“JAPA”  AN INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE

     The best way to chant the maha-mantra is to use 108 beads and one larger bead, known as the head bead, or Krishna bead. 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:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

     Then move forward to the next bead (pulling the bead towards you, into your hand) and repeat the mantra.

In this way, continue chanting on each of the 108 beads in the strand until you again reach the Krishna bead than turn the beads around and move in opposite direction. One should not chant the mantra on the Krishna bead or skip it.

     This is known as one round of japa and usually takes from five to seven minutes but at the beginning it can take ten minutes or even more. The most important thing is to pronounce each word clearly without missing any syllables and listen carefully.

    It is recommended to chant sixteen rounds a day, but if that seems too difficult for you, just set a certain number of rounds which you will manage to chant everyday and, for example, chant the mantra for half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening.