Two Mala Japa?

[IcyCosmic]

Namaste everyone.
I do two seperate mantras with my mala [5 rounds each]. I read somewhere that you should only do one, or one every 40 day cycle or something similar. Any truth to this?
I'm not very learned with anything related to traditional hindu practices.

[peasandbones]

Namaste

Hmmm, I don't think I've heard that before. I have read that with certain mantras there is a subscribed amount whereas other are unlimited, personally if I do more than one round I keep it at an odd number.

[Eastern Mind]

Namaste everyone.
I do two seperate mantras with my mala [5 rounds each]. I read somewhere that you should only do one, or one every 40 day cycle or something similar. Any truth to this?
I'm not very learned with anything related to traditional hindu practices.

Vannakkam Icy: Some people have a ton of rules. Some people have no rules. Some say this, some say that, some say something else. When we have a million schools of thought, when you say 'I read somewhere' it really doesn't have a ton of meaning, because you may well read somewhere else a contradictory message.

The exception to all this are devotees who have connected to a particular Guru of a particular sampradaya, and have had one on one instruction or diksha. Then they should clearly follow that. Otherwise it's sort of up to you, and what feels right.

Aum namasivaya

[IcyCosmic]

Perfect response as expected from you EM-ji. Very simple, but sometimes easy to get confused. I guess I'll just ''feel it out'' since I haven't picked a school of thought to specialise in as of yet to take me closer to ''liberation'' and avoid sitting at the surface. Maybe then I'll have a concrete answer, haha.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté

One must ask:

• why am I doing this?
• have I seen any results ?
• are 2 mantra's better then one ? Am I getting results from each?

• why am I doing this? to hone the mind; to allow it to be one pointed. with this one-pointedness, it then can come to rest in the Self over time.
• have I seen any results ? what would the results look like ? They come in many shapes and forms, but there is more harmony, less stress, more clarity; ones outlook is changed. The infusion of sattva does this.
• are 2 mantra's better then one ? Am I getting results from each? When digging a well to find water we do not dig one meter deep then stop and begin another hole, and then another and another. We dig one well till we hit water.

iti śivaṁ

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté

One must ask:

• are 2 mantra's better then one ? Am I getting results from each? When digging a well to find water we do not dig one meter deep then stop and begin another hole, and then another and another. We dig one well till we hit water.

Think of a laser beam....
We look at white light which is a combination of all light put together.
Then consider the laser ... what makes it a ~laser~ ? It is coherent light. It is the purity of one wave that is amplified.



the seeker ( of the Self) is afflicted by his/her activities and wants peace and rest. In other words he wants cessation of his activities. If the teacher tells him to do more, can that help the seeker ? Activity is creation. Activity is the destruction of ones's inherent ( natural ) happiness....ramaṅa mahaṛṣi

So the question becomes , how to do less and accomplish more within one's spiritual pursuit ? Become the laser.

One needs to look at their actions wisely. If one does nothing perfectly, all is gained. What is perfectly ? Sahaja samādhi¹.


iti śivaṁ
words

• sahaja - natural state
• samādhi - evenness; pure awareness; Being; union;

[IcyCosmic]

Thanks Yajvan. By the way : a unrelated questions, is it fine to whisper or say the mantra mentally rather than chant it? & what is your opinion on the cycle being ruined if you ''miss a day'' or stop ''mid-mantra'.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté


a few types of jāpa:

• saśabda (jāpa) - having sound or noise , full of cries; that which are auidable to all that listen… note 'audible' - does not imply comprehension or understanding.
• upāṃśu (jāpa) - secretly or in secret; This implies in the mind - 'secret' ; or in a low voice , in a whisper where no one can discern the words.
• ajāpa (jāpa) - from a+jap - one who does not repeat prayers - this implies 'out loud'.

We are informed that jāpa is an inward stroke of action. Inward into more silence. It then suggests starting ones practice within the mind, outside of the field of voice, lips and external hearing is beneficial.

Inward is toward silence , outward towards diversity.



iti śivaṁ

[IcyCosmic]

Namaste,
It brings me great joy to learn that! I was thinking my whispering is lackluster because I have only observed Japa out loud. This morning I did a mental Japa using the Mala and I prefer it by leaps and bounds.

[Eastern Mind]

Namaste,
It brings me great joy to learn that! I was thinking my whispering is lackluster because I have only observed Japa out loud. This morning I did a mental Japa using the Mala and I prefer it by leaps and bounds.

Vannakkam Icy: Not sure about other sampradayas, but I was taught that both silent and aloud are fine, depending on situation. Same with using beads, counting on fingers, or not counting at all. It's all good.

Aum Namasivaya