We’ve pretty much started realizing that meditation, like exercise and eating right, is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle in that it reduces stress and helps things like PTSD recovery and any number of mind related stresses.
But I always had a horrible time meditating as I couldn’t get the perfect time, a quiet moment, a settled moment or even the mindset to consider creating the space. My mind was always racing and I’d be 10 steps in front of where I was when I thought I should be meditating and would just shrug it off and move on.
Then i got introduced to a form of Nichiren Buddhism (Japanese) that chants “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” (which is also the title of the ‘Lotus Sutra’ (without the ‘Nam’)) and away i went chanting a little here and a little there…
Once I got the phrase down and felt comfortable repeating it over and over I found I could launch into meditation a lot faster. I also noticed the repetition of the words, the speaking, the chanting, gave my brain something to do and allowed me to train myself to sit still and take some time. i didn’t need bells or music. i didn’t need silence or to settle down, I could just launch into the chant and in a few moments be literally meditating.
Now after 3 years I have actually chanted (with heavy meditation) for over 3 hours straight! (a huge victory for my ADHD, short attention span self.)
And after years of going through alcohol recovery and personality recovery I truly believe this form of chanting might just be a killer back door for people who find traditional quiet meditation untenable. These links below are slow and fast version of someone chanting ‘Nam Myoho Renge Kyo’ in a meditative state:
Slow version: http://www.sgi-usa.org/newmembers/resources/slowgongyo/daimoku_slow.mp3
Fast Version: http://www.sgi-usa.org/newmembers/resources/slowgongyo/daimoku_fast.mp3
– *Nam* – Naam (Like VietNAM)
– *Myoho* – Mee-Yo-ho
– *Renge kyo* (pronounced together:) Wren Geck Ee-yo
You are suppose to put the emphasis on ‘Myoho’ because it is the ‘mystic power’ that kicks the stuff into gear
Naam Mee-yo-ho Wren-geck-ee-yo
And here’s more explanation from Wikipedia – Diamoku (chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo):