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Spiritualseeker
15 April 2012, 04:04 PM
Namaste,

How do you keep consistently with the Mantra throughout the day such as Om Namah Shivaya without it becoming forceful? Many times I focus on Om Namah Shivaya on the In and out breath, but sometimes it seems that I start regulating breathing instead of just letting it be. The problem is even when i 'try' not to regulate it, I end up making it go in and out with effort to say the Mantra. Does anyone have any tips for this scenario?

Thanks

Om Namah Shivaya

McKitty
15 April 2012, 04:59 PM
Hello !

I don't know if it's useful but...Maybe you can help yourself with a music player, with the mantra on it ? I often begin the day with listening to "Om Namah Shivaya" on my phone in the bus, and I have the mantra and the rythm in my head for the whole day !
If you loose the rythm, it can be useful to continue with the song in the ears.

Aum~

Jainarayan
15 April 2012, 05:36 PM
Hello !

I don't know if it's useful but...Maybe you can help yourself with a music player, with the mantra on it ? I often begin the day with listening to "Om Namah Shivaya" on my phone in the bus, and I have the mantra and the rythm in my head for the whole day !
If you loose the rythm, it can be useful to continue with the song in the ears.

Aum~

^ This. :) I'll very often spontaneously start hearing the mantra in my head, then I keep it going for as long as I can.

Eastern Mind
15 April 2012, 06:42 PM
Vannakkam: As discussed previously (seems this could be the preface for 90% of stuff on here ... but at least there are new members who may have never heard the same old stuff regurgitated) I don't think you are doing justice to the mantra or regular life trying to have the mantra going in daily life. A time and place for everything. The proper intonation of a a mantra is supposed to take you out of the normal conscious functioning mind, and into a deeper level of mind. Closing your eyes, for example, is usually part of it. I certainly don't want a great Indian surgeon operating on my arthritic knees while simultaneously delving deep within on the vibration of his initiated mantra. :) Nor do I choose to close my eyes on an Interstate. :)

Aum Namasivaya

yajvan
16 April 2012, 11:40 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


A time and place for everything. The proper intonation of a a mantra is supposed to take you out of the normal conscious functioning mind, and into a deeper level of mind. Closing your eyes, for example, is usually part of it. I certainly don't want a great Indian surgeon operating on my arthritic knees while simultaneously delving deep within on the vibration of his initiated mantra.

What EM offers is reasonable advice for those starting off in their practice and/or for the gṛhastha (householder). Yet for the sādhu there are different intentions.

The sādhu wishes to have continunity of consciousness with eyes opened or eyes closed. The word that applies is prayatna, meaning continued endeavor 'pauseless'. Hence one's practice ( for the sādhu ) is pursued with eyes open or closed. The techniques are slightly different , yet the intent is the same. To culture pure awareness and stablize it so there never is a break or pause in it, during wake , dream or sleep.


Now is this for everyone... no. It is intented for those with a focus on the full unfoldment of Being as their career ( and volition). Yet, that said some simple things can be done when the mind is not engaged in work, or driving , where focus on the ~job~ at hand is needed. Yet what of one that is walking in the park, or shopping ? Instead of random thoughts, some disciplined thoughts can be engaged in, as a practice as one walks, observes, etc.


praṇām

Eastern Mind
16 April 2012, 01:06 PM
Yet what of one that is walking in the park, or shopping ? Instead of random thoughts, some disciplined thoughts can be engaged in, as a practice as one walks, observes, etc.



Vannakkam Yajvan et al: Yes, thanks for separating this out, based on the level of attention needed for the activity. I often take a walking japa break on long drives. Get off the interstate, find a lonely scenic country road, walk for one round on the mala, turn around, walk back for a second round. It's a nice mental and physical break from the road. Meditation actually makes the meditator more alert for the mundane tasks that may follow. Same with writing, I'll take a japa break, come back and have fresh ideas.

Aum Namasivaya

Aum namah Śivāya
16 April 2012, 01:14 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté



What EM offers is reasonable advice for those starting off in their practice and/or for the gṛhastha (householder). Yet for the sādhu there are different intentions.

The sādhu wishes to have continunity of consciousness with eyes opened or eyes closed. The word that applies is prayatna, meaning continued endeavor 'pauseless'. Hence one's practice ( for the sādhu ) is pursued with eyes open or closed. The techniques are slightly different , yet the intent is the same. To culture pure awareness and stablize it so there never is a break or pause in it, during wake , dream or sleep.


Now is this for everyone... no. It is intented for those with a focus on the full unfoldment of Being as their career ( and volition). Yet, that said some simple things can be done when the mind is not engaged in work, or driving , where focus on the ~job~ at hand is needed. Yet what of one that is walking in the park, or shopping ? Instead of random thoughts, some disciplined thoughts can be engaged in, as a practice as one walks, observes, etc.


praṇām

नमस्ते,

This is good advice. I have been endeavoring to silently chant a mantra in my mind while going to sleep, so that God is the last thing on my mind before sleeping. That is the most worthy subject to be thinking of while going to bed. Similarly while awaking in the morning.

ॐ नमः शिवाय

Jainarayan
16 April 2012, 01:23 PM
Namaste.


नमस्ते,

This is good advice. I have been endeavoring to silently chant a mantra in my mind while going to sleep, so that God is the last thing on my mind before sleeping. That is the most worthy subject to be thinking of while going to bed. Similarly while awaking in the morning.

