Japa – Chanting of mantras while holding a string of beads to focus the mind

(Pronounced jah-pah)

To remember the meaning of the Hindu term Japa, use the following mnemonic:

The Japanese (Japa) man sat chanting while covered in beads.

Japa is the repetition of a mantra or the name of a divine power. It can be spoken softly, just loud enough for the speaker to hear it, or purely within the mind.

Japa can be performed in various ways – for instance, while sitting in a meditation posture, while performing other activities, or as part of formal worship in a group setting.

In some forms of japa, repetitions are counted using a string of beads known as a japamala. There are usually 108 beads in a japamala.

Some people wear their beads around their neck, while others carry them in a bead-bag, taking them out when needed.