In this second episode of ASK KD, the topic is Practice.
Please watch the video for Krishna Das’ response.
Question:
“KD, I heard you say last summer that at home when alone, your own chanting practice has intensified as of late. What do you find yourself drawn to chanting for yourself?”
In this video response, KD talks about his personal practice. We are pleased to let you know about our ‘Devi Sadhana’ ~ a part of a mala of offerings as suggestions to help us all deepen our practices. By exposing ourselves to and exploring practices and teachings we can find one or some that we like – then we’ll do it!
Sadhana means daily spiritual practice – your personal, individual effort. It is the foundation of all spiritual endeavor.
As Devi Navratri approaches, we dedicate this first Sadhana to the Goddess. Navratri is a 9- night sacred festival celebrated all over India dedicated to the Divine Mother.
Your music has been a great benefit to meditation practice. It has helped bring awareness into the heart chakra. This soul has been working on Atma Vichara or Self enquiry as taught by Ramana Maharshi. Would you mind commenting on vichara or centring awareness in the heart charkra ? Thanks, Malcolm in Mississauga
Thank you for the Devi Sadhana !
My very favorite part of the year with Navratri celebration ! So beautiful …….
Maharaj-ji said :” Worship should be private ”
I can feel how being alone can be the most authentic and intimate ( Someone is always listing – Hanuman ) practice of chanting !
But , see what feeds You most and enriches your soul in a deep , quiet way .
Warm regards ,
A.
I appreciate your discussion of this, the main work has to be done privately rather than in group as we do not have access to groups most of the time. I like the idea of non-melodic practice and hope that you will be able to share more on this in terms of the mantras that help you best to connect to our Baba… I know singing the HC works for me but find I can not do it solo and basically have to play a recording of it to sing with, so having some mantra info would be super. I know that you, or at least I think that know, that you strongly shy away from teaching mantra for a ton of reasons, but if you were to just help us to know the ones that seem to connect well to him because he loved them or … well it is hard to even ask the question in a way that makes sense.. Ram Ram
Thank you for sharing that your practice is often non-melodic and also quietly inside, and that it changes. That answers questions I had. (The melodic one I was just wondering a few days ago 🙂 ” To generate that Devotional intensity or..commitment – *To Being Present* when you are doing the practice at home” – thank you, yes, I will keep trying to bring my attention to that.
Frankly I’ve been so amazed that I could do a practice (a small one) for years, every. single. day. That just totally surprised me, so I think I just stuck with that for a while. One of the things that made it possible for me was the idea of Maharajji saying something like (and I wish I could quote it exactly) – do your japa practice when you are mad, when you are bored, however you do it, just do it, because one day you will say the name of God just right and that will be that… And then when I was in Kainchi, hearing how Ma has impressed on a long-time devotee that the quality (of focused awareness) on the mantra is more important than the quantity was helpful. (These are my words not hers, trying to describe my understanding). I just keep working with it. I’m encouraged by your sharing about your practice. And I’m encouraged to hear others’ sharings too. Love, Ram, Ram