Q & A for Swamiji on chanting aloud vs silently

[Guest guest]

Dear Swamiji ~ I am participating in the Mother Earth Sankalpa, in my

usual somewhat limited way, due to my illness. Last night as I was

chanting the mantra for Brihaspati and, after a few minutes, I

started to have pain in my neck and upper back. Even talking, or

chanting, after a certain amount of time brings on the pain, and if I

try to ignore it, it only gets worse. Sometimes when I am doing a mala

of a mantra, at a certain point, when the pain begins to become

distracting, I "say" the mantra silently. I can't even subvocalize

because even this will increase the pain. My question is: is it okay

for me to do this switching from reciting out loud to reciting

silently for the Mother Earth Sankalpa mantras? And is it okay in

genergal for me to do this when doing a recitation? Thank you for

being there to answer our questions. Jai Swamiji ~ Linda