Reflecting on Offenses

I was reflecting on the 11 offences after talking with a devotee on the phone tonight.
The 11th offense we recite in the Temple morning program, inattention whilst chanting, is considered to be the root cause of all the other offenses. This is something I have tended to overlook but is nevertheless crucial for quality Japa.
I have done some experimenting with this, for example - I tried reading the mantra whilst I was chanting and noticed the difference when I stopped reading (the mind became defocused and started wandering).
I am sure there are other devotees with similar experiences and ways of dealing with inattention. I know one devotee who, if he thought he was being inattentive, would stop chanting - play a kirtan - then continue chanting.

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