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...
How to chant on beads?
Bhakti yoga practice includes chanting the Hare Krishna mantra softly to oneself. This is called japa. While chanting, one generally keeps the sacred japa beads in a bead bag to keep them clean and off the floor. One side of the bag is large enough to insert your hand. Your index finger coming out the smaller hole on the other side helps you hold on to the bag. Place your beads in the bag, and you’re ready to go. Before we start to...