Concentrating When Doing Jap.

[SURYADEV]

As someone who is just starting out on doing jap of mantras, what should I be concentrating on when I close my eyes?

I'm not at the stage of doing high-level dyan, pranyama, asanas etc.

I just want to know where to get started.

At the moment I imagine an image of ik-oankar in my mind. (I think a technique I may have heard years ago is to concentrate on the image of Om or Oankar alone. Though, it may be something I've just made up)

[dalsingh101]

I went through all sort of transformations in this respect (still am), I realise that as humans we just really try and conceptualise God in our minds. It got to the point when I was imagining an image of the cosmos, or at least a galaxy when trying to meditate.

This was wrong, and as a suggestion try focusing on the sound of the mantar and the emotion you generate instead?This could be dud advice of course as I too am stumbling all over the path.

[shaheediyan]

http://www.sikhawareness.com//index.php?showtopic=12264

Jattboot - PM your e-mail, I have a Christmas present for you :-)

[Xylitol]

I would focus on the sound. Visualisations and stuff are not bad, but they are crutches to help with concentration, to be discarded at later stages. tbh, i feel that one need not even begin with visualisations as we can focus on the sound current.

when reciting gurbani a technique i have heard of is to listen to the sound, and think of the arth at the same time. some, such as bhagat ji and sant gurbachan singh ji, would also visualise the Gurbani inside of them at the same time. the akhar for each sound made is visualised internally, this leads to great concentration.

[dalsingh101]

I think it may take some people (i.e. me!) a good few years to get to stage where they can read or recite a bani and be 'processing' its arth simultaneously. I find I have different levels, sometimes I just straight read it, and try and take in the sounds (phonetics) but not the semantics. This is especially the case when in a rush or when exhausted.

Other times a slower more relaxed reading/listening takes place with more emphasis on the arth.

Even the former technique is not perfected at this stage as I'm sure a few mispronunciations take place.

Nadar, nadar, nadar.

I need grace for all this.

[Verbal Artistry]

Im no expert on meditation but what i sometimes find useful is, joining the fingertips(see pic below, mine are not usually as tense and are loose), listening and feeling the pulse. The rhythm of the pulse then goes well with jap of Waheguru in your mind.

Edited December 23, 2010 by Verbal Artistry

[Matheen]

Some good advice here:(Sant Waryam Singh Ji): Meditation Video

Also, there were some audio clips of Sant Isher Singh Ji, posted on this forum, taking Sangat through Simran, which I found immensely helpful. Think they can be found on Gurmatveechar.com.

There is also an article by N30, in which he writes about various techniques - taken from Mahapursh.

Edited December 30, 2010 by Matheen

[Silence]

Jeeo recieve Naam drir from the panj pyare all your questions will be answered.

http://abhiyaas.blogspot.com/2005/12/how-do-we-do-simran.html

Edited December 30, 2010 by Silence