Japa Yoga Advice

[Josh Young]

I have advice for those who practice Japa yoga.

Often people who do this go through the mantras quickly and over and over in an automatic way. This is not ideal.

 

Every mantra has a meaning, merely repeating the mantra quickly does not allow that meaning to sink in. The number of times you repeat a mantra is actually irrelevant, a few sincere repetitions is more enlightening than 10 million false ones.

 

That is to say, do not take the names in vain. Know the meanings of your mantras and mean them when you say them. Say them slowly and sincerely, ponder the meanings themselves. Get more than the words of the mantra, for in and of themselves the words offer nothing, get the feeling of the mantra. To get this you may have to translate the mantra into your own language for a time so that when you repeat the mantra it has the proper meaning.

 

Do not repeat the mantra expecting sincerity to show up later, though this method is widespread it is poor. Do not expect reward from repetition, the rewards of Japa yoga are not to be sought, only discovered. You may experience bhakti with a single repetition of the mantra if you actually mean it. You may never experience it if you only go through the motions, you could practice your whole life and make no progress.

 

More than just this, Japa can involved your own mantra. Every thought is a mantra with tremendous impact, realizing this is key to understanding Japa.

 

When I am not where I want to be in a mental sense I repeat mantra which is as follows: I devote myself to the divinity of all things by surrendering my preconceptions. It is very close to the translation of Na Mah Shi Va Ya which is sort of like" I humble myself before the divine beauty of existence."

 

Even with mantras we may not share with others, knowing the meaning and meaning it is key.

 

I refuse to merely repeat a mantra I cannot mean, for this and no other thing is to me taking the lords name in vain, so to speak.