Dear Reader,

    Actually, distraction caused by the mind is a major obstacle in consistent and focused spiritual practice or chanting*. This is especially true in the initial stages of spiritual practice, when the mind has many impressions and impurities that reduce its focus. (Refer to Issue 23, Clarification of Doubts section for a diagrammatic explanation of the impressions on the mind and the mechanism of chanting on the mind.)

Lack of focus on chanting can also be due to doubts or some incessant thoughts about an unresolved obstacle or task at hand, or because of the personality defect of having an overactive mind, or because of distressing energies.

    The following can help overcome this obstacle:

	Remembering that chanting with focus is the target, not the tool. One may not experience focus in chanting in the initial stages. However, by persevering with regular spiritual practice and chanting, even if mechanically, one will steadily progress towards increase in its quality and quantity. Refer to Issue 112, Practical Guidance section on how to achieve continuous chanting using reminders like chanting beads (mala), chanting strips, auto-suggestions, etc. Refer to Issues 113 and 150, Practical Guidance section on how to increase chanting by making it a part of the daily routine.
	Frequent, sincere prayers for improvement in chanting also help in chanting continually and with faith. Some examples of prayers are: - Prayer to remove unwanted thoughts or doubts: "God (or the Divine Principle, whose Name one chants), Please destroy all the unwanted thoughts and doubts in my mind and help me chant with focus." - "Please teach me how to focus on chanting in all situations," "Please let my chanting continue incessantly and devotedly," etc. - Prayer to protect one from distressing energies creating obstacles of unwanted thoughts or doubts: “God, please create a protective sheath around me when chanting, so that I am protected from distressing energies putting any kind of unwanted thoughts or doubts in my mind.”
	Another simple and effective step is to note down all the types of thoughts that are causing the distractions. Once they are written down, one can deal with them with appropriate solutions. For example, if the thoughts are doubts, they should be clarified. If they are thoughts about some obstacle, then one can see whether one can take concrete steps to overcome that obstacle, if not one can give auto-suggestions (a simple technique of implanting a positive suggestion into the mind to overcome defects of the mind). If they are thoughts about future tasks to be done, then observe if they are productive thoughts, if they are not or they are repeated thoughts about a future task, then again, one can take auto suggestions to overcome this defect of the mind.