Sean M. Clarke has been studying and practicing Spirituality with the Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF) over the past 9 years. An MBA graduate from Monash-Mt Eliza Business School, Australia. Sean gave up his regular career as a Strategy and Business Analyst in the technology sector to help co-ordinate dissemination of SSRF research material as a full-time volunteer.
Effect of co-coordinating the chant with one’s breath
The following are steps in our spiritual practice of chanting as we grow spiritually and its importance:
Aspect of chanting and its importance in percentages –
Just chanting the name of god is - 10% important
Chanting combined with one’s breath is - 30% important
Experiencing the fruits of our chanting is - 70% important
Experiencing just one’s presence and of oneself being separate from God is - 90% important
Experiencing of being one with God is - 100% important
What are the benefits of co-coordinating the chant with one’s breath?
Reduction in unwanted thoughts
Nowadays there is an increase in subtle components of raja-tama in the environment. One of the reasons for this is the low average spiritual level of mankind in the current era. People who are more raja-tama predominant generally have many unwanted thoughts such as thoughts of anger, jealousy, greed, etc. These thoughts collectively pollute the environment at a subtle intangible level.
These unwanted thoughts and vibrations enter us at a subtle level through our breath and destabilize us at a psychological level. When we coordinate the spiritual practice of chanting the Name of God with our breath, we resist the entry of these unwanted thoughts from the environment.
As a result one gets experiences of peace of mind, reduction in desires, improved mental health and Bliss (a superlative state of happiness) much faster.
- Living in the present
Most of the time our thoughts revolve around something related to us in the past or in the future. Generally it gives rise to further related thoughts and only reinforces our focus and attachment to our five senses, mind and intellect.
One aspect of growing spiritually is to let everything go which includes forgetting the past and not worrying about the future and dwelling in the present on realizing God. At the highest level of spiritual evolvement one experiences that there is no such thing as time and that there is only God. There is no past and present and one gets the experience of being one with God all the time.
By focusing on combining chanting with one’s breath one is trained to live in the present.
- Continuity in chanting the Name of God
As our breathing happens continuously throughout the day, when we combine chanting with our breath, it improves the continuity in our chanting.
This in turn helps us to
- Remember God more throughout our day.
- Experience more of Gods energy
- Purification of the environment
When we exhale taking the Name of God, we spiritually purify the environment.
Tips on co-coordinating chanting with one’s breath
Breathe normally and then try and coordinate the chanting of the name with the inhalation and exhalation
One remains alive due to breathing, not due to the Name. Therefore, it is important to concentrate on the breath and synchronize the Name with it. Breathing should not be synchronized with the pace of the chanting.
Examples of coordinating chanting the name of God with one’s breath
For example - when chanting ‘Hail Mary’ one can chant ‘Hail’ while inhaling and ‘Mary’ while exhaling.
When chanting ‘Sree Gurudev Datta’ one can chant ‘Sree Gurudev’ while inhaling and ‘Datta’ while exhaling.
When chanting ‘Om Namo Bhagvate Vasudevaaya’ one can chant ‘Om Namo’ while inhaling and ‘Bhagvate’ while exhaling then ‘Vaasu’ while inhaling and ‘devaaya’ while exhaling.
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