The Chanting of the Holy Name

We often have a romantic idea of meditation: I’ll escape worldly distraction, access higher planes of peace and feel an immediate internal connection. Chanting doesn’t always work like that. There are good days and bad days. Sometimes we experience a sweet pleasure that comes from the simple and rhythmic repetition of the maha-mantra. Other days the chanting may feel mechanical, monotonous and uninspiring. It can become a real struggle when thousands of thoughts whizz through the mind and disturb our focus. We must remember that chanting is a spiritual discipline that requires diligence and determination. Regulated commitment will uncover the dormant taste for the holy name. Over time, our meditation will mature and evolve, and we’ll see chanting as a devotional joy, a heartfelt prayer, a genuine longing from within, like the ardent cry of a child for its mother.