Questions and answers with Swami Satyananda Saraswati

[Guest guest]

Question: At times while chanting Chandi, I'll find my breath

expanding over time during that one recitation, and wanting to go

beyond the original rhythm with which I started. For example, I may

begin 3 verses to the breath, then experience a tendency in my

breath to chant more; however, I stay with the 3 verses since that

is how I started. Should we stick to one rhythm for each recitation,

once we've begun? Can we add more verses to the breath, and continue

in that fashion? If we must stay with one rhythm throughout, what is

the reason for this?

 

 

Swami Satyananda Saraswati answers: There are reasons for both

expanding the length of the practice, the number of verses per

breath, and also for maintaining consistency. We won't to do both.

 

When you are able to increase, then do so. But try to maintain that

new

rhythm throughout the balance. What we want to avoid is being

erratic.

Consistency is the key.

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Question: When we chant, is it more effective to do it in a

monotone voice? Does it make a difference?

 

 

Swami Satyananda Saraswati answers: When we sing, we take more

breaths. When we chant, we take in a deeper inhalation and pronuonce

the mantra(s) on the exhilation. The tone of our chanting, whether

or not it is musical, determines the speed of the pronunciation.

 

So when we want to recite more verses to the breath, monotone is

best.

When we want to be entertaining or explaining or both, then musical

tones are best.