How can we focus on chanting when the mind wanders?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

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Yes. So, how do we focus in chanting? It’s not easy.
That’s the first thing to know. That there is, chanting is basically like doing a workout. You go for gym to do a workout.
So, it’s bodybuilding. Just like when you do a workout, at that time, you become stronger by that. The muscles become stronger.
But how do the muscles become stronger? Actually, the existing muscles have to break. We lift weights. When we lift weights, it is slightly beyond our capacity.
If I can lift up to, say, 10 kg weight, and I lift 11 kg, 12 kg, then my muscles stretch. When the muscles stretch, by that they break. Break not in the sense of bones breaking, but the muscles are reformed.
And when they are reformed, at that time they are stronger. So, just as when we lift weights, it requires some energy. So, like that, internal muscles or internal energy is required for focusing on something.
So, just like when we want to study, it requires some concentration, some focus. It’s not easy. So, but, just as by studying, we learn and we grow.
Similarly, by, while chanting, it is a process by which our internal muscles grow. That means, if we chant nicely, if we develop the habit of chanting nicely, then what is going to happen by that is that our concentration will become very sharp. And then whatever we are doing, we will be able to do it much better.
When you study this, I know devotees, when they chant nicely, what would take, the study that would take them one hour, they do it in half an hour. Because the concentration is more. But for that concentration more, concentration to increase, effort is required.
So, the point is that sometimes some things are difficult to do, but we do them because we know that we are going to give a valuable result. So, chanting is like that. That’s the first point.
That means, we don’t begin by expecting this will be easy. This is a tough thing. It’s like bodybuilding.
It’s going to be tough, but it’s valuable. It’s like when I have muscles, I can lift weights. So, when my internal muscles are strong, then I can lift the mind.
The mind is going in this direction, I get it back here. Goes in that direction, I have the strength internally to get the mind back and focus where it needs to be focused. So, having said that, we all can find ways as per our nature for how we can make it easier to absorb ourselves in chanting.
So, for example, some of you may like music. So, what you, most of you like music, isn’t it? So, if you like music, then what you could do is just when you start the chanting, just sing some mantras. Maybe three mantras, five mantras.
Instead of speaking them, sing them in your favorite tune. That will calm the mind down. It will direct the mind spiritually.
And then chant around. And then, if the mind starts wandering, do that again. So, that way, basically what we are trying to do, chanting means you want to focus on the Holy Name.
This is the point of concentration. Now, around, if the mind is not able to focus on that point of concentration, the sound of the Holy Name, the mind wanders all over the universe. It goes here, it goes to the cricket match, it goes to this match, it goes to this, it goes to that.
So, instead of letting the mind wander everywhere, what we do it, we give it something related with the Holy Name. That means, around the point of concentration, we put a circle of concentration. Circle means something related to the Holy Name.
So, it can be a musical recitation of the Holy Name, it can be a nice picture of Krishna, it can be a printout of the Holy Name, Hare Krishna Mahamant written down. It can be some nice quote about the power of the Holy Name, some scriptural verse. So, whatever it is, so when the mind wanders, instead of letting it wander anywhere and everywhere, we allow it to, we give it a circle within which to wander.
And then it wanders over there, and then, oh, that’s nice, let me come back. Come back. So, if you give it an allotted circle to wander in, then it comes back much easier.
Comes back much easier and then gradually focusing becomes easier. Okay? Thank you. Good question.