It changed my life...

How to practice Japa meditation. Now I'll admit I was attracted to this practice because it generally involves pretty beads and I'm a huge jewellery fan, but Mala beads are not for adorning our bodies... Japa or (mantra repetition) is an incredibly powerful practice, some practitioners believe it to be the most powerful teaching available to us at this time. The main purpose of the beads is to keep track of the mantras chanted, there are 108 beads. They help to focus the mind, calm the spirit and engage the sense of touch as the beads move through your fingers.

Prefer to watch? Here's a video

Mantra translates in english to:

man - to feel

tra - to

Sanskit is such a beautiful language and doesn't always translate, what we come to understand as the meaning of mantra is an instrument to move emotion. By chanting your mantra with pure intention of the heart daily, out loud or in your mind, can be an extremely powerful healing tool. We know that the world and all that's in it, vibrates at a frequency. Japa Mediation, being the repetition of your chosen mantra will move that energy through, shifting emotional and energetic blocks.

"Mantra helps to lift the veil and connect us back to our true nature." ~Ana Pilar (one of my Yoga Teachers)

Japa mediation has been completely, I dare say, life changing for me. My pitta mind can get too focused, I can tend to work too long and hard, stress manifests in anger for me. I don't have a huge amount of time to dedicate to my spiritual practices, and Japa can take as little as 6mins or as long as you like.

I have found that I can do this anywhere, I now don't even need my beads, the mantra stays with you and like your breath is always there for you to come back to in times of need. For example I was at a gathering and I felt anxiousness rise up and my mind automatically went to my mantra and I felt calm come over me.

There are 108 beads on a mala strand and one larger bead, known as the Guru bead, or Krishna bead. For meditation purposes, it is good to use a string of beads where all the beads are the same size and made of the same material, this will promote a consistency of experience as you are meditating. Begin with the bead next to the Krishna bead. Gently roll the bead between the thumb and middle finger of your right hand while chanting. Try not to use your index finger as this represents ego (the finger you point at people when you’re telling them off!). You can chant a mantra of your choice, but it’s good to stick with the same one for months or years. Mine is below:

Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu

‘May all beings everywhere be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.'

Enjoyed this content? You will love my FREE Ritual eBook...

👇🏼download by clicking image below 👇🏼

I hope you have enjoyed this short read on how to practice Japa mediation - please if you feel called share your experience below if you give this a try.

Namste, Edwina