Although the process may vary, the practice of meditation is both an important ingredient of spiritual practice in many of the world's spiritual and religious traditions.

In the Vaishnava Hindu tradition the most common form of meditation is mantra meditation – the chanting of sacred sounds. This practice has been developed in India for thousands of years.

Mantra meditation has been found to be an extremely effective way of supporting the development of good character and spiritual Values, and in achieving the ultimate goal of liberation. It can also help to reduce stress and bring about a general sense of well-being (mental, physical, and emotional).

According to Hindu tradition, there are three ways of engaging in mantra meditation; (1) Silently within one’s mind, (2) Softly for one's own hearing, and (3) Together with others with musical accompaniment.

The most important mantra that Vaishnavas use in meditation is the maha-mantra, which is made up of Sanskrit names of Krishna. The maha-mantra is as follows:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare (pronounced ha-ray) refers to the pleasure energy of the Lord. Krishna means “the most attractive person.” Rama means “the reservoir of all pleasure.” As the names imply, spiritual practice is meant to be both a pleasurable and joyful experience.

In the Vaishnava tradition there are different mantras chanted on different occasions. Two of the more common ones are:

om namo bhagavate vasudevaya

And

sri-krishna-caitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara
srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

The early morning hours are considered the best time to meditate since they tend to be more peaceful and distraction free. However, there are no hard and fast rules for chanting – it can be done at any time and in any place.