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Jaap and A-Japaa Jaap

Jaap means repeating or remembering the Mantra, and A-Japaa Jaap means constant awareness. The letter A in front of the word Japa means "without". Thus, A-Japaa Jaap is the practice of Jap without the mental effort normally needed to repeat the Mantra. In other words, it has begun to come naturally, turning into a constant awareness. The practice of constant remembrance evolves in stages:

At first, you intentionally repeat the syllables of the Mantra internally, as if you are talking to yourself in your mind. You allow the inner sound to come at whatever speed feels comfortable to the mind. Sometimes it is very slow, as if the mind were wading through a vat of honey. At other times it is very fast, as if flying through the sky without restraint.

With practice, the Mantra Jap is repeated automatically, like a song that you have heard many times, which just comes on its own. Some practitioners consider this automatic repeating to be the meaning of A-Japaa Jap, though there is a subtler meaning also.  Gradually, you merely remember the Mantra with attention drawn to it. It is more like noticing what is already happening, rather than causing it to happen. It is somewhat like the attention stance of listening rather than speaking, though you might not literally hear the sound.

In time, the feeling of the Mantra is there, even when the sound or remembering of the syllables of the Mantra is not there. For example, sometimes people will say, "OM, Shaanti, Shaanti, Shaanti," where the word Shaanti means peace or tranquility. During the remembering of the word there may be two things--the word and the feeling of peace or tranquility. When the syllables fade away, the feeling may still be there; this is called the remembrance of the feeling of the mantra.

As the practice evolves, there comes a pervasive awareness of the Mantra, subtler than both the syllables and any surface level meaning or definition. This constant awareness is the meaning of A-Japaa Jap of the Mantra.

Jap is said to be of three types - Vaachik, Upaanshu and Maanas - the last one the best. When a Mantra is pronounced methodically, clearly and loudly is called Vaachik Jap. This gives the fruit of all Yagya. Pronouncing a Mantra in a lower pitch separated one word from another or one by one word is called Upaanshu Jap. This is twice the more beneficial than the first one. And when one pronounces the words in mind thinking about the words with its meaning, it is called Maanas Jap. This Jap completes the Yog. Maanas Jap is the best. Who pray their Isht Devtaa by Jap, their Isht Devtaa are always pleased with them. That is why who is busy in Swaadhyaaya he can fulfill his all wishes.
[Naarad Puraan, p 127]

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