Speed or rhythm of chanting mantra?

Jainarayan

Something I could never quite get my head around, and is probably the reason I don't derive much from mantra (nama) japa is the speed or rhythm. I'm never quite sure whether to draw a breath before each repetition and exhale on the repetition, necessitating a silence between repetitions, or simply chanting the mantra regardless of the breathing pattern. I know breathing meditation and mantra japa are not necessarily the same. Sometimes I find I have to slow myself down because I an reciting too fast. What's the typical rhythm or speed?

ph0kin

Not too fast, not too slow. A sustainable pace, in other words. There's really not much too it. Similarly, you don't have to be too loud or soft, but a moderate tone.

Breathing isn't really a big deal either AFAIK. If you recite a mantra or sutra, you get into a steady pace where you find good places to breathe, but it takes time.

You're not going to lose points just be breathing in the wrong place or being out of rhythm.

Cinorjer

You know, in all my years of chanting, I never put any thought into how fast or slow to chant? We just sort of winged it and everything came out natural. I suspect it's sort of like asking a centipede what foot he starts out on. If you gotta think about it, you get all tripped up.

genkaku

In the Zen centers I used to visit, there was generally a mokugyo or wooden drum shaped like a fish and it was on this that someone rapped out the speed for the formal chants. Smaller, shorter chants were sometimes done a capella, so to speak, and as @cinorjer said, we just kind of worked out a speed and note without much thinking.

My thought is, when in doubt ... do it anyway.

lobster

I don't derive much from mantra

:-/

Vajrayana is sometimes described as mantrayana. It is that useful. In many ways the learning of gradually slowed down breathing patterns is part of a mind calming. This is achieved but not forced by doing mantras on an out breath in the initial phases.
As mantra reciting becomes quieter, it indicates ones internal mind state. Then when totally silent it becomes an object of mind focusing and aligning with an attribute.

Mantra is a path. :wave:

Citta

Jainarayan said:

Something I could never quite get my head around, and is probably the reason I don't derive much from mantra (nama) japa is the speed or rhythm. I'm never quite sure whether to draw a breath before each repetition and exhale on the repetition, necessitating a silence between repetitions, or simply chanting the mantra regardless of the breathing pattern. I know breathing meditation and mantra japa are not necessarily the same. Sometimes I find I have to slow myself down because I an reciting too fast. What's the typical rhythm or speed?

I would suggest adopting the speed and rhythm taught by a qualified teacher as she or he speaks it to you. This is so individualised that she or he will often take the student aside and whisper it in their ear...seriously.
It varies from student to student because we have various needs. Some need calming, others need stimulating. A real teacher knows which.
Bozos like me on forums, who have never met you, do not.

Jainarayan

Thanks everyone. Someone suggested using a form of walking meditation, that is, one footstep per syllable of the mantra. I tried it briefly and it did allow me to focus on the mantra. I don't have a teacher, and the possibility of finding one is slim to none. I live in a culturally bankrupt area; culturally regarding religious practice unless you are Christian. I have found that chanting in Sanskrit there are generally (I emphasize generally because there are always exceptions) 8 or 12 syllables to a mantra or verse. I never thought of this before. This is the vedic meter. Finding the natural break is helpful. You all helped me answer my own question. :thumbsup:

Citta

Jainarayan said:

Thanks everyone. Someone suggested using a form of walking meditation, that is, one footstep per syllable of the mantra. I tried it briefly and it did allow me to focus on the mantra. I don't have a teacher, and the possibility of finding one is slim to none. I live in a culturally bankrupt area; culturally regarding religious practice unless you are Christian. I have found that chanting in Sanskrit there are generally (I emphasize generally because there are always exceptions) 8 or 12 syllables to a mantra or verse. I never thought of this before. This is the vedic meter. Finding the natural break is helpful. You all helped me answer my own question. :thumbsup:

One of the greatest teachers of the age is available to anyone with a computer.
There is a whole dimension to Mantra practice which is not accessible by trial and error.
He doesn't even require you to change your religious affiliation.
If you are interested PM me.

_/\_

Jainarayan

If I did it right, you've got mail.

Citta

If I have also got it right..so have you.



_/\_