Hari Aum.
This post has been inspired by some of the messages that I have recently received from readers regarding their frustration at the lack of spiritual progress (a common concern, and one that I can also certainly relate to!).
Much has been written about mantra japa both here and on various other sites. In my view, based upon my experiences of spiritual life till date, I would say that the effectiveness of mantra japa requires the following:
1. Regular spiritual practice -- one needs to practice every day. Ideally, for the same amount of time (same number of malas of japa), in the same place, and the same mantra. And it helps to keep a diary to record the daily practice.
2. Yogic diet-- healthy, fresh food. Fruits, vegetables, lentils/pulses, wheat/rice. The Gurus advise that these foods help meditation (as they are sattvic) and help us maintain good health (needed to meditate).
They also advise avoiding foods that disturb the mind (by creating rajas/tamas), namely, meat and alcohol (these should be completely avoided according to the Gurus). Other foods such as onion and garlic are also to be avoided or minimised as far as possible as these are also unhelpful.
3. Ethics-- it goes without saying that mantra japa cannot yield good results without a commitment to practice the yogic ethics as far as possible. The chief amongst these are ahimsa (non-violence/ kindness/ compassion) and truthfulness. One should also try to gently control the senses.
Life will create situations that test the seeker's ability to practice these ethics but one will have to keep trying to the best of one's ability. There is simply no other way. The grace of God is vital here, which brings me to the next point.
4. Devotion-- this is the key. One has to develop this, somehow or the other. Japa, prayers, kirtan, diet, charity, voluntary work etc help in the cultivation of devotion.
5. Work- some sort of service to society is essential and helps the mantra to manifest its effects more. Whether it is our regular, paid work, or voluntary work, it needs to be done with the attitude of worship of God. As the Gurus say, work is worship. Work and mantra japa go together.
So, these are some of the key practices that I feel have helped my mantra sadhana over the years, and which I continue to work upon to keep progressing in spiritual life.
There are also certain things that the Gurus advise avoiding, particularly on the path of mantra japa as these hinder the spiritual progress of the seeker.
Sivananda and other Gurus call them the 'offenses' or 'sins' against the mantra or name of God. These are described in Sivananda's book, 'Japa Yoga'. There are ten that he mentions and I will describe them briefly here (in the order mentioned in the book):
Ten things that prevent us from benefitting fully from our mantra japa and thus slow our spiritual progress (according to Sivananda):
1. "Vilification of saints and devotees": one should avoid speaking/thinking ill about the devotion of others, particularly the saints (of one's own and other spiritual traditions).
2. "Differentiation amongst Divine names": one should avoid feeling that one name or mantra of God is superior or inferior to any other of His/Her names or mantras.
Japa yogis are permitted to feel a greater love for their chosen mantra or form of God above all others. This is even helpful and recommended on the path of devotion/bhakti.
But this should not mean that the yogi feels that their chosen mantra/form of God is superior to those chosen by other devotees. The Gurus advise us to recognise that all names and forms of God are equal and to revere all (needless to say, therefore, any form of conflict between the followers of various religions, or between the various sects within a religion, goes completely against this principle. Those who fight in the name of God cannot expect to receive His grace based upon this advice of the Gurus).
3. Irreverence towards the Guru (spiritual teacher): not revering the Guru includes a variety of behaviours, ranging from being actively disrespectful, to being neglectful and careless when it comes to following their teachings.
One chooses the Guru oneself (no true Guru ever forces him/herself on to a seeker). Having chosen the Guru oneself, the seeker is then expected to adhere sincerely to the teachings of the Guru to benefit from their guidance and from spiritual practices such as mantra japa.
For example, Sivananda has provided '20 important spiritual instructions' for his students, and has said that 'obedience is better than reverence'. Therefore, he would naturally expect his students to attempt to sincerely follow these instructions throughout their lives; based upon his writings, this would be regarded by him as true reverence (not merely praising him and then ignoring his advice).
4. "Speaking lightly of the scriptures": the scriptures are said to originate from God Him/Herself either directly via an avatar (such as Krishna who gave humanity the Bhagavad Gita) or via saints/Gurus (such as the seers/rishis of the Upanishads).
If one takes the scriptures lightly, one is unlikely to read them or truly benefit from them (even if one does read them). The scriptures of every religion contain spiritual teachings that help us live according to divine laws. Ignoring divine laws (such as the law of karma, the principles of dharma and so on), inevitably takes us away from the path of ethics and thus deprives us of the grace of God.
5. "Treating the glory of the name as nothing but exaggerated praise": the yogis clearly state that God and His/Her names and mantras are one. Refusing to heed them, treating their experience of this truth with doubt and disbelief, shows a lack of faith and devotion both in the saints and in the name/mantra of God.
Nobody expects perfect, unwavering faith and devotion at all times from spiritual beginners like us (if we had that, we would be saints/enlightened beings already). But, we are expected to regularly and consciously remind ourselves of the power and glory of the name or mantra of God that we chant and have appropriate reverence for this.
6. "Commission of sins under cover of the name": The yogis say that a single recitation of the name or mantra of God destroys the negative karma associated with countless sins and strengthens the dharmic/divine qualities within us.
