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Concentration

Posted by Lokesh Sharma on June 21, 2011 at 3:13pm in Bhakti

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

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Replies

      • Sankarshana Dasa > Jagadatma das July 24, 2011 at 8:35pm

        My Dear Jagadatma Das Prabhu Ji,

        My apologies I could not reply you earlier

        My sincere obeisances to you. What you say is absolutely true but I wish to draw your kind attention to BG 6.33. When Guru Ji Arjuna Himself could not carry out  Sankhya Yoga what about down trodden grihastas like us? The reading that needs to be done is in Krishna Consciousness. The Bhagavatas is a literary incarnation of Dear Lord Himself. Reading the Bhagavatas (which is nothing but seeing Krishna with the 'charma chakshu") while chanting will firstly relieve him from the frustration of inability to concentrate on the Divine Lotus Feet of Dear Lord and secondly enable him to visualize the activities of Dear Lord while he is reading and chanting together. Which means that he will think on the activities of Dear Lord and not just try to concentrate on a still version of Bhagavan Ji's Divine Lotus Feet. 

        Chanting is doing (activity), Chanting is voice (spoken), chanting is voice(listening), reading is seeing Dear Lord Krishna(visual), reading is visualizing Dear Lord Krishna(visual), reading is understanding Dear Lord Krishna(mind/mental concentration) (Jnana Chakshu) and then the loving reciprocation (Shudha Prema Bhakti Chakshu)will be "My Dear Lord Sri Sri Radha Sri Krishna Chandra, please allow me to be your eternal servant since i have just realized who i am. Kindly comand me as to what i can do for you? How may I eternally and relentlessly serve you? On Divine Supreme dweller of Goloka, why are you having to be based out of Rasatala micromanaging viles like us and serving us while we should be serving you present continuously? Please be gracious enough Oh my Dear Cause less Mercy to guide me to your eternall service and Bless me with performance perfection.

         

        Trust me my Dear Prabhu Ji with this kind of a model very soon migrate all communications with Bhagavan Ji to transcendental loving interactions and not a Cry (selfish) of desperation to be saved. ideally it is the Bhava of selflessness that both Bhagavan Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (na dhanam na jnanam, na sundarim) and Guru Maharaja Prabhupada Ji have preached. They nver cried 'Please help me/please save me etc. Please protect me yes 'to enable performance perfection in my eternal service'. Service being unconditional, or conditional as per the divine command of Dear Lord Sri Sri Radhe Sri Krishna Chandra.

         

        Om Sri Bhagavan Sankarshanaya Namaha 

         

        Sankarshana  Das

      • This reply was deleted.
        • Volunteer
          Jagadatma das July 14, 2011 at 9:27pm

          Hare Krsna Shailesh.   In ISKCON and in the parampara system we are trained under the guidance of Guru.  We may think we can advance in spiritual life by doing as we like and what sounds good to us but  thats not recomended in shastra.   One advances by the blessings of the bonafide guru.

          study of shastra is not just to remember and meditate on the sounds of the words.   You have to deeply contemplate what the author is expressing in the words.  Your intelligence has to be alert . So many different things are being expressed.

            In chanting the mind and the hearing sense has to be alert.  The intelligence is neutral just looking at the level of concentration.  And you the soul observes what happens.. The mind has to be focussed in on the franscendental soud..HARE KRSNA!

        • Volunteer
          Sudheendra S July 14, 2011 at 12:24pm

          I was hearing a lecture of HH Bhakti Rasamrit Maharaj in which one devotee was asking a question... When I chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, I think of Radha Krishna and when I chant Hare Rama Hara Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, I am confused which form of Ram to think and contemplate on?... To this maharaj replied that we should not try to contemplate on the form of lord or any thing. The ideal chanting is to just chant as loud as you can hear clearly and just listen to what you are chanting.

           

          Reading is something that requires a lot of concentration to understand what you are reading. If u chant while reading, then you can neither understand what ur reading nor can u concentrate on chanting. While reading there are many things that can happen. There may be some humor in the past time or some thing sorrow. Our mood changes according to what ur reading and this is not what is required while chanting.

           

          Life in Kaliyuga is very short... we have already spent a lot of our valuable time in nonsense before coming to KC. Why to waste further time in experimenting things that we do not know. Why not try what is being told by SP and his representatives?

           

          Hare Krishna.

