Japa Meditation - Feel The Power Of Your Mantra

Japa meditation is any form that involves constant repetition of a keyword, or mantra. It is most used in the dharmic religions of Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism, although forms of japa meditation exist in many other sacred and secular faiths.

Traditionally the japa practitioner will require the use of a string of beads for the meditative process. Called a mala, the chain is similar in form to the Catholic rosary beads, and like the rosary it is considered to be a useful aid in maintaining focus. Many users will touch individually the 108 beads on the chain as they repeat the mantra, although many faiths forbid the use of the index finger in this activity. The chain includes a distinct bead larger than the others, called a meru. The practitioner is not to touch the meru while meditating, and when the meru is reached the chain is revered as the process resumes.

Many Japa instructors recommend a prayer or affirmation before the process begins, followed by a twofold path to the process: vocal japa meditation, or Vaikhari Japa, where the mantra is repeated audibly throughout the meditative process. This is a common way for students of japa meditation to begin their training.

The other method is known as Manasika Japa, which involves a mental repetition only. Manasika Japa is generally regarded as a more intensive form of japa, leading to powerful focus and a strong independence from outside disturbances. The student who shifts from as audible to a mental procedure can realize the initial goal of a mind focused entirely on one object to great effect.

The mantra is most often the name of the practitioner's chosen deity, but there are many variations. In this way an image of the deity may be used as a further method of maintaining clarity as the repetition begins to take effect. When the process concludes (up to 30 minutes is possible, even for a beginner), the practitioner is advised to reflect quietly for several minutes before resuming daily routines.

The dharmic religious faiths take slightly different approaches to japa meditation. In Hinduism, the instructor will assign mantras according to the particular student's chosen path or spiritual objective. Hindu instructors also recommend Likhita Japa, which is the repetitive writing down of the mantra in a notebook for the purpose of developing a greater concentration. As part of the practice of Bhakti yoga, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness uses the 17-word Hare Krishna mantra for their form of japa meditation.

The benefits of regular Japa meditation are said to be increased alertness, inner peace and renewable physical energy. However, instructors point out that users who expect immediate results will be disappointed, as the process should be slow and gradual for the desired results. Moreover, there are said to be hidden dangers in the Japa meditative state, in which thought processes becoming tangled and unwieldy, instilling discomfort or even panic in the practitioner. This risk can be much alleviated by following the recommended steps, in particular the use of the mala to restore calm.