma Rāghava Rāma Rāghava raksha mām

Krishna Keshava Krishna Keshava Krishna Keshava pāhi mām​

I like the rhythm, and the meaning: ​

O Lord Rāma, descendant of King Rāghu, please protect Me.
O Krishna, O Keśava, killer of the Keśī demon, please maintain Me.​

I'm going to try this. ​

I'd still like to use gāyatrī mantras of deities as prayers asking for enlightenment from Them, and of course the Gāyatrī Mantra, as well as the Mahāmrityunjaya Mantra, not as japa, though.​

 

[Marble]

There are plenty of bhajans that chant Om namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya, Om namo Nārāyanāya or Om Sri Krishnāya namaha. Is that just for entertainment, and they carry no mystical "weight" assuming the singers are not initiates?

It is to strengthen Bhakti.
If the singers are initiate: I don't think so.
Perhaps in older times, Bhaktas who were initiates did the singing at puja times - nowadays everything is commercial.

 

[Jainarayan]

That's what it seems like, now putting all this together. Thanks.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

I say it again: Mantra Japa, in order to bear fruit, requires initiation.
Nama Japa is free for everyone.

This is not true in my tradition.