ॐ नमः शिवाय

I did that last night. Most often I will "play" one of my favorite bhajans in my head, hearing the words and melody. It might be the Maha Mantra as done by the London Radha Krishna Temple, or a nice one with a very catchy melody and rhythm such as: "Om Krishna Hare jaya Krishna Hare Guruvayurappan Krishna Hare" over and over, how many times?... I have no idea.

sunyata07
18 April 2012, 12:36 PM
Namaste,

I sometimes find myself chanting mantras in my head as well without even realising it. I understand that there should be a proper time to sit down with conscious and focused mantra japa, but surely it is no harm to say the names of God in one's head even as one is going about the day doing work, or walking down to the shops? I actually notice I am in a better, more peaceful mood when I sing a mantra to myself quietly as I do household chores.

TBTL, I notice some of the most mind-adhesive mantra songs are the ones that praise Sri Radha Krishna? I'm serious, weeks and months after I have heard the chants I can still remember the tempo and the melody!

Om namah Shivaya

Jainarayan
18 April 2012, 01:08 PM
Namaste sunyata.


TBTL, I notice some of the most mind-adhesive mantra songs are the ones that praise Sri Radha Krishna? I'm serious, weeks and months after I have heard the chants I can still remember the tempo and the melody!

Om namah Shivaya

Yeah, isn't that a pip? :D When I do nama japa it's usually one of those. I do mantra japa with different melodies and rhythms of one mantra. That's why I love so many of these bhajans.

surrenderindailylife
18 April 2012, 08:53 PM
Namaste,

How do you keep consistently with the Mantra throughout the day such as Om Namah Shivaya without it becoming forceful?


From my experience: I usually start the day with a resolve to chant mantra throughout. Of course the depth of involvement varies - if you are walking then you are much more involved then when you are typing your routine email to your office colleague. Also, I have seen that when working on a complex problem at work, automatically mantra chanting drops on its own, since the mind is so focused on completing the job at hand. Thus I am also experiencing the kind of challenges that you are. Having said this, I have noticed that over the years, with persistent resolve, my mantra chanting has improved. Thus when I am not greatly absorbed in work, my mind, on its own wants to chant mantra. I guess its a slow process.

Amala
19 April 2012, 05:00 PM
Namaste,

I find it's very important to find the right rendition to emulate. It's been my experience that an inordinate number of renderings are very poorly pronounced. I don't know this for a fact, but could it be that the well-pronounced mantra supports correct breathing?

Do you ever feel light-headed when you do this? I do. I have some on CD that I sing along with when I drive, but I have to stop.... er either driving or singing. lol

I love keeping God close to me all day long, whatever the means - chanting, singing bhajans, bowing to an image on my wall, stopping in here to read posts on practices and cool experiences... It's all so wonderful!!! I often break into song, sometimes spinning around ... so happy. :-)




^ This. :) I'll very often spontaneously start hearing the mantra in my head, then I keep it going for as long as I can.

Jainarayan
20 April 2012, 09:28 AM
Namaste.


Namaste,

I find it's very important to find the right rendition to emulate. It's been my experience that an inordinate number of renderings are very poorly pronounced. I don't know this for a fact, but could it be that the well-pronounced mantra supports correct breathing?

Yes. Chanting is not much different than singing, except for the purpose, of course. Both rely on proper breathing. If you don't breathe right, you don't pronounce right.

Listen to the rhythms of the mantras in these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ep4Y16cWeg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKjJPSbBZys I'm drawn to the 2nd for mantra japa (I can't understand a word except the mantra), though technically as a non-initiate I should only do nama japa. But "nine hundred million Hindus, nine hundred million opinions". I also like this one for nama japa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COmb6xO6wyo (again, can't understand a word except the nama).

Now compare to these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEQJlUqvqdw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZHzwcBCPsM


Do you ever feel light-headed when you do this? I do. I have some on CD that I sing along with when I drive, but I have to stop.... er either driving or singing. lol

I can't say "light-headed" but I've found that some chantings just don't "send me" (to use a '60s phrase :p). They seem cumbersome. And I will start yawing, not out of boredom, but because of the off-rhythm breathing.

Eastern Mind
20 April 2012, 09:53 AM
Also, I have seen that when working on a complex problem at work, automatically mantra chanting drops on its own, since the mind is so focused on completing the job at hand.

Vannakkam: This is exactly why I would never recommend trying to do a mantra during the day. Just reverse this situation so it reads as follows:

Also, I have seen that when working on a mantra, all other thoughts automatically drop, on their own, since the mind is so focussed on the mantra.

This is the way the mantra was supposed to be ... a singularly totally concentrated focus, just as the teacher intended. So there are only a few circumstances where it works ... in the home temple (shrine), at a temple, or perhaps in nature. When a person is immersed in the depth of their being, dangerous things can happen to the nadis if there is an interruption.

Singing a relaxing bhajan as a reminder to pull yourself back from an angry, lustful, avarice situation is different. Then its a different purpose. But the sacred mantra isn't like that. It has another purpose. People who have their mantra really well trained with lots of practice would never start it in just any circumstance, because it brings up a powerful response ... awareness is pulled away from external stuff. So maybe after 3 repetitions the mind wouldn't be able to function in any external state.

This is also why a person should NEVER be interrupted when they are doing japa. This may also help to explain the difference between chanting a mantra with or without diksha (initiation).

Aum Namasivaya

Spiritual Mantra
03 May 2013, 03:34 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viZvKPMOyZc

Eastern Mind
03 May 2013, 03:42 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viZvKPMOyZc

Vannakkam, and welcome to HDF. Just wondering if you have any thing to contribute to HDF besides links to music?

Aum Namasivaya