Japa Retreat Realisations 2

[Guest guest]

Hare Krsna. This is a continuation of my Japa retreat experiences. The Japa retreat was held in Trinidad during November 27-29th. The retreat was facilitated by Mahatma prabhu and my Guru Maharaj His Holiness Guru Prasad Swami.

A very helpful tool that was taught to us, is evaluating the priority in our lives that we have given Japa. This is basically rating one’s Japa on a scale of one to ten. Ten is top priority, 5 is neither a high priority nor a low priority and one is an extremely low priority. This reflective activity made us analyse the importance of Japa in our lives. Almost all of the devotees agreed that we needed to prioritize on our Japa.

We were asked to write some things that come to mind that one can do to improve our Japa. A discussion then ensued. This was an extremely valuable process and the devotees appreciated this activity tremendously. This is an activity we can practice constantly in our daily lives, it will definitely improve our sadhana bhakti; how is my Japa? Is it a five or a six?I have found that this activity spurs me on to chant better and to realize that this is not some mechanical process. I am chanting the Holy names and fostering a deep relationship with Sri Krsna therefore I should give this my undivided attention. In my interaction with others I give my undivided attention so why can’t I give the most important person in my life my attention and love.

We also learnt about including Japa affirmations whilst we chant or before chanting. This can help us to chant with feeling. This is critical, how can we chant if we are devoid of emotion? It will be tasteless. The Holy names are not cheap or monotonous or merely some poem or verse that we learnt in school by rote learning and are reciting. The Holy names and Krsna are one and the same:

“If one chants and accepts the holy name as a material vibration, he falls down. One should worship and chant the holy name of the Lord by accepting it as the Lord Himself. During the chanting of the holy name, the tongue must work; the tongue is sevonmukha-jihva-it is controlled by service.”

Caitanya-caritamrita Some of the Japa affirmations were: I joyfully welcome the holy nameI blissfully chant Radha and Krsna’s names with full attention

I feel content making Japa my most important activityI lovingly chant the holy names of Radha and KrsnaI feel deeply satisfied when I chant my prescribed number of rounds with focus and attention

I feel grateful as the holy names appear in my heart and dances on my tongueI happily chant full of desire to connect deeply in my relationship with Radha and Krsna.The Holy Name is my everything because I’m dependent on it in all facets of my life

The Holy Name is my oasis because it provides me with shelterThe Holy Name is my comfort it provides warmth and overflowing love. Whilst we chant we need to cry out to Krsna lovingly filled of dependence and submission. We can say …oh my friend….Oh my Lord….please uplift me….please empower me….please take my heart, bring me closer to you….please help me to serve you properly…O Radha please capture my inner light….O Krsna please pull my heart to you….O Radha please steal my heart.

These valuable insights that I acquired is due to the expert guidance of my gurudev and Mahatma das prabhu. I’m ever grateful that I was part of this experience. I am simply sharing what transpired hoping that this will bless your life as it has helped me.

Your humble servant, Dhama-rupini dasi

 

 

 

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