Japa is the personal practice of reciting the names of Krishna. It’s an ancient practice and similar practices can be found in many religious traditions – the muttering, murmuring, or calling out of God’s name over and over again. When we call someone by their name we feel close to them – even if we are not near them. To name and be named. A name belongs to a person. We who practice bhakti-yoga believe that Krishna, the source of all life, is a person. When we call His name we enter a relationship with him. It’s a beautiful thing.
There are many moods in which we can chant japa. This morning I decided to be in “japa heaven”, a term I learned last week. Japa heaven is finding a quiet and beautiful environment to chant in. I went to sit by the Potomac River. There the sound of the water and the shade of the trees provided a perfect place for me to close my eyes and listen to Krishna’s name.
I then discovered while chanting in my japa heaven, that hearing the sound becomes it’s own heaven. Heaven within heaven. By bringing my mind to focus on hearing Krishna’s name, by controlling my desire to be or do something else, I entered into a rhythm, an absorption, a feeling of complete presence or peace. I knew at that moment that I was doing the most important activity of the day, and everything else was just a detail.
By closing our eyes and chanting the maha mantra – Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare – we can be in japa heaven any time of the day. Perhaps we can only do it for a minute but hey, a minute of heaven can make a huge difference. Listen to the sacred sound and transcend, leave this world for a while, and experience your pure spiritual connection with Krishna. You will feel something wonderful.
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