Pranam to all devotee's.
I have been chanting on beads for almost two months. Initial one month was very fulfilling like I used to concentrate well but now I feel I get distracted easily. While chanting my mind wanders like a monkey and lose the way. My lips recite the mantra but mind wanders somewhere else, either in the past or in the future. It wanders constantly through my worries, my mistakes or something else but never sticks to the present.
How do I control it??? I just don't want to do something like this if I am not connected it. Please help.
Thanks and regards
Lokesh Sharma
Replies
I have not heard of this method of chanting. HH Bhaktirasamrit Swami Marahaj was saying in one of the class that we should hear what we chant. We should try to just hear the Mahamantra as much as possible.
Our mind is very intelligent in keeping us busy thinking of everything in this world that we know except Krishna. It keeps on throwing new new ideas one after the other. What I heard from senior devotees is to make a to-do-list before we start our Japa every day. This will make our mind pacified to some extent that we know what we need to do after the Japa and it need not remind us. We have to cheat it in some or the other way. We should tel it that I shall address all your concerns after this Chanting.
Another way is to pray to our mind to allow us to chant the holy names of Krishna. The songs like Bajahure mana ... may help.
Try to sit on a mat while chanting keeping your back straight. Finish MOST of the rounds at once rather than chanting in installments.
On top of all have faith in Krishna and his words. He has told that controlling mind is difficult but by continuous practice it is possible. So why not try the proven success formula than trying to invent our own.
Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way.
Hari bol!!!
Hare Krishna prabhu,
Your solution is very appropriate and examples are very illustrative...
thanx for you replies
I have one more question that Not just during chanting even while studying i cant concentrate well on my studies...coz the mind just flies away from the topic insted thinking of past from couple of months....
It is affecting my studies very adversly that i actully dont want to happen........
plz help.........
Dear Abilasha prabhu. Hare Krsna! There are a few things we can try to clear the mind of day dreaming, fuzzy thinkiing and absent mindedness..And be a positive confident happy individual. And get blessings of guru and Krsna.
1. Our diet. Are we geting enough and the right kind of food to suit our body and minds needs. Fresh fruits salads and vegetables. Pure cows ghee and hot milk at night for a good brain. Is our body in good health? Devotees have to be knowlagable about this. Dont eat only fried and sweets prasadam!.
2. We have to get some exercise and fresh air. Walks. Run, Jump and dance. Sport for the young people. be as emotionally and physically strong as you can. Devotees dance in ecstatic sankirtan.
3. Daily program. Are we sleepng well and the right amount? Some may need more deep sleep. Take rest earlier then rise before dawn before others get up. Offer prayers to Krsna to help you. Meditate by chanting Mantra. Hare Krsna. Look at the time. Now study a regular amount and at that time. No dreaming only work with full concentration. Set some goal. 60 mins. then 90 mins then 120 mins. Give yourself a pat on the back if you can improve even a little. Devotees are always looking to improove and regolarly re train so we keep mentally fit. 4.Good Most effective. Assocation. Have good freinds who help you in your endevours. Do tuition in a gruop class. Like in the temple. You encorage them and they encorage you. Talk with your freinds and listen to them. Give and receive care and always be honest. Have freindship with the more learned and wise. Young devotees see all the more advanced devotees like their guru and they in return are always happy to help them progress.
Some of us are always less clear than others. And just because one is more clear headed does not mean they are better than the others. Do the best with what you are given and try to be a loving and careing individual.
Hare Krishna Pr.
PAMHO.
This is not only your problem but every living entities problem. Some realizes it and most of them even do not realize it. You are on the right track of bhakthi. If you read BG 6.34
caïcalaà hi manaù kåñëa
pramäthi balavad dåòham
tasyähaà nigrahaà manye
väyor iva su-duñkaram
TRANSLATION
The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kåñëa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.
The great devotee of Sri Krishna - Arjuna is saying this statement. He says that he can control wind easily with his arrows but can not control his mind.
That is not the end of story. To this statement of Arjuna, Lord replies like this in the next verse.
