How to conquer sleep while chanting?
Srila Guru Maharaj: This stage of feeling relaxed while doing japa is first stage of advancement. Because it means you are feeling very peaceful! Ha….. Snore…. Ha! Ha! Of course we would like to rise above that stage! To the stage when we feel very enthusiastic. I don’t know if you are getting enough sleep in the night. It is important to sleep 6 or 7 hours usually but some people don’t. But Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur,...
What should be the posture during chanting?
Best is to sit and chant japa. For those who find it difficult to sit and chant, walking and chanting is also acceptable. One has to be careful of not falling asleep, so try not to be too comfortable. Particularly in the early morning hours, you may find it hard to keep from nodding off. For that reason, some devotees prefer to go for ‘japa walks’. You can go outside and chant as you circumambulate the temple or go for...
When to chant?
One may chant japa at any time, but the Vedic literatures note that certain hours of the day are most auspicious for performing spiritual activities. The early morning hours just before and after sunrise are generally a time of stillness and quietude, excellently suited to contemplative chanting. At the conclusion of Tulasi-arati, during the 1-1/2 to 2-hour period before Darshan Arati & Guru-puja begins, the devotees take time for...
What Does The Hare Krishna Mantra Mean?
The mantra is a spiritual call to the Lord, meaning, “Oh energy of the Lord, please engage me in the loving service of Lord Krishna.” This chanting of Hare Krishna is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, surpassing all lower stages of consciousness, namely sensual, mental, and intellectual. There is no need to understand the language of the mantra, nor is there any need of mental speculation, nor any intellectual...
Why Chant Hare Krishna?
Below are some of the reasons mentioned by Jayadvaita Swami. They are upheld by evidence from Vedic writings like Bhagavad-Gita, the Upanisads and the Puranas. Chanting Hare Krishna awakens love of God. Chanting Hare Krishna brings liberation as a side benefit along the way. When you chant Hare Krishna, you automatically develop knowledge and detachment. Chanting Hare Krishna gets you out of the endless cycle of birth and death. It is...
If they hear Pure Devotee
Again there are those who, although not conversant in spiritual knowledge, begin to worship the Supreme Person upon hearing about Him from others. Because of their tendency to hear from authorities, they also transcend the path of birth and death. Purport: This verse is particularly applicable to modern society because in modern society there is practically no education in spiritual matters. Some of the people may appear to be...