Mantra is a Sanskrit word composed of two words Man (mind) and Tra (liberation). So, the word mantra translates into ‘liberation of the mind’. Mantras are made up of a unique combination of specific words or letters, resonating at particular frequencies, matching with the frequencies of universal powers.

Mantras have an enormous power of transformation and growth, and hence, mantra chanting has been given vital importance in spiritual practices. Mantra chanting creates a perfect balance in our mind, body, and soul and has the power to heal the mental and physical body of the seeker.

Japa is the meditative repetition of the mantra. Followers of Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and many others practice the mantra chanting or Japa. While performing the Japa, mantras can be chanted loudly, softly, or in mind, while meditating. The recitation of these specific mantras is known to create a rhythm in our body, inducing specific brainwaves, which positively affects the heart, focus, mood, and inner strength.

“When the name is uttered from the mouth, it is called Japa; when it is uttered from the heart, it is called Ajapa.” – Swami Satyananda Saraswati

Japa means chanting of the mantra, and Ajapa means being in constant awareness of the mantra. Ajapa Japa is considered as the next step to vocal mantra chanting. In Bhagwat Geeta, Krishna describes the ideal way of meditation to Arjuna. He says,

स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षु श्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवो: |प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्त रचारिणौ ||

यतेन्द्रिय मनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्ष परायण: | विगतेच्छा भयक्रोधो य: सदा मुक्त एव स: ||

Lord says, shutting all the external distractions, when one concentrates on the space between eyebrows, by equalizing the flow of breath, and by controlling the mind, reason, and senses, he becomes free from the desires, fear, and lives in complete freedom. As per the ancient texts of Upanishads, Ajapa Japa yields the same results described by Lord Krishna.

When the seeker gets himself immersed in the chanting, after a while, the mantra gets rooted deeply in his mind. From moment to moment, the mantra starts flowing at the backdrop of consciousness. The mantra gets entangled deeply with the rhythm of breath, creating the Japa as an involuntary process. This is how a seeker starts living with the mantra chanting, and the process is called Ajapa Japa.

Nadi And Japa:

Nadi is a channel through which the Prana (life force) flows. When the breath flows through the right nostril, it’s called Pingala Nadi, related to the Sun’s energy. When Prana flows through the left nostril, it’s called Ida Nadi, related to the moon’s force. While Pingala is associated with the left brain, and Ida is with the right.

When the Prana flows through both nostrils, it activates Sushumna, connecting the root and the crown chakras. And hence, Yoga and Tantra have given utmost importance to this Sushumna Nadi, the channel responsible for spiritual enlightenment. When your Prana intertwines with the mantra while your Sushumna is being activated, it creates harmony in the entire system.

The Process:

-In ideal conditions, a seeker must receive the mantra from their Guru. That mantra will be given by the Guru, specifically for you, not to be shared with anyone.

-Now, wearing comfortable clothes, get in your regular meditative posture keeping your back straight. Setting up a standard time and place will be helpful to create a habit of meditation within your biological clock.

-Inhale deeply while chanting the Guru mantra in mind, bringing all of your awareness to your breath. Feel the breath as it makes its way from the nostrils to the bottom of the stomach.

-As your breath comes out of your lungs, repeat the Guru mantra.

-Synchronize your chanting with the natural flow of the breath, and synchronize your breath with the mantra chanting. After practice, there won’t be any difference between the mantra chant and your breathing rhythm.

-Try to feel the echo of the mantra you are chanting in your mind.

-With regular practice, focus and repetition, your Guru mantra will occur effortlessly within you.

Benefits of Ajapa Japa:

1.As the powerful sound of the mantra resonates in your subconscious, it helps you tone down the negative, harsh, abusive, and obstructive thoughts.

2.Ajapa Japa reduces stress, anxiety, and insomnia, calming down the mind and nervous system along with it.

3.Ajapa overflows the mind with positive energy while flushing out all the negativity, impurities, and mal thoughts.

4.Apart from its spiritual benefits, Ajapa Japa is known to create mental effects that help heal the physical body faster.

5.As you chant the mantra within, it awakens the inner sound called Nada in you. Nada is the resonance responsible for inducing a deep meditative state connecting a seeker with higher consciousness.

6.While practicing the Ajapa, one must be in total awareness of breathing. Each breath should be considered as an opportunity to chant the mantra, which should happen automatically. With playing the part of the observer, one must be able to witness each breath coming and going out of the nostrils, creating a continuous rhythm of breath and mantra.

7.Average person breathes 15 times per minute, calculating 21600 breaths in a day. After achieving mastery over the Ajapa chanting, one can chant 21600 times every day, for the rest of his life, even during sleeping.

The most important thing to remember in this whole process is mindfulness, which comes from mental training. You need to make sure you are mentally dedicated to the practice to be able to reap its multifold benefits. Have trust that when you walk one step towards Maa, She walks ten steps towards you and makes the process easier for you. So just train your mind for the first few days and Maa will do the rest.