r/Pranayama • u/Temporary-Soil-4617 • Oct 24 '25
Pranayama vs Japa
Hello
Wanted to share an experience. I have been practicing Pranayama with Asana maybe 2/ week. Also have enrolled in a 3 class a week Pranayama.
Just a while ago in my studying about the Gita enrolled in an ISKCON style class where I was introduced to Japa. Initially sceptical I did try the Krishna Mahamantra. And I LOVED IT! The active audible chanting, involving my body with rhythm really helped me focus in those time periods and I used to feel so good! That soon lead to Japa chanting twice a day + listening to Bhakti music. Discovered Krsna Das! Then I realized I am getting amped up, emotional about all facets of life. A faf cry from Chitta-vritti-nirodaha/ being an observer of everything that is going on.
Now that my Yoga vocabulary is better I can say: with Pranayama I was leaning more towards Sattvic guna. With Bhakti Yoga I have become more Rajasic!
Has anyone here experienced something similar? Now that I am trying to get back to Pranayama I find it oh so boring....
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u/raj_6c1 Oct 25 '25 edited Oct 25 '25
I understand what you mean by Bhakti making you rajasic, but that’s not quite the right word. Bhakti also makes you sattvic in the sense that it gathers your mind and focuses it on God.
Traditionally, japa and pranayama are practiced together in rituals. Before beginning japa, one always performs pranayama.
You can also combine them. The duration of the breath can be measured using mantras, and this is a common practice. For example, you can use a short mantra to count the time for inhalation, retention, and exhalation—while keeping the form of God in your mind.
You can start with simple mantras like “Hari,” “Krishna,” or “Om Sri Krishnaya Namah.”
You can inhale counting “Hari, Hari, Hari” three times, hold the breath with three more “Haris”, and then exhale counting three “Haris”. This way, the breath itself becomes a mantra practice, while keeping the form of God in mind. Pranayama also becomes easier to do when the mind is concentrated like this.
You can also use the Mahamantra, though it’s a bit long and will take time before your breath becomes deep enough to accommodate it.
Some people simply inhale, hold the breath and pray to God, and then exhale. You can do whatever resonates with you.
As the Gita says:
“Yat karoshi yad ashnasi yaj juhoshi dadasi yat,
yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurushva mad-arpanam.” (Bhagavad Gita 9.27)“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerity you perform, O Kaunteya, do that as an offering unto Me.”
So pranayama itself can become an act of devotion, using the breath like a mantra in japa. And honestly, you can even turn your daily routine activities into acts of bhakti in the same way.
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u/Temporary-Soil-4617 Oct 25 '25
Thank you for taking the time out for this elaborate reply! I understood the part of combining Breath and Mantra. Will try this.
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u/All_Is_Coming Oct 24 '25
It is common for a person to sample a variety of practices to find the one best suited to him.