Guest guest Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Dear Srini, thank you very much for sharing this. Please allow me to tell you what happened with my chanting of this year's sankalpa mantra. The first week, I embarked upon daily chanting as one more task to be done and my chanting was very much directed outwards. I was chanting to someone 'out there', and in fact the volume was loud enough to be heard by the neighbours, I think. And I was very conscious of myself sitting there, chanting, and there was a feeling of 'wanting to get the job done'. Then one afternoon (early morning in California), I tuned into the live broadcast from the Devi Mandir, and I heard a Devi Mandir sadhu doing japa very, very quietly, tenderly and with great patience, and just listening to that voice made me realize what I had been doing. So, the next time I sat down for japa, I 'listened' to the memory of that voice in my mind, and that made me more centered and quiet, and then I began my chanting. Gradually, over the next few days, I was gently drawn inside to the Presence listening within. And my chanting followed and it has become much more subtle, softer, and also much more peaceful. And now, when the mantra has taken me to that inner place where She listens, I forget to think about myself as one who chants, and chanting goes on inside of its own accord. Now, it is no longer a task to be accomplished, but an opportunity to enter into the Presence more and more, and something to look forward to. So the sadhu who was chanting for the Goddess in his heart, was also chanting for me outside. And of course I cannot be certain, but that sadhu may very well have been you:), JAI MAA! Henny In , "srini_sadhu" <srini_sadhu wrote: > > Dear Friends and Family, > > Namaste! > > Something that Swamiji said to us a few weeks ago affected my thinking > and I thought I would share it with you. > > He said that when we chant, we are chanting for the Goddess who is in > our heart, and not for the people who are outside. > > Sincerely, > srini > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2007 Report Share Posted February 6, 2007 Dear Henny, Namaste! Thank you for sharing! Normally, in the Cosmic Puja the toughest part for me is the japa. Swamiji suggests that we do one mala after Prana Pratishta of the pot, at least one mala after establishing the deity within, and one mala for each of the pujas that follow the puja naivedya. I usally try to get it done as quickly as possible. My mind wanders and I do not pronounce the mantras clearly when I do it in my mind. A few days ago, I followed something that Swamiji demonstrated which is to first chant the japa aloud, then move to pronouncing it with the lips and then chant silently. This helped me focus much better. Makes a big difference. Instead of rushing through the 108, the syllables are pronounced more distinctly than when japa is done silently. Jai Maa! srini , "henny_v_i" <henny_v_i wrote: > > Dear Srini, > > thank you very much for sharing this. Please allow me to tell you what > happened with my chanting of this year's sankalpa mantra. The first > week, I embarked upon daily chanting as one more task to be done and > my chanting was very much directed outwards. I was chanting to someone > 'out there', and in fact the volume was loud enough to be heard by the > neighbours, I think. And I was very conscious of myself sitting there, > chanting, and there was a feeling of 'wanting to get the job done'. > Then one afternoon (early morning in California), I tuned into the > live broadcast from the Devi Mandir, and I heard a Devi Mandir sadhu > doing japa very, very quietly, tenderly and with great patience, and > just listening to that voice made me realize what I had been doing. > So, the next time I sat down for japa, I 'listened' to the memory of > that voice in my mind, and that made me more centered and quiet, and > then I began my chanting. Gradually, over the next few days, I was > gently drawn inside to the Presence listening within. And my chanting > followed and it has become much more subtle, softer, and also much > more peaceful. And now, when the mantra has taken me to that inner > place where She listens, I forget to think about myself as one who > chants, and chanting goes on inside of its own accord. Now, it is no > longer a task to be accomplished, but an opportunity to enter into the > Presence more and more, and something to look forward to. > So the sadhu who was chanting for the Goddess in his heart, was also > chanting for me outside. And of course I cannot be certain, but that > sadhu may very well have been you:), > > > JAI MAA! > > Henny > > > In , "srini_sadhu" <srini_sadhu@> > wrote: > > > > Dear Friends and Family, > > > > Namaste! > > > > Something that Swamiji said to us a few weeks ago affected my > thinking > > and I thought I would share it with you. > > > > He said that when we chant, we are chanting for the Goddess who is > in > > our heart, and not for the people who are outside. > > > > Sincerely, > > srini > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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