An interesting snippet from The Life and Teachings of Sai Baba of Shirdi:

[ShastriX]

http://bit.ly/gbTLaToSBoS

page 277 (top): 

http://bit.ly/gbTLaToSBoS277

| Concering the practice of nAmajapa, it is worthwhile to quote a passage from a dialogue between a devotee of Sai Baba and Ramana Maharshi:

|| Devotee: "My practice has been continuous invocation of the names of God while breathing in, and of the name of Sai Baba while breathing out.  Simultaneously with this I see the form of Baba always.  Even in Bhagavan I see Baba.  The external appearances are also much alike.  Bhagavan is thin.  Baba was a little stout.  Should I continue this method or change it?  Something within tells me that if I stick to name and form I shall never get beyond them but I can't understand what further to do if I give them up.  Will Bhagavan please enlighten me?"

|| Bhagavan: "You may continue with your present method.  When the japa becomes continuous all other thoughts cease and one is in one's real nature which is invocation or absorption.  We turn our minds outwards to things of the world and are therefore not aware that our real nature is always invocation.  When with conscious effort, or invocation, or meditation as we call it, we prevent our minds from thinking of other things, then what remains is our real nature, which is invocation…. There is no difference between God and His name."