How to do naam jap — guidance from Premanand Maharaj Ji

Shri Premanand Maharaj Ji makes naam jap sound like the most natural thing in the world — because, he says, it is. You do not need elaborate preparation. Sit comfortably. Hold your mala or simply fold your hands. Close your eyes. And say 'Radhe Radhe' — or 'Radha' — with whatever you have. Say it with your lips first, if the heart has not yet warmed. Say it a hundred times, a thousand times. As you continue, the heart follows the lips.

He emphasises a few things about the quality of jap. First: presence. Don't let the mouth chant while the mind is somewhere else entirely. Even partial presence is better than pure mechanical chanting. Gently bring the mind back to the naam each time it wanders — not with frustration, but like a loving parent calling a child back from a busy street. Second: love. Say the naam as if you are calling someone you love. There should be longing in it. Even if the longing is small, it is the seed of everything.

On timing, Maharaj Ji consistently recommends the early morning — before sunrise, before the noise of the day begins. That stillness carries the naam deeper. He also encourages doing jap whenever the mind is idle: while walking, waiting, before sleeping. Make the naam your constant companion. And do not measure your progress by feeling alone. If you show up to jap every day, something is happening — whether you feel it or not.

Based on Shri Premanand Maharaj Ji's satsangs.