Guest guest Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Namaste Parvati, I am endlessly amazed how these topics keep cropping up. You guys must be reading my mind. I've been thinking about this for the last two days: this topic came up in one of RL Chawdri's books and then last night in one of Pandit Tiguanait's book. Both authors state that silent japa is best because it requires more concentration. I suspect in the case of Swamiji & Shree Maa, chanting out loud has everything to do with purifying everything around them and with teaching their students. I am used to chanting outloud and have just started to experiment with silent japa. I find that silent japa saves physical energy & is faster. What is very powerful is listening to a chanting Master while following the written text (one whispers or remains silent). You absorb the power of the chants while listening to the correct pronunciation. (I know MY Sanskrit pronunciation is NOT good.) Jai Maa! Astraea , "parvati_saraswati" <parvati_saraswati> wrote: > There are three ways to do puja. > One way is with audible sound w here you recite the mantras > outloud called sabdha. Another way is to only move your lips > when you recite the mantras. There is no sound. This is called > pumsa. The third way is to perform the puja completely within > the mind in silence. This is called manas. You make all the > offerings inside pulling the articles to be offered f rom your > heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2003 Report Share Posted November 22, 2003 Astraea, Perhaps I can offer something to this topic. As one coming from the Himalayan Institute tradition, I followed the method of silent japa. It is said to be the highest. However, Swami Rama wrote, I believe it was in The Path of Fire and Light, that all three types are necessary (aloud, with movement of the lips alone, and silent). In my own practice, I have discovered that somehow (I imagine it has to do with disruptions in my mindfield) mantra shakti is more easily perceived and more accessible when doing japa aloud. I think it's likely there's a progression in practice where silent japa is very appropriate, but for the time being at least, I'm finding external japa very satisfying. Chris , "astraea2003" <astraea2003> wrote: > Namaste Parvati, > I am endlessly amazed how these topics keep cropping up. You guys > must be reading my mind. I've been thinking about this for the last > two days: this topic came up in one of RL Chawdri's books and then > last night in one of Pandit Tiguanait's book. > > Both authors state that silent japa is best because it requires more > concentration. I suspect in the case of Swamiji & Shree Maa, chanting > out loud has everything to do with purifying everything around them > and with teaching their students. > > I am used to chanting outloud and have just started to experiment > with silent japa. > > I find that silent japa saves physical energy & is faster. What is > very powerful is listening to a chanting Master while following the > written text (one whispers or remains silent). You absorb the power > of the chants while listening to the correct pronunciation. (I know > MY Sanskrit pronunciation is NOT good.) > > Jai Maa! > > Astraea > > , "parvati_saraswati" > <parvati_saraswati> wrote: > > There are three ways to do puja. > > One way is with audible sound w here you recite the mantras > > outloud called sabdha. Another way is to only move your lips > > when you recite the mantras. There is no sound. This is called > > pumsa. The third way is to perform the puja completely within > > the mind in silence. This is called manas. You make all the > > offerings inside pulling the articles to be offered f rom your > > heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2003 Report Share Posted November 22, 2003 Chris and Astraea, Since my mind is so easily diverted to the external, I find it easier to be mindful when I chant aloud and pay attention to every word. As you said, I am sure there is a progression to silence later on, but right now I am enjoying the sound of my own voice ) Latha , "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956> wrote: > Astraea, > > Perhaps I can offer something to this topic. > > As one coming from the Himalayan Institute tradition, I followed the > method of silent japa. It is said to be the highest. However, Swami > Rama wrote, I believe it was in The Path of Fire and Light, that all > three types are necessary (aloud, with movement of the lips alone, > and silent). > > In my own practice, I have discovered that somehow (I imagine it has > to do with disruptions in my mindfield) mantra shakti is more easily > perceived and more accessible when doing japa aloud. > > I think it's likely there's a progression in practice where silent > japa is very appropriate, but for the time being at least, I'm > finding external japa very satisfying. > > Chris > > > , "astraea2003" <astraea2003> > wrote: > > Namaste Parvati, > > I am endlessly amazed how these topics keep cropping up. You guys > > must be reading my mind. I've been thinking about this for the last > > two days: this topic came up in one of RL Chawdri's books and then > > last night in one of Pandit Tiguanait's book. > > > > Both authors state that silent japa is best because it requires > more > > concentration. I suspect in the case of Swamiji & Shree Maa, > chanting > > out loud has everything to do with purifying everything around them > > and with teaching their students. > > > > I am used to chanting outloud and have just started to experiment > > with silent japa. > > > > I find that silent japa saves physical energy & is faster. What is > > very powerful is listening to a chanting Master while following the > > written text (one whispers or remains silent). You absorb the power > > of the chants while listening to the correct pronunciation. (I know > > MY Sanskrit pronunciation is NOT good.) > > > > Jai Maa! > > > > Astraea > > > > , "parvati_saraswati" > > <parvati_saraswati> wrote: > > > There are three ways to do puja. > > > One way is with audible sound w here you recite the mantras > > > outloud called sabdha. Another way is to only move your > lips > > > when you recite the mantras. There is no sound. This is > called > > > pumsa. The third way is to perform the puja completely within > > > the mind in silence. This is called manas. You make all the > > > offerings inside pulling the articles to be offered f rom your > > > heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2003 