Dear seeker,

    Chanting the Name of Lord Ganesh generates the vital energy (pran shakti) necessary for the functioning of the physical and the subtle body. When one starts chanting this Name, one may experience sudden surges of the resulting energy. Initially the physical body is not used to these energy surges, thus due to the body's inability to tolerate this energy, one may experience dizziness. The dizziness does not cause distress. Also, it disappears with continued spiritual practice.

    (Refer to the next Clarification of Doubts section in this Issue, if any distress is experienced during chanting.)

Dear seeker,

         Distress caused by chanting, such as headaches, can be due to the following:

• Chanting the incorrect chant: If a seeker at an initial level (associated with the Absolute Earth and Absolute Water cosmic principles) starts chanting a Name which is at a higher level (associated with the Absolute Fire cosmic principle), the seeker may be unable to bear the radiance generated from the chant. For example, a seeker in the initial stages of spiritual practice starts chanting a chant with ‘Om’, such as ‘Om namah Shivaya’ as per his own understanding or liking, without the resolve or guidance of a spiritual authority, then the seeker may experience distress from the chanting, due to the above reason.

• If one is chanting an appropriate chant as per guidance and still experiences distress, it can be due to the following:

  • The Lord's Name produces spiritual energy in the body. Since this energy initially does not have a proper route to flow through, it manifests in several ways, such as a feeling of energy in the head, hands, legs, etc.

  • If one is affected by distressing or negative energy trouble, one may initially experience discomfort even with appropriate chanting. The initial distress in this case is because of the fight between the negative energy troubling the individual and the positive energy generated through chanting.

      However, in both the above cases, where one is chanting the appropriate chant, the distress gradually subsides and finally ceases completely.