The knowledge of this may tempt the seeker to compensate for a lack of ethics by chanting the name as a cover (in the hope that this will save them from the negative consequences of their actions).
Unknowingly committing a sin or lapse in practice of dharma is one thing, but knowingly doing this is another. Accidental slip-ups by the spiritual seeker, followed by sincere remorse and attempts to atone, including with mantra japa, will draw the grace and forgiveness of God according to the Gurus. However, deliberately breaking the code of dharma, will not be pardoned according to them.
Sincerity is the key they say.
7. "Ranking the Name with other virtues and practising fasting, charity, sacrifices, etc., thinking that the Name by itself is insufficient.":
The name or mantra is supreme, according to the yogis. There is no other spiritual practice equal to it.
This is not to say that one should not practice other techniques; many Gurus very much do recommend fasting, charity, selfless service etc as valuable and essential aids to mantra japa.
But they say that the name or mantra, being equal to God Him/Herself, still stands above the rest. In fact, they say, this practice purifies the consciousness over time and enables us to perform other practices with greater devotion and sincerity.
8. "Recommending the practice of Name to irreverent and ungodly persons who are not prepared to hear such advice."
When we walk the spiritual path, and begin to feel some of its benefits (both materially and spiritually), it can be natural to want to share this with others, particularly those we love, such as within our close circles of family and friends. Naturally, if we feel the benefit, we may feel our loved ones should be allowed to feel this too.
However, this is not necessarily true, say the yogis. Not everybody is interested in spiritual life. And, of those who are, not everyone is drawn to the path of mantra japa (they may prefer other paths, in accordance with the will of God).
A love for the mantra or name of God is a great blessing according to the yogis. If one has this love, one should certainly make the most of it by oneself practicing mantra japa as much as one can. If one member of a family practices, the whole family, society and even world at large, benefit. So say the yogis and Gurus.
But, the yogi is advised to avoid forcing, pressuring or urging those who are disinclined, disinterested or downright disrespectful to take up this practice.
The yogi is expected to respect the right of others to live as they please.
In medicine, we say that unwise decisions by a patient regarding whether or not they wish to accept medical advice from doctors do not indicate that they lack the capacity to make decisions. Patients ultimately have the right to make their own decisions (and accept the consequences) regardless of the opinion of their doctors. This very much applies in spiritual life too.
The yogi may feel it is unwise to live without the blessings and protection that come from daily contact with the name or mantra of God. But, they cannot compel their loved ones or others to take up this practice.
It is up to each soul to progress at their own pace in accordance with the will of God. The yogi is expected to respect the will of God in this and all matters.
9. "Want of love for the Name even after hearing its glory":
The yogi who walks the path of devotion is expected to practice the name of God with love and trust/faith.
The Gurus say that spiritual obstacles such as a loss of love or faith can and will occur periodically in the life of a seeker after God, but, at times like that, perseverance is key.
The perseverance becomes the mark of devotion in these situations. One cannot stop on the spiritual path; one needs to keep going until the spiritual goal of God/Self-realisation is reached.
10. "Emphasis of 'I' and 'mine' and attachment to objects of enjoyment":
This pertains to excessive egoism, to excessive selfish desires, and putting one's needs constantly above those of others. One is expected to take the approach 'Do as you would be done by'.
Equally, the modern saying related to safety on aeroplanes, 'Put on your own oxygen mask before putting on those of others' also applies here. One cannot help others if one is low on oxygen oneself, if one does not care at all for one's own wellbeing.
On this note, many people say that they find it difficult to look after their own needs. In these situations, it can help to consider what advice one would give to a good friend who is in the same position as oneself. Many of us find it easier to give other people sensible advice than to take our own!
A great deal of common sense is therefore required on the spiritual path (and one needs to find a healthy balance between one's own reasonable needs and those of others).
So, that, in summary, is a description of some of the key things to do and avoid doing when embarking upon the path of devotion, and mantra japa in particular.
Sivananda adds, in his book, that if one sometimes fails to practice any of the above, the remedy is to repeat the name or mantra of God with sincere remorse, and to resolve to try one's best to improve in the future.
The practice of sincerity and honesty as much as possible is the very heart and soul of spiritual life and of spiritual success-- so say the Gurus and yogis.
I hope this is helpful for the readers of this blog who are considering taking up, or who have already taken up, mantra japa.
May God bless us all with the ability to practice the above tenets and progress well in our spiritual lives.
Om Namo Narayanaya.
Hari Aum Tat Sat.
P.S.
Just to add, some of the messages that I have recently received also pertain to concerns about dealing with bad karma, struggling with negative energies/entities and so on.
The Gurus tell us that bad karma/negative energies etc are an inevitable part of the challenges of spiritual life. They say that, when these occur, we just need to stick to our daily spiritual practice, come hell or high water. These issues will then eventually resolve with time by the grace of God. Of this, we can be certain they say.
Before I conclude, I also want to apologise for the delay in replying to your posts and messages. I am working through these steadily; it is currently taking me around 4-6 weeks to reply due to my other commitments (thank you for your patience).
Om Namo Narayanaya.
