Beginner Puja – Day 13 – More Q&A on Pranayam

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

We have a lot of Q&A for today, and I decided to split them into two

posts – one on Japa and Pranayam and the other on Offerings.

 

This post focuses on Japa and Pranayam. Thank you Berijoy and Henny for your questions.

 

Berijoy asked,” What are our guru mantras?”

 

Well, Berijoy, a Guru mantra refers to a mantra given to you by your

Guru usually during initiation. So if any Guru has initiated you,

then you would use that mantra for japa. In the case when you are

doing a japa of another mantra (say "Om Namah Shivaya") then you

would mentally recite your Guru mantra during inhalation.

 

If you were not initiated into any mantra from a Guru, then you would

use the same mantra that you are doing the japa, during the

inhalation as well. In the case of Beginner Shiva Puja, you would

inhale for 1 length of "Om Namah Shivaya" and exhale and chant as

many "Om Namah Shivaya" as you can. I hope that clarifies on pranayam

and japa.

 

Henny had a question on the pranayam too. She said,"So, if I

understand correctly, you do NOT take an extra-long inbreath (filling

up completely to the belly) in order to be able to recite more mantras

on the out-breath? Or does the inbreath automatically get longer the

more mantras you get out?"

 

Henny, I forwarded this question to Swamiji and I am still pursuing

this with him. I will get back to you in a day or two on this topic.

 

Henny, your next question was "as I try to recite quickly, the

pronunciation tends to get a bit blurry. Is it important to keep the

pronunciation correct?"

Swamiji says, "Try to the best of your ability". From my perspective,

there is a difference between chanting slowly and clearly, versus

chanting non-stop to complete the pranayam. While the former is sweet

to hear, the latter gives a lot of energy. Yes, sometimes the

pronunciation is wanting, but we do the best we can, and believe me,

there is a rush that we experience with this approach.

 

Henny's next question was," It is often said that you should recite

the mantra continously, either verbally or mentally, so it can 'sink

in' and become part of you. Is there a difference in recitation

during puja and recitation apart from puja? I mean, when going about

your business during the day, can you vary the tempo or melody (I

have found I tend to recite very slowly when meditating, and I love

to sing along with the Shiva Puja cd, and then I am more involved in

mood than rhythm) or should you make a mental effort to keep up the

tempo in order for the recitation to become automatic? Or should you

practice japa apart from puja for a set period each day? Is

‘chanting’ different from 'japa'? "

Swamiji says, "Chanting is different from japa. Reciting the mantra

during activity is different from reciting without other activity.

There is a time and circumstance conducive to each type of

recitation. No one system applies to all circumstances. Practice them

all. "

Henny's next question,” Why is it important to recite as many mantras

on the out breath as you comfortably can? Has it something to do with

total emptying both body and mind?"

 

Swamiji says,” What is more important than as many as you can, is to

recite the same number consistently in every breath. "

I concur with that experience. A steady number of mantras give a

regulated pranayam, which in turn both soothes and charges us.

Henny asked,” Why do we roll hand over hand forwards and backwards?

And, having succeeded in finding all words except one, what does

'prstabhyam' mean?"

Swamiji says," Prstabhyam means the back sides of the hands. It means

that all the activities that the hands perform are consecrated to

God. "

 

OK, dear ones that covers our q&a on pranayam for now. Except for that

open question from Henny, we are now ready to move into the Q&A for

offerings – my next post.

 

Jai Maa

Nanda

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