          • Volunteer
            Jagadatma das > Sudheendra S July 14, 2011 at 10:08pm
            Dear Sudheendra Hare Krsna.  Mostly all the Acaryas have written comantaries on the Hare Krsna maha mantra.  I am refering to their comontaries whem I said Rama means Like Radhika ramana.  So in the Maha mantra  the word Rama means Krsna.   You cannot put Radha with Ramachandra or Balarama. That is rasa bhasa.   Distasteful mixture of mellows.    At first we should just hear the sound of the mantra.  The deeper understanding of the meaning and relishment of the mantra comes at a more mature stage.   Nama,   Rupa,   Guna,   Lila.    By the power of the Hare Krsna Mantra under the guidance of the pure devotee you will gradually come to know and experience what is KRSNA in Truth.
      • Malini Karuna Devi Dasi > Jagadatma das July 12, 2011 at 8:54pm

        Hare Krishna Jagadatma das prabhu,

        Agree with u 100% .

        Associative chanting and loud chanting can bring one back to track.

        Should not attempt while tired and sleepy. Then chanting goes to sleep. Hence do the resting 100% get fresh and resume chanting.

        Facing some challenge or the other everyday...

        Anyway Krishna helps in chanting...

        HARE KRISHNA

        Meena

        • Volunteer
          Jagadatma das > Malini Karuna Devi Dasi July 13, 2011 at 12:33pm
          Dear Romit Hare Krsna.   Yes Tulasi is very dear to Krsna. Krsna priyasi. Devotees are careful to never disrespet her and become careless offenders. Dont be neglectful and dishonor Her in any way.   Always keep the Tulasi mala in the bag and then you wont acidently directly bring her in contact with the floor or your feet if you drop them.  The bag has a strap for your neck.   Never touch the Tulasi with unclean hands.  Don;t give them to the kids to play with and put in their mouth.   Thats why we don;t generaly give Tulasi beads for chanting to the new commers.  We,ll give them beads of Nima or bakula.   Chanting is always auspiscious on any kind of bead.   The mala bag should be regularly changed and washed.   Put some nice oil on the beads and dont lose them.   I take them out and look at them sometimes and meditate how I am so very fallen but I have now this chance to do something about it .     Hare Krsna!
          • Volunteer
            Sudheendra S > Jagadatma das July 13, 2011 at 12:37pm
            Jagadatma pr, I was told by senior devotees that only a initiated devotee can chant on tulsi beeds. Is it not true?
            • Volunteer
              Jagadatma das > Sudheendra S July 13, 2011 at 1:12pm
              Dear Sudheendra prabhu Hare Krsna.  Yes,  some senior devotees know that  they  just might throw the mala even.   And that happens so we should recomend they not chant on Tulasi straight away.   Better tell them these big nima beads are really great.   The chanting is the real benefit and the type of bead is secondary.
  • Malini Karuna Devi Dasi June 29, 2011 at 10:21pm
    Hare Krishna Lokesh Prabhuji,

    Concentration is a big challenge. I too face it everyday. I read the replies of many devotees. I will try and adopt the remedies.
    But reading while chanting is one I am not able to relate. That will deviate more is what I realize.

    Otherwise, seeing the form of the Lord in the deities at home, as slide show in PC as suggested by a friend and loudly chanting and hearing are good. The best way as tried and tested by me is the group chanting with many other devotees in temples or centres. I have experienced that chanting in association gives tremendous concentration on the mantra. There you are not fighting the barking dog alone , it is being driven away by the powerful association of devotees. It is the mercy of satsangam that helps. Once in a week at least this group chanting should happen. Otherwise if there is any other family member chanting with you, you can co ordinate to chant at the same timing and derive the benefit of satsangam. It does wonders. More voices of the Namas perhaps the Lord comes faster to help us.

    This is my humble opinion Prabhuji.

    Hari Bol
    Meena
    • Volunteer
      Jagadatma das > Malini Karuna Devi Dasi July 4, 2011 at 7:36pm
      Hare Krsna  devotees. Chanting with another who is vey attentive is contageous.  You must find a really INTENSE chanter and chant close to them.  When my mind is wicked. I chanf louder. More louder .  Very loud.  Others may be disturbed.but after chanting so loud you cannot hear any thoughts at all.  Yes it does tire your voice but the mind seems to enjoy the loud chanting.  It gets peace in the name.  Some devotees cup their hand to the ear to get this effect.  Drowned the mad mind in the loud chanting HARE KRSNA!!!!!   Also I found modulateing the pitch was good.,  That is singiging your rounds to Krsna.   As a meditation the name Hare is Radha and when chanted you giveing great pleasure to Krsna.  The names Krsna and Rama both mean Krsna.  Like Radhika ramana.  When you chant Krsna it gives great pleasure to Radha.   So ..give Them Pleasure and chant with love.  And if you give Them pleasure.................................................................
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