Concentration During Japa

[Guest guest]

It's a constant battle with the mind....like a another being that is intent on dragging us away from the nectar of the Holy names. It's our choice in the end, we can listen to the mind or we can listen to the mantra and we make this choice every second of our Japa.

Of course the obvious choice is to listen to the mantra and ignore the mind and that is what we should be striving for with each bead that we pass between our fingers.The material energy is constantly testing us to see if we are sincere about our Japa and she will throw up unlimited amounts of distractions every single day....it's a simple matter of seeing how the material energy is working around us and just ignoring it and giving our time to Krsna when we are with him during Japa.

This subject reminds me of a very nice quote from Srila Prabhupada:If you stick to these principles with determination, you will be freed from all attachment to Maya, by Krishna's grace. The example is that when the sun is in the sky, then where is the question of darkness? Similarly, when Hare Krishna mantra is vibrating on your tongue, and you are hearing attentively, then your consciousness becomes clear, or Krishna consciousness, and there is no question of Maya or hazy consciousness.

Letter - Wednesday 2 August 1972-- LET US NOT MAKE OUR STOMACH A GRAVEYARD. LET US NOT EAT FLESH. LET US BE VEGETARIANS AND STAY HEALTHY. Animals are to be loved, not eaten. Eating flesh is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, not even for the body. It distorts the basic character of human. Think Soul is Soul and it came from the Supreme Soul...God Head Krishna

Chant:Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

[Guest guest]

Namaste

 

Japa is an exercise to keep us in the present moment during the entire

excercise. That is why the instruction to count while doing Japa. By

counting, our mind is forced to be in the present moment. Some even

insist not to close eyes (or half closed). Thus Japa is a transcendental

meditation par excellence.

 

Continuous presence in the present moment leads to spiritual awakening.

 

Also, during Japa, the breath softens and becomes threadlike. Such a

soft breath can be attained only after a long practice of Pranayama.

Naturally it leads to a clear mind, bereft of evil thoughts and

longevity.

 

No wonder Krishna says that , " Of all yagnyas, I am the Japa yagnya "

 

Venkat

 

, manikantan <kanaiyyadesh

wrote:

>

>

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zI/s1600-h/srila+prabhupada+blissful+japa.jpg>

> It's a constant battle with the mind....like a another being that is

intent

> on dragging us away from the nectar of the Holy names. It's our choice

in

> the end, we can listen to the mind or we can listen to the mantra and

we

> make this choice every second of our Japa.

>

> Of course the obvious choice is to listen to the mantra and ignore the

mind

> and that is what we should be striving for with each bead that we pass

> between our fingers.

>

> The material energy is constantly testing us to see if we are sincere

about

> our Japa and she will throw up unlimited amounts of distractions every

> single day....it's a simple matter of seeing how the material energy

is

> working around us and just ignoring it and giving our time to Krsna

when we

> are with him during Japa.

>

> This subject reminds me of a very nice quote from Srila Prabhupada:

>

> *If you stick to these principles with determination, you will be

freed from

> all attachment to Maya, by Krishna's grace. The example is that when

the sun

> is in the sky, then where is the question of darkness? Similarly, when

Hare

> Krishna mantra is vibrating on your tongue, **and you are hearing

> attentively, then your consciousness becomes clear**, or Krishna

> consciousness, and there is no question of Maya or hazy

consciousness.*

>

> *Letter - Wednesday 2 August 1972*