Inattentive chanting - how to avoid?

[brajeshwara das]

Specifically, how do you stop the mind from running off to other things besides Krishna? How do you deal with this?

[Bhakta Devarsi]

 

Specifically, how do you stop the mind from running off to other things besides Krishna? How do you deal with this?

 

I have personally found a marked switch from the reflection of the name to the shadow of the name, ever since I got real about my true material situation by understanding where I fit in Daivi Varnasrama Dharma, and knowing more about DVD has helped me understand where others around me are really at.

 

So I make much less offenses, I am able to judge people by their fruit without being afraid of "offending" them, and thus I am much more comfortable with myself, and do not project my disappointment in life upon the name while I am chanting.

 

Srila Prabhupada must be pleased with these efforts, because my chanting has taken a quantum leap, and I am ecstatic about it.

 

Hare Krsna

[bhaktatraveler]

 

I have personally found a marked switch from the reflection of the name to the shadow of the name, ever since I got real about my true material situation by understanding where I fit in Daivi Varnasrama Dharma, and knowing more about DVD has helped me understand where others around me are really at.

 

So I make much less offenses, I am able to judge people by their fruit without being afraid of "offending" them, and thus I am much more comfortable with myself, and do not project my disappointment in life upon the name while I am chanting.

 

Srila Prabhupada must be pleased with these efforts, because my chanting has taken a quantum leap, and I am ecstatic about it.

 

Hare Krsna

 

 

What Devarsi said is very good, but for me I find in addition to that, the earlier I get up in the morning, like between 2-4, the better for my mind to be calm. The modes are especially condusive at that time for chanting. Even up till sun raise, after that I'm dead for good rounds an average.

 

The difference between goodness and passion.

 

If I'm chanting during the day it is mostly gibber japa. unless I find some seclutions from outside influences.

 

CB-r

[theist]

 

Specifically, how do you stop the mind from running off to other things besides Krishna? How do you deal with this?

 

My problem is I am not really trying to connect with Krsna as a Person. I am using the maha-mantra in offensive ways like desiring liberation or improved material conditions especially in my next life.

 

I believe motive is everything. Because I do have some faith that Krsna is the Supreme Person I know that if I attentively chant His name eternal love for Him will awaken. Then all my fantasies about beig the prime enjoyer myself will be dead. IOW's I still think there is happiness for me independent of Krsna.

 

For this reason I do not really consider myself an aspiring devotee because devotion is not yet my goal. But I am trapped by the overwhelming logic put forward by the advanced Theist's as contained in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam so there is no other place for me to go.

 

In truth the position that is most feasible for me presently is to try to be allowed a position in santa rasa. That is actually what I mean by liberation for the thought of sayuja mukti horrifies me.

 

What is needed for unfortunate and confused people like me is for Krsna to just brand me as His own by giving me a sufficent taste of His glory that even if withdrawn after a moment I will become obsessed with recapturing Him.

 

As it is I am drifting towards death like a man in a kayak drifting downstream to wards the waterfall.

 

We don't hear Krsna because we don't want to hear Krsna.

[brajeshwara das]

 

We don't hear Krsna because we don't want to hear Krsna.

 

No doubt.

 

I chant my rounds specifically because my Guru asked me too, so I see it as service, but the Holy Name is beyond me. My understanding is we need to become a good receiver and turn on our radar I guess, but there is so much interference with the mundane things I need to address in this life. It seems there are fleeting moments where I can purge these from my mind, otherwise I try and think of Krishna's flute, or His feet, I try and think of service that I can do or ways to make the devotees happy. But being empty to let the Holy Name fill me is very hard. Always some thoughts are coming. I have to just 'let them go' in the ways I first learned of meditation from some old Alan Watts book long ago. Don't fight them, just recognize them as what they are and let them go. Fighting them is like the old tar baby analogy (sorry if it sounds racist, but it makes sense). The more I try and tangle with the thoughts, the more entwined in them I become. So just 'letting them go' seems to work ok. If only for a moment. Quality over quantity though. Maybe I can chant 16 rounds of 108 Names, but if even some of those can be quality then I figure it is ok. As long as I try and avoid the 10 offenses to the Holy Name also I should be ok.

 

Anyway, a very dear Vaisnava once told me 'We don't chant the Name, it chants us' so I just need to be a proper receiver.

 

In case anyone never read this, here is a beautiful darshan by Srila Sridhar Maharaj on the Holy Name

[theist]

 

I chant my rounds specifically because my Guru asked me too, so I see it as service, but the Holy Name is beyond me.

 

This is the disciples perfection. With this attitude and approach Krsna Himself will soon appear.

 

Tar baby story is wonderful. One Puru das posted it often and I picked it up from him. It should be required reading. There is a lot of wisdom i just letting things go. The mind demands to accept or reject everything that comes before it. It is important to take control over this tendency and just let a lot drift by. There is that verse in the Gita, "When your mind has passed from the dense forest of delusion you will become indifferent to what has been heard and to what will be heard." Eventually we will be able to show indifference to the prospect of heaven even. We must let heaven go as much as we let hell go drifting by the mind. This is not adversion it is simple indifference, non-interest.

 

I'll check the links later.