Hello there. I have been literally chanting, inwardly, the whole day, yet the chant seems to become mechanical in my head, even as I try not to absent mindedly chant meaningless lines. It is effective before meditation, when chanting along with the chant in Ananda meditation app. But it becomes mechanical and dry when I chant when doing my duties. How can I bring more devotion to the chant when my mind is already on something else?
—Kailash, India
Dear Kailash,
Chanting is a wonderful way to keep your mind focused on God. You wrote that chanting is working for you before meditation.
From what you are sharing, it seems that chanting is not helping you while you are preforming your activities during the day. Your work might be demanding all your attention.
The purpose of chanting during the day is to help you be aware of God’s presence and infuse all that you do with His vibrations. But if you find that chanting is not helpful at this time, you can experiment with other ways.
1. Instead of chanting, try to use Japa (repetition of the name of God), like Aum Guru, or repeat an affirmation that can help you do your work more effectively.
2. Have a photo of your guru or a saint that inspire you, on your desk, or keep a small photo in your pocket to remind you of God’s presence and love. Every time you look at the photo, repeat a chant or an affirmation, or a few words of devotion from your heart.
Experiment with different ways to see what works to do it with devotion, not mechanically.
Blessings,
Nayawami Diksha