çré-bhagavän uväca
asaàçayaà mahä-bäho
mano durnigrahaà calam
abhyäsena tu kaunteya
vairägyeëa ca gåhyate
TRANSLATION
Lord Çré Kåñëa said: O mighty-armed son of Kunté, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.
Krishna acknolodges that it si difficult to control the mind but he assures that by practice one can attain control over it. This is very very difficult situation where we are in. This is a case of mistaken identity. We mistake ourselves different from what we are. we have been thinking that we are the bodies and not the soul in it since thousands and thousands or lifetimes in various bodies by continiously gratifying our senses. Now by the causeless mercy of Guru and Krishna in this life time we have come in touch with devotees and are learning to identify ourselves. The real self which is Soul.
Our body consists of 2 major parts - 1 Gross body that we see and 2 is the subtle body which is not visible to our eyes. The subtle body consists of Manah-bhuddi-ahankaar meaning mind, intelligence and false ego. All the decision that we have taken/taking/taken have to be sanctioned by these elements. Mind is compared to a dog. Not just a dog a barking dog. It always keeps barking - boow boow boow boow. If we listen to its bark, it increases its frequency and also the intensity of its bark. The more you try to satisfy the dog, the more it barks. This is our situation. When we sit for chanting mind will start posting soo many ads as the billbords. if you read one, you will be forced to read another and we will realize after 2 hours of chanting that we pulled all the 16 beads in our counter and actually did not hear a single mahamantra!!! So the solution is not to give any importance to the dogs bark. Just ignore the bark and continue chanting. Also as Krishna has suggested, we should practice it intensely. This may not happen over a day. It may take different time for different devotees based on our previous conditioning.
Prabhupaad also gives the example of the patient having Jaundice. I had put this analogy yesterday in one of the discussion. When we have jaundice the sweetest sugarcane juice appears to be bitter. But the medicine for jaundice is to drink sugarcane juice and when we are able to taste the sweetness of it is the indication of cure from jaundice.If we stop drinking the medicine then the disease will not be cured.
Similarly, the only medicine for this mistaken identity is to chant and hear glories of Krishna and associate with people who are doing the same that is devotees.
You can download some of the talks from this website by HG Radheshayam Prabhu from ISKCON Pune. There are a lot of Japa talks that are recorded which he gives to the devotees in the morning before chanting in the temple. This has helped me personally.
I hope this info is of some use.
Hare Krishna.
Hare Krishna,
I've only been chanting for 4 months, so I understand what you are saying, I have trouble concentrating sometimes as well. I like to look at photos of Krishna, or even listen to Kirtan before beginning japa to help focus my mind better.
Hare krsna!
Sri Sri Guru Gauranga jayatah!
srila Mahanidhi Swami states in the art of chanting hare krsna...about concentration....He says that hearing the holy name, is a must...but however, thats not fully possible if the mind is contaminated....however there are certain other techniques....its called picture meditation...try glancing at a picture of radha krsna....slowly one by one...starting from the lotus feet....gradually going face wards....then close ur eyes n try seeing that same picture slowly....lotus feet...then ankle....anklets....calf...knees...etc...this should help u....
Then slowly after some months u will be able to place radha krsna very nysly wen u chant ur japa....Also...the other technique is read more about the various transcedental qualities of the lord(64 in all as given in NOD)...and then wen u chant kp thinking 4-5 qualities slowly nicely one by one per round....then remembering and visualing the various vraja pastimes of the lord also help greatly......
Vaishnava dasanudas,
amarnath das
hare krishna,,,
i have so many photos of krishna in my computer..When i sit to chant,, i switchit on as slide show...like this my mind concentrate on krishna.....i think this may help you
pranaam
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
Please feel the presence of Krishna while chanting on beads as there is no difference between Krishna and his name.Gradually you will be able to control the senses.
Srila Prabhupada says “when we chant His holy name sincerely, we are directly associating with Him and we become purified. As we become more advanced in chanting Hare Krishna, we feel God's presence more and more”
Please try it for yourself and see the results
Keep Chanting
Hare Krishna!!
Do you perform nagar Sankirtan?
When you chant Mahamantra loudly in public places, you will be able to focus much better.
Jai Srila Prabhupad.
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