Japa Yoga

Japa Yoga is a form of Yoga which uses the transforming qualities of sound on all planes of creation. The primordial sound is here the Shabda or Pranava or Nada, which is a theme of several Upanishads like the Nada Bindu Upanishad.

The means of this Yoga are at first short Bija-Mantras, which are especially  in the Visuddha Chakra and also in other chakras. The mantra sastra deals about these mantras.

The tantric sadhanas developed a multitude of longer mantras and combinations of mantras  for repetition, also  with a mala or during meditations and contemplations. Such mantras are known as sahasranamavalis of deities (ishta devatas).

Well known mantras are 'Om namaha Shivaya' and 'Om Nama bhagavate(vasudevaya)' .

Mantras of Sri Vidya  often end with '..hrim' like ' ka-e-ī-la-hrīṁ ' . Here the Guru initiates his disciple into a mantra japa called  Pañchadaśī mantra or any other mantra of his choice.

== Nada Yoga ==

The highest form of Japa is the Nada-meditation as practiced in Nada-Yoga and in Yoganadas Kriya-Yoga. The goal is the union with the Shabda or Nada in Samadhi.

== Literature ==

• Sivananda : Practice of Japa - Yoga
• Sivananda : Japa - Yoga
• Krishnanada : Yoga meditation and Japa Sadhana
• Yogamag : NADA Yoga - Saraswati

== Weblinks ==

• Japa-Yoga with Japa- or Mantra - Meditation
• Sri Mahavarahi japa mantra
• A site with plenty of (also doubtful) mantras