Report Share Posted November 22, 2003 Chris, Thank you for sharing your own experience! Astraea , "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956> wrote: > Astraea, > > Perhaps I can offer something to this topic. > > As one coming from the Himalayan Institute tradition, I followed the > method of silent japa. It is said to be the highest. However, Swami > Rama wrote, I believe it was in The Path of Fire and Light, that all > three types are necessary (aloud, with movement of the lips alone, > and silent). > > In my own practice, I have discovered that somehow (I imagine it has > to do with disruptions in my mindfield) mantra shakti is more easily > perceived and more accessible when doing japa aloud. > > I think it's likely there's a progression in practice where silent > japa is very appropriate, but for the time being at least, I'm > finding external japa very satisfying. > > Chris > > > , "astraea2003" <astraea2003> > wrote: > > Namaste Parvati, > > I am endlessly amazed how these topics keep cropping up. You guys > > must be reading my mind. I've been thinking about this for the last > > two days: this topic came up in one of RL Chawdri's books and then > > last night in one of Pandit Tiguanait's book. > > > > Both authors state that silent japa is best because it requires > more > > concentration. I suspect in the case of Swamiji & Shree Maa, > chanting > > out loud has everything to do with purifying everything around them > > and with teaching their students. > > > > I am used to chanting outloud and have just started to experiment > > with silent japa. > > > > I find that silent japa saves physical energy & is faster. What is > > very powerful is listening to a chanting Master while following the > > written text (one whispers or remains silent). You absorb the power > > of the chants while listening to the correct pronunciation. (I know > > MY Sanskrit pronunciation is NOT good.) > > > > Jai Maa! > > > > Astraea > > > > , "parvati_saraswati" > > <parvati_saraswati> wrote: > > > There are three ways to do puja. > > > One way is with audible sound w here you recite the mantras > > > outloud called sabdha. Another way is to only move your > lips > > > when you recite the mantras. There is no sound. This is > called > > > pumsa. The third way is to perform the puja completely within > > > the mind in silence. This is called manas. You make all the > > > offerings inside pulling the articles to be offered f rom your > > > heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 23, 2003 Report Share Posted November 23, 2003 Namaste Latha, Yes, and chanting out loud forces one to learn to pronounce the Sanskrit too. When confronted with a new chant, I find that it takes my mouth a while just to get used to trying to make the right sounds. So what I'm being told here is: leave silent japa to those who have already learned to chant correctly out loud. Jai Maa! Astraea , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Chris and Astraea, > > Since my mind is so easily diverted to the external, I find it easier > to be mindful when I chant aloud and pay attention to every word. > > As you said, I am sure there is a progression to silence later on, > but right now I am enjoying the sound of my own voice ) > > Latha > > > , "Chris Kirner" > <chriskirner1956> wrote: > > Astraea, > > > > Perhaps I can offer something to this topic. > > > > As one coming from the Himalayan Institute tradition, I followed > the > > method of silent japa. It is said to be the highest. However, Swami > > Rama wrote, I believe it was in The Path of Fire and Light, that > all > > three types are necessary (aloud, with movement of the lips alone, > > and silent). > > > > In my own practice, I have discovered that somehow (I imagine it > has > > to do with disruptions in my mindfield) mantra shakti is more > easily > > perceived and more accessible when doing japa aloud. > > > > I think it's likely there's a progression in practice where silent > > japa is very appropriate, but for the time being at least, I'm > > finding external japa very satisfying. > > > > Chris > > > > > > , "astraea2003" > <astraea2003> > > wrote: > > > Namaste Parvati, > > > I am endlessly amazed how these topics keep cropping up. You guys > > > must be reading my mind. I've been thinking about this for the > last > > > two days: this topic came up in one of RL Chawdri's books and > then > > > last night in one of Pandit Tiguanait's book. > > > > > > Both authors state that silent japa is best because it requires > > more > > > concentration. I suspect in the case of Swamiji & Shree Maa, > > chanting > > > out loud has everything to do with purifying everything around > them > > > and with teaching their students. > > > > > > I am used to chanting outloud and have just started to experiment > > > with silent japa. > > > > > > I find that silent japa saves physical energy & is faster. What > is > > > very powerful is listening to a chanting Master while following > the > > > written text (one whispers or remains silent). You absorb the > power > > > of the chants while listening to the correct pronunciation. (I > know > > > MY Sanskrit pronunciation is NOT good.) > > > > > > Jai Maa! > > > > > > Astraea > > > > > > , "parvati_saraswati" > > > <parvati_saraswati> wrote: > > > > There are three ways to do puja. > > > > One way is with audible sound w here you recite the > mantras > > > > outloud called sabdha. Another way is to only move your > > lips > > > > when you recite the mantras. There is no sound. This is > > called > > > > pumsa. The third way is to perform the puja completely > within > > > > the mind in silence. This is called manas. You make all > the > > > > offerings inside pulling the articles to be offered f rom > your > > > > heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 23, 2003 Report Share Posted November 23, 2003 Attaining Heights: When the heights of perfection and eternity are attained, all the more honor to those who began at the bottom and joyfully climbed the ladder of life, round by round, and who, when they do reach the heights of glory, will have gained a personal experience which embodies an actual knowledge of every phase of life from the bottom to the top. LET US PRAY TO DEVI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhattathiri Posted September 25, 2006 Report Share Posted September 25, 2006 Modern Children"s doubt on Hinduism answered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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