Question: What is your feeling about your disciples using japa beads?

Sri Chinmoy: I am not totally against the use of japa beads, but I am not too much in favour of them either. If some of you want to wear japa beads, it is my most sincere request that you keep them inside your shirt. Otherwise, this can create a wrong vibration within the Centre. Please do not display them. If you want to use them at all, please do so at home when you meditate. You can keep them in your room on your shrine. I wish to tell you that japa is not necessary for our path. But if you wish to do japa, then please do it slowly and soulfully. The difficulty with japa is that while you are doing it, you pay all attention to the number. If you have decided to repeat "Supreme" a few hundred times, then you only count one, two, three and see when you can finish. So there is no value in it, no progress, nothing. In India and in America I have seen many, many people doing japa. Most of the time they go on like an express train: "Supreme," "Supreme," like they are fighting against time. But if you want to repeat the name of the Supreme most soulfully, then it will definitely increase your capacity for concentration, and deep, soulful meditation.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Great Masters and the Cosmic Gods, Agni Press, 1977
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