How to avoid Negative thoughts while chanting? Causes & Solution!
Actual Question from a devotee:
“Anna I always read your post but I dont understand how to control my heart and brain at the same while chanting there are lots of negative thought come in my mind..”
REPLY:
When we have full faith on Krishna and have realized the positive effects of chanting, we can chant effectively.
Negative thoughts come because your faith on Krishna is not sufficient and deep.
(CHANTING HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTHRA – IMPORTANCE, TIPS AND COMPLETE PROCEDURE! READ HERE!)
Let us see a few examples:
(1) Why do you show so much of interest in watching the movie of your favourite star?
Because, you fully believe that your favourite star will satisfy your expectations through that film.
At the same time, why don’t you show much interest in studies?
Because, you are not sure whether you are assured of any job after completing the studies.
If the job is assured if the student scores above 90% of marks he will study sincerely.
(2) A young wife has very caring husband who always appreciates her food preparations. So, she too has very much love and faith on her husband and hence, she prepared plenty of tasty recipes by selecting vegetables, recipes that are very much liked by her husband.
If her husband does not like bean, she would never buy it and she too would stop taking bean. Whenever she cooks for husband, she would always think whether her husband would like if she adds more turmeric, or oil or anything else. While cooking for husband, she would never think of any other things except about how to satisfy her husband with her preparation.
(Will chanting change the basic nature of a person? READ HERE!)
Why she is that much sincere in her cooking for husband?
Because, she loves her husband much and she believes that her husband likes and responds the good preparations of his wife. So, she is FULLY convinced with her husband and she can’t think any other things except her husband while cooking. She feels that she must reciprocate the love shown by her husband. So, she shows her gratitude and love by cooking nicely for husband.
So, FAITH on a person is the main requisite for developing dedication.
In case she finds her husband with some other girl in close association, her faith on husband is shaken and thereafter she will never trust his words. She feels that THE LOVE OF HER HUSBAND IS NOT TRUE as she believed so far and he has violated her trust put on him.
What happens after that?
She will not show the same love and care while cooking for her husband. She would even cook bean that she likes and he does not like. As she carelessly cooks, the food will not be tasty. She cooks thinking of the betrayal of husband in mind.
(TEN OFFENCES AGAINST CHANTING THE HOLY NAME OF KRISHNA! READ HERE!)
Similarly, IF YOU HAVE 100% FAITH ON KRISHNA, AND IF YOU STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT KRISHNA IS PROTECTING YOU SILENTLY BY SUPPLYING ALL THE REQUISITES, YOU WILL SHOW FULL ATTENTION WHILE CHANTING.
You must believe that KRISHNA HAS COME NOW AND IS HEARING YOUR CHANTING.
You should feel that KRISHNA WILL BE DEFINITELY CONVINCED IF YOU SHOW FULL ATTENTION IN CHANTING.
YOU SHOULD ALSO BELIEVE THAT CHANTING IS THE ONLY RECOMMENDED PROCESS TO GET PURIFIED AND GET THE LORD.
Unless you have such a STRONG faith on Krishna and chanting, you can’t develop concentration in chanting. If you thus trust Krishna 100%, you will start to chant to please Krishna, NOT TO RUSH TO COMPLETE THE ROUNDS. When you chant with this much of dedication, there will be no chance for the negative thoughts while chanting.
Negative thoughts while chanting primarily come because of facing continuous problems in life. So, our views become negative. We doubt whether Krishna is really existing. We do not realize that the problems are good for getting cleared from karma. In such a case, you should take the problems as the stages of purification that is the vital requirement to go closer to the Lord. So, take every problem as the blessing and be happy that you are being purified by Krishna Himself.
(Using intoxicants or other Violations while chanting – Will Krishna accept? READ HERE!)
Negative thoughts also come when we do not trust a source or person and when we do not apply our full attention.
So, develop full trust and faith on Krishna and the process of chanting. Believe that chanting REALLY purifies and elevates you. Chant with this faith and belief that Krishna is hearing your chanting. Since all the scriptures recommend that the Hari Nama Japa (Chanting) is the kaliyuga dharma, there is no need for doubt about the Power of chanting.
Now, negative thoughts will not arise.
Hope now you are clear on how to avoid Negative thoughts while chanting? Causes & Solution!
IMPORTANT TAIL PIECE:
There is another solution to this issue of negative thoughts. Accept diksha and chanting mala from a bonafide guru. Most of the devotees including me have experienced less diversions after getting Hari Nam from a diksha guru. So, if you are ready to follow four regulative principles and 16 rounds of chanting in a surrendered mood, you too can take diksha and get the spiritual support of bonafide Guru Parampara.
(How to chant without diversions? Do we need a guru to start chanting? READ HERE!)