A little mantra practice every day: Understanding jaapa

You do not need to set aside an entire morning to begin a mantra practice. For many people, a few quiet minutes are easier to make part of the day. You might sit before the rest of the household wakes up, or take a little time in the evening after things have settled. The practice is called jaapa, or japa: the repetition of a mantra, often for a set number of times.

What happens during jaapa?

A mantra is a sacred sound, name or phrase that is repeated as a spiritual practice. In jaapa, the repetition itself is the focus. Some people say the mantra aloud, some repeat it in a low voice, and others repeat it silently. The approach can vary between traditions and teachers, as well as between households. Choose a way that lets you concentrate without disturbing the people around you.

Many people count repetitions using a mala, a string traditionally made with 108 beads and a larger marker bead. One round of the mala is a convenient way to keep track. The usual practice is to turn back at the larger bead rather than cross over it. You can also keep count in another simple way if you do not have a mala. The count gives the sitting a shape; it is not a measure of how devoted you are.

Choose a mantra you can follow

Choose a mantra you have heard before, perhaps from a family member, in worship, or from a teacher. Listen to it first and make sure you can recognise the sounds and follow the pronunciation. Familiarity matters more than choosing something that simply looks appealing on a screen.

You can explore the available mantras on MyDevalay’s mantra pages and listen before deciding which one you would like to use. There is no separate catalogue of jaapa sessions to book: a counted practice is something you do with a mantra you have chosen. If a word or phrase is unfamiliar, take some time to understand its basic meaning or ask someone you trust to explain it.

It is fine to begin with a short count. One round of a mala may be enough; for someone else, a few minutes of quiet repetition may be more realistic. Starting with a manageable commitment makes it easier to return the next day. You can make the practice longer later, once the routine feels settled.

A simple way to begin

1. Choose one mantra and listen to it from beginning to end before starting.
2. Sit somewhere you can be reasonably undisturbed and decide your count in advance.
3. Repeat at a pace that allows you to pronounce or remember each part clearly.
4. When you reach your count, finish the sitting without feeling obliged to add more.

• If you miss a day, return to the practice when you can; there is no need to make up every missed repetition.
• Stay with one mantra long enough to become familiar with it before changing to another.

text
Mantra:
Count for today:
Aloud, whispered or silent:
Where I will sit:

A practice alongside learning

Jaapa and the study of religious texts can sit alongside one another, but they are not the same activity. You might repeat a mantra for a long time before reading the text it comes from. Or you might encounter a verse while reading and decide to return to it as part of your daily practice. There is no need to turn one into a replacement for the other.

For a broader introduction to the texts and traditions, you can read the guide to Hindu scriptures. If the words you are interested in come from Krishna’s teaching to Arjuna, the article on the Bhagavad Gita and the Mahabharata provides more context.