doing naam at work

[Guest work]

So i work in a bank full of goreh and non-religous people. These people dont understand my faith (i'm sikh btw) and i just about started understanding it very recently. I heard about naam and this whole idea of reciting the name of god. I try to do this at work now and again but i had a question... the goreh will tell me to stop talking or give me very funny looks (already have got them lol) when/if they hear me doing naam. So i do it very very very quietly almost to the point where i can't hear the sound of naam but my lips and tongue and everything are still doing naam. sometimes i can hear myself but most times i can just feel my breathe leaving my lips as i breathe doing naam. Is this okay? i can't be loud or any louder than i am. please help! thanks 

[Guest Kaur 2]

VJKK VJKF

Yes. You don't even have to move your lips but you can do it in your brain too. I do that when I'm at school. Well done for starting Naam simran. You are on the right path. So what if goreh hear Naam simran? Let them too experience the bliss and Anand of Naam!

VJKK VJKF

[Guest Haridas]

bless you.

you can do it mentally (in your heart or mind).   it doesn't have to be spoken out.

[sikhni777]

The more gupt you do your naam jap the greater the reward. 

However you have to remember that only God cares about you.  Naam is the only thing that should be of any importance to a sikh. So whether quietly or loudly I believe you are allowed to practice your naam simran as and how and where ever you may wish to. 

You may want to try memorizing a shabad as well,  as this comes across as you are reading something so you don't appear to be talking to yourself.

The Gurus never thought about what other people will think.  They carried on with their seva hence earning their Guruships.

Use your break time, walking to and fro work and also weekends for maximum quiet time and focused mind on God. The bliss is greater when you are less worried about the world.

I occasionally tend to read the meanings of gurbani from my phone, whole in waiting rooms and other places. I can see people curiously observing my face wondering what I might be studying,  however I get back to reading coz I have limited time to study with full focus.

 

[LightofNaam]

1 hour ago, sikhni777 said:

The Gurus never thought about what other people will think.  They carried on with their seva hence earning their Guruships.

Use your break time, walking to and fro work and also weekends for maximum quiet time and focused mind on God. The bliss is greater when you are less worried about the world.

I occasionally tend to read the meanings of gurbani from my phone, whole in waiting rooms and other places. I can see people curiously observing my face wondering what I might be studying,  however I get back to reading coz I have limited time to study with full focus.

 

Hearing and speaking the Truth brings about a beautiful energy.

 They're probably looking at you in wonderment. This used to happen on the trains to and from work, people staring as you meditate and pray.

It's good for people to see someone meditatively absorbed in peace in noisy places and when peoples minds can be filled with endless noise and chatter.

[Guest work]

But sometimes it's so quiet and I can't even hear it - is that bad? It's still happening with my lips and mouth for sure but I'm thinking about something else but I can't hear it? 

[simran345]

9 hours ago, Guest work said:

But sometimes it's so quiet and I can't even hear it - is that bad? It's still happening with my lips and mouth for sure but I'm thinking about something else but I can't hear it? 

Do it silently in your mind. Why are you doing it loudly at work? It’s ok to do that privately at home or when you’re outside walking or in fresh air or in the Gurdwara, but we don’t need to disturb others whilst focusing on God. Or do it semi loud, even better if u have headphones put them on and listen to audio of it. 

[Guest]

What I do at school is I breathe in Wahe and breathe out Guru it doesn't need to be loud.

Of course your work place isn't a rainsbhai program so you have to do it silently.

 

[Guest Hdas]

another way is to recall an audio you heard of kirtanis singing Naam.  in same away you remember any other song.

[sikhni777]

On 26/11/2017 at 2:41 PM, Guest work said:

and i just about started understanding it very recently.

I really hope you are trying to make an effort to practice naam simran at home too. The best time is the morning and then at night. 

An audio in the car might help too. Whilst it is a good thing to occassionally perform naam simran at work... you have to realise that it takes your attention away from other important things you may need to focus at the moment. 

I recently got carried away reciting a shabad in the middle of playing monopoly. I made the calculation that my turn would come when the shabad ended. I picked the dice and rolled it - then I realised it was not my turn - everyone just turned their eyes on me and well I did feel a bit foolish. 

The point being that when you are not making enough time for naam then it starts to spill out into the day. Therefore satisfy the cravings of your soul in the morning and at night. Set aside 20 minutes or so and sit without interruptions. If you can do it in the day - its a bonus. 

listening by the ear - greatly helps. I noticed better progress in my part when I was listening to the audio rather than reading the path silently in the morning. However it is good to keep a balance between both so that you can get the recitation and pronunciation correct.