ALIGNING BODY, MIND AND HEART IN THE PROCESS OF CHANTING
By Sacinandana Swami
Step 1:
ALIGN THE BODY AND YOUR IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT
Watch your posture and more important your pronunciation. Sit in a supportive
environment (before the deities, sacred pictures, tulasi, in the company of
the devotees and whoever and whatever else helps). Make sure you chant the
entire mantra without missing even one syllable. If you chant on your prayers
beads (japa), make sure you complete each round in the proper time, not
missing any mantra.
Step 2:
ALIGN THE MIND
In order to concentrate on the sound vibration of the holy name, “enter” or
totally connect with the mantra through the first “Hare”. After bringing the
mind back to the first “Hare” again and again, you will find that your mind
has developed the ability to stay with the entire mantra—each single name! Be
patient – it will work! Give it your best—the Lord rewards those who try and
surrender.
Step 3:
ALIGN THE HEART
Attentive chanting can bring blessings to your life that are hard to imagine.
By such chanting all obstacles to the pure name (shuddha-nama) can be
effectively removed if one more thing (the most important) is added.
Namacharya Haridasa Thakura says (Hari-nama-cintamani, chapter 12):
Simply by one’s own endeavor, no one in this world can overcome
distractedness. Such victory can only come about by your merciful blessings.
Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to beg for your grace.
After all, deep experiences can only happen if the heart is involved. Thus
chanting in a devotional and prayerful mood will attract the mercy of the Lord
in his magnanimous form of the holy name. Please don’t be hesitant to give
your heart to the chanting.
In one of his songs, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura praises the mercy of the holy
name by saying that just like the sun which rises in the East destroys all
darkness, the holy name in his mercy, continuously rises on the horizon of the
heart of the chanter and thus removes the beginningless avidya (inner
darkness), which is the source of material existence.