Shivaratri and mantra chanting

Remembering Amma on this holy day of Shivaratri.

She would keep chanting, 'Om namah Shivaya, Om namo Narayanaya' on all days [not just Shivaratri] and sometimes, I would tell her to chant silently. 

So sad..... now, when I try to chant silently, I realise the mind wanders so easily.  That is why loud chanting is required, to still the mind, as well as purify the atmosphere when the sound vibrations of mantras go out in ripples, purifying, energising the atmosphere.  No wonder most people found entering our house very calming.

All the prayers chanted by Amma and Appa made our house very serene despite all other problems [their own health, noisy neighbors, cabs zipping past with horn blaring, dust flying due to construction in the neighborhood].

Wish I could have  Amma and Appa back..... I will not stop them from loud chanting, ever :(