from:
https://nisargayoga.org/nisargadatta-maharaj-explains-spiritual-practice/on the teachings of Nisargadatta Maharaj:
Chanting: Silently reciting the name of a chosen deity, or a mantra (secret set of words given by a Guru), while paying attention to the breath. A mantra is usually given during the initiation of a seeker. Since mind and breath are closely related, prana – the life force, is thus purified. The mantra gets personified. This leads to dissolution of the mind and results in a state of samadhi (yogic inner trance)…
Meditation: For purification of the mind, dhyana or meditation, is the best practice. After waking up and before going to bed, meditate for half an hour. This is what Maharaj used to prescribe:
Sit steady with the back erect. Contemplate on: ‘I am not the body. I am formless. I am self-illumined, pure consciousness’. Remain aware of pure consciousness without words till you forget yourself while still awake. Do not visualize any deity, or chant any name. Just ‘TO BE’ and to remain steady with the awareness ‘I AM’ is the beginning and end of spiritual